Senior Lauren Sampson is the class representative for the 2 p.m. NDSU commencement ceremony on Friday, Dec. 17.
NDSU commencement speaker Lauren Sampson wants her classmates to consider, and appreciate, how much they have grown during their NDSU experience.
Sampson has been selected as the class representative to address the 2 p.m. ceremony on Friday, Dec. 17, at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex. The ceremony will be for graduates of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Engineering; College of Human Sciences and Education; and interdisciplinary studies.
“My talk centers around a quote from the CEO of Dell Inc. that reads, ‘As you start your journey, the first thing you should do is throw away that store-bought map and begin to draw your own,’” said Sampson, who is earning a Bachelor of Science degree while double majoring in music and mathematics. “We’ve all been on different life paths that have centered around our time at NDSU, and as we graduate, it is time to shelve that map and start new ones as we move to our next journey.”
Sampson was an outstanding student during her collegiate career, and was named to the NDSU dean’s list every semester. Because of her academic record, she received numerous scholarships, including the Ronald M. Mathsen Scholarship, Mathematics Scholarship Endowment Fund, Phyllis and Robert Anderson Scholarship in memory of A. Glenn Hill, Gene and Sue Jackson Scholarship, Anthony Hentges Gold Star Marching Band Scholarship, Kiefer-Riba Scholarship and Presidential Honor Award.
Many of Sampson’s favorite NDSU memories revolve around music. She was president of Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity, Gold Star Marching Band’s vice president and bass drum section leader and a member of the NDSU Wind Symphony. Her other activities included the NDSU curling club and Bison Guides.
Sampson traveled to central Europe with the Wind Symphony in 2019 and was part of the first American group to perform in the Spanish Hall of the Prague Castle. She proudly shared that experience as a student panelist for the NDSU Foundation.
“NDSU is where I really learned how to recognize when I need help and how to ask for it. I’ve also learned that progress has different paces for different problems,” said the native of Edmore, North Dakota, who is the daughter of Owen and Valerie Sampson. “If I remind myself of those two things when I’m stuck, I feel as though I can take whatever life and my future career will throw at me.”
As she closes in on graduation, Sampson encourages prospective students to look closely at NDSU.
“There are so many different ways to discover who you want to be here,” said Sampson, who hopes to work in government service focusing on defense or intelligence. “There are all kinds of majors, activities and organizations to get involved with on campus, and a wonderful community off campus.
“You can really tailor the NDSU experience to exactly what you need and want it to be.”
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