Audacity, Resilience, Kindness: Student Commencement Speakers Reflect on Triton Journeys

Amoha Ashutosh Bhale

Attend a concert at every San Diego venue, kayak in the ocean, present at a research conference—these are a few of more than 100 things Amoha Bhale has checked off her "Before I Graduate" bucket list in the four years she’s spent earning her bachelor’s degree in human biology and master’s degree in global health.

Setting goals and staying true to beliefs shaped by her family’s immigrant experience and the mental health struggles of her loved ones led Bhale to make the most of her time at UC San Diego. Understanding the power of social safety nets and community connections to human well-being, she provided peer-to-peer guidance at the Hub Basic Needs Center, volunteered at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and crafted a research proposal for student-staffed emergency medical services on campus.

Moving forward on her pre-med track, Bhale wants to focus on serving adolescents in communities of color—to be the voice she wished advocated for her and her friends when she was younger.

Something you feel grateful about: “I’ve been able to serve my community in ways that I couldn't have even imagined, and UC San Diego made that possible. I was able to foster my passions, get invaluable support from the campus community and make a lifelong network of friends that make any place feel like home.”

How do you feel prepared for the future? “UC San Diego showed me it’s possible to do all the things I want to do. I’ve learned to have the audacity to ask—to put myself out there, and it’s shown me how possibility becomes purpose.”

Luna Penelope McMahon

“How’s our trailblazer doing?” The simple text message Luna McMahon recently received from her aunt embodies the significance of her upcoming graduation. She’ll be the first in her family to earn a college degree.

Born and raised in a low-income San Diego community, McMahon was taught that no one can take an education away from her. And at UC San Diego, she made a point to use her education to be of service to others. McMahon took on leadership roles in the Associated Students, Students 4 Global Health and Undocumented Student Services. She also served as a mentor to her fellow Chancellor’s Associates scholars, an intern for Health Frontiers in Tijuana and a student ambassador for the County of San Diego.

With a bachelor’s degree in global health in hand, McMahon will head to Cornell University for a master’s in health administration this August. Her dream is to create more equitable and inclusive spaces in health care, and to one day return to San Diego in a career serving the communities and people she loves.

What does graduation mean to you and your family? “I think my family recognizes that I’m trying my best for us—making these moves to lift us up as a family—and that this degree isn’t for me—it’s for all of us.”

One of your biggest college takeaways? “As a first-generation Latinx student, the support I found at UC San Diego helped me discover my voice and purpose—it taught me not only how to think critically and engage globally, but also how to lead with empathy and courage.”

Priscilla Ai-Lan Nguyen

Priscilla Nguyen has always been drawn to difficult problems: problems physically bigger than herself that require multiple minds to solve. It’s a big part of why she pursued aerospace engineering at UC San Diego—earning her bachelor’s degree in 2024—before continuing on to her master’s in mechanical engineering.

Nguyen’s five years on campus weren’t all about engineering; they were also about fulfilling “side quests,” or alternate missions, to grow as a well-rounded person, whether it be contributing to an academic paper, finding a secret spot on campus or, as she phrased it, “working on cool things in weird spaces.”

Closing this chapter at UC San Diego, Nguyen is ready to apply her skills in industry. She is headed to the Vandenberg Space Force Base to build, test and launch rockets for SpaceX in August.

One of your biggest college takeaways? “A big part of life, because it’s so temporary, is to make lasting memories and find people to make those memories with. That’s the whole point of college, right? To find yourself, what you do and don’t like, and what you value.”

How does UC San Diego prepare Tritons for the future? “We are exposed to so many diverse experiences as students that shape our direction. If we don’t end up on the path we intended, it’s probably because of the resources—whether it’s faculty, peers, lab spaces or research opportunities—that guided us toward what we truly needed at each point in time.”

Beatriz Pereira dos Guimarães Peixoto

From Brazil to Mexico, Switzerland and the United States, Beatriz Pereira dos Guimarães Peixoto has lived in more countries than many will in a lifetime. Naturally, the International House at UC San Diego felt like home when she arrived on campus. She made friends from around the world and helped revive BRASA, a student organization that engages students in Brazilian culture and supports Brazilian students navigating international education.

Peixoto experienced deep academic and personal growth in her time as a Triton, opening more doors for herself than she’d imagined possible. About to graduate with her bachelor’s in biochemistry and minor in biology from UC San Diego, she was presented with a job offer, acceptance into a master’s program, and an opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. Ready to explore a new city, however, Peixoto decided she will move to Baltimore to pursue a master’s of health science at Johns Hopkins University.

Fueled by her own experiences—having been diagnosed with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, a rare inflammatory disease, at age 15—Peixoto hopes to use her passion for biotech research to develop more treatment options for rare diseases and advocate for patients in the future.

What does being a Triton mean to you? “Being a Triton is not about being classroom smart, it’s about knowing how to apply what you’ve learned and how to ask for help. The biggest thing, to me, about being a Triton is to think not only of yourself but also everyone else.”

What’s unique about the Class of 2025? “Most of us graduated high school or started college during the pandemic so I feel like we’ve been through so much. Through that experience, a lot of us discovered what really matters in life, and now we keep those things close to our hearts.”

Jennifer Yoobin Shin

On day one, Jennifer Shin made friends for life at UC San Diego. In year one, she also lost her father to cancer. And after taking two quarters away to process his passing, Shin returned to school to earn her bachelor’s in human biology, deeply committed to pursuing a career in medicine and patient care. Experiences and connections made in research labs also inspired her to apply for medical school and explore various specialties.

Beyond establishing her academic and career goals, Shin is departing UC San Diego with the knowledge that it’s never too late to start a movement. Less than six months before graduation, she created the Kindness Collective—a student organization that aims to inspire and cultivate a culture of kindness, positivity and compassion on campus by focusing on the power of small, intentional acts of kindness and impactful service projects.

The Kindness Collective has already gained more than 500 followers on Instagram and created a strong foundation to continue in the future. Shin looks forward to watching the organization grow as she takes the next steps toward achieving her medical school dreams.

How has UC San Diego prepared you for the future? “I’ve learned how to face my fears and challenge myself. And while it’s scary to put myself out there, to be judged or rejected, I’ve found it’s important to do things I’m more uncomfortable with. It’s taught me a lot about resilience and trusting myself.”

What inspired you to be a commencement speaker? “Serving as a student speaker presented another opportunity to challenge myself—to do something that helps me grow. Being able to share my message about spreading kindness and not sweating the small stuff will be like putting a bow on top of my UC San Diego journey.”

Farsamin Warisha

True love and a lucky break brought Farsamin Warisha to the United States. Originally from Bangladesh, her parents eloped and later immigrated to America with two-year-old Warisha after winning a visa lottery. Assimilating to the culture as a Muslim family in 2003 wasn’t easy, Warisha explained. And knowing all they had been through, she grew up understanding that higher education was an expectation, not only of her family but also of the tight-knit Bangladeshi community around her.

At UC San Diego, Warisha excelled—receiving various research awards and scholarships, performing in the Tritones and discovering greater self-confidence in her heritage and culture among the diversity of scholars. Like many students in her class, however, Warisha also faced uncertainty after the pandemic and wrestled with her studies and mental health. After taking a leave of absence to prioritize her well-being and work as a quality assurance analyst at Illumina, a local biotech company, Warisha returned to UC San Diego to earn her bachelor’s in human biology with a minor in global health.

While her goal is to become a physician specializing in women’s health, Warisha isn’t placing any deadlines on herself—she’s simply proud to be an unapologetically Muslim, Bangladeshi woman who’s optimistic about creating more space for women and girls like her in the future.

What do you hope for students who see parts of their story in yours? “I hope that in those of us who pursue higher education in order to honor our families, we remember that honoring ourselves and our individual paths and journeys is also honorable to our families and ancestors because we get to exercise our rights, recognize our privileges and chase after our dreams.”

What does being a Triton mean to you? “Being a Triton, to me, is being an agent of change. I don’t know a single person on campus who doesn’t have big, wild, ambitious dreams. And most of the time, at some point or another, people achieve what they set out to do. I think it’s because of the tools, education and support we get as we’re launched into the next chapter of our lives.