Zachary Carstens (JD '21) Delivers Student Address at Class of 2021 Commencement Ceremony

On Friday, May 21, the Pepperdine Caruso Law Class of 2021 cheerfully reunited at Alumni Park to celebrate their commencement after more than a year of being separated from their friends and colleagues. Over 400 candidates graduated from Caruso Law in the 2020-2021 academic year, receiving Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, Master of Dispute Resolution, and Master of Legal Studies degrees.

Class of 2021 graduate Zachary Carstens roused the audience, exclaiming, "Families and friends, faculty, staff, and alumni, and students of the Class of 2021, unmute yourselves and let's hear it for not being on Zoom!"

Carstens then delivered his moving student address in which he reflected,"The last three years taught us how to drop the illusion of control and practice the discipline of belief. The greatest relief is singing harmony in a celestial score you didn't compose, letting go of the arrogant need to cram the universe inside of your two-pound brain. We take the pain and perseverance we collected these last three years and look outward together toward a world on fire, armed with our beliefs and our better words. Class of 2021, together, we, with unmuted voices, we, with unmasked faces, will carry forward the lessons we learned and proclaim healing to our cities, to each other, and to ourselves. If things get better, or if things get worse, we carry this light, and we rise together."

You can view Carsten's entire address on YouTube.