When the members of the Class of 2024 hear their names called and walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, it will be, for most of them, a brand-new experience.

This is the high school class whose senior year was disrupted and truncated by the onset of a global pandemic, the class whose members never got to experience the joyous ritual of celebrating their academic achievement with friends and family.

Not the easiest way to begin college, but for these students, “easy” has never been the preferred option. They’ve faced down challenges on playing fields and in laboratories, navigated new courses in class and in life, and they’ve won accolades while doing it on the state, regional, and national levels.

When the going gets tough, these Huskies get going. And that spirit of resilience will accompany them into whatever fields they pursue next – business, public service, graduate education, professional sports, art, families, and more.

So congratulations, Class of 2024 – from Avery Point, from Farmington, from Hartford, from Stamford, from Storrs, from Waterbury, and from all over Connecticut, the nation, and the world. When you look back, it won’t be on what you missed four years ago, but on everything you’ve gained in the four years since. Yesterday, today, tomorrow: Huskies Forever.