The UM School of Business graduated almost 400 seniors and nearly 100 MBA and other master program students during spring commencement ceremonies May 8 and 9 on the Coral Gables campus. The MBA graduates included 108 students from the Full-time MBA program, 43 students from the MBA for Working Professionals program, and 24 students from the Executive MBA program in Tampa. Also participating in the commencement exercises were 24 candidates in the School’s Spanish language MS in Professional Management program. They will officially graduate in June.

Highlights from the undergraduate commencement exercises included an address by Robert Rubin, director and chair of the Executive Committee of Citigroup and former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury; and the student speaker address by the business school’s own graduate Alexander Correa. Correa began by reflecting on one of his first experiences on campus when he arrived as a freshman. He recalled that a woman he did not know came up to him and said “Your purpose will be made here.” When he asked who she was, Correa recalls the woman saying “I’m President Shalala,” revealing the sense of family he said exists at the University of Miami.

“It is this deep sense of family at UM that has enabled us to cultivate lasting relationships,” the economics major told the audience.

Correa asked the graduates to pay tribute to their families, especially those who emigrated to the U.S. from other countries. Correa himself is the son of Cuban exiles.

“Our families came to this country to start over,” said Correa. “And this ceremony is evidence that the American dream is alive and well at the University of Miami.”

Correa went on to say that making money should not be the primary goal after graduation, that he and his classmates must be socially responsible.

“We must remember to give back to our communities,” said Correa.

Two other graduates of the School of Business were honored during the ceremony. Danny Carvajal, the student body president, was recognized for founding the Canes Emergency Response Team, the first student-led and student-composed emergency response team of any university. Also honored was business school graduate Jonathon Stratton, who was recognized as the UM men’s basketball team guard who had earned the highest LSAT score in the School of Business.