Üsküdar Üniversitesi bid farewell to its 12th-term graduates with the 2024-2025 Academic Year graduation ceremony. Graduates, experiencing the joy of graduation upon receiving their diplomas, felt both excitement and pride.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "True success is not reaching great heights, but remaining human at great heights. The most important thing is to succeed in remaining human in the age of artificial intelligence. We must be masters of humans, not algorithms. We must elevate the ethics of virtue."
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör: "From now on, be much more diligent. But definitely without ambition; as you weave diligence, entrepreneurship, and courage, adopt determination, not ambition, as your principle."
At the graduation ceremony held at the Haliç Congress Center, 12th-year associate, undergraduate, and graduate students experienced excitement and enthusiasm together. This year, 7,274 Üsküdar Üniversitesi graduates transitioned into professional life.
At the ceremony, also attended by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Chairman of the Board of Trustees Furkan Tarhan and Fırat Tarhan, Board Member of the TARHAN - İDER Foundation, academicians including Üsküdar Üniversitesi Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Hikmet Koçak, Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel, Rector's Advisors Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zelka, Prof. Dr. Muhsin Konuk, Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış, Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay, Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak, and Prof. Dr. Elif Erhan were present.
During the two-day graduation ceremony, students were presented with their certificates.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Graduation is not an end, but the beginning of a rebirth"
Addressing the graduating students and their families at the ceremony, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan conveyed important messages to graduates, families, and instructors, drawing from his own memories and life experiences.
Emphasizing that graduation is not an end but the first step of a new life, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, "University life is a period that teaches more than even one's military service. Here, not only academic skills but also social and emotional skills are gained. Therefore, this graduation is not an end, but the beginning of a rebirth."
"Be masters of humans, not algorithms"
Prof. Dr. Tarhan advised young people to aim not only for a profession but also to be "conscientious," stating, "True success is not reaching great heights, but remaining human at great heights. I recommend asking yourselves: 'Have I managed to remain human alongside this profession?' The most important thing is to succeed in remaining human in the age of artificial intelligence. We must be masters of humans, not algorithms. We must elevate the ethics of virtue."
"The university gave you a key"
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, conveying the university's role through a key metaphor, said, "In fact, the university did not load you with information; it gave you a key. We gave you the key to the treasure trove of knowledge. It is up to you to search for and find that treasure. Just like a diver, you will descend to the deepest parts of the ocean of life with your equipment and extract the pearls of your dreams."
"Be like water in the journey of life"
Advising young people to "be like water" in the journey of life, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, "Water does not forget its goal; it does not give up. If a stone appears in front of it, it flows around it. If a rock appears, it wears it down drop by drop and passes through. But it is not the force of the water that carves the rock, but its persistence. Life is also like this. As Rumi said, 'How good it is to migrate from somewhere every day. How beautiful it is to settle somewhere every day. How lovely it is to flow without muddling, without freezing.'"
"Physicians sometimes treat, often comfort"
At the end of his speech, Prof. Dr. Tarhan, addressing especially the Faculty of Medicine graduates, reminded them of Ibn-i Sina's advice to physicians, saying, "Physicians sometimes treat, often comfort. People who come with troubles need knowledge, but it must be conveyed to them with compassion, without hurting or breaking them. The impact of this is much more significant." He concluded his words and wished the graduates success.
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör: "Graduation is a milestone"
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör delivered an emotional speech at the ceremony, addressing both students and their families. Stating that graduation is a "milestone," Prof. Dr. Güngör expressed that as a university, they strive to contribute to students' life stories in the best possible way.
"That moment is this moment!”
Prof. Dr. Güngör stated, "For four, five, or six years, since the moment you walked through this door, we have developed strategies on how we can contribute to your life stories in the most productive, enjoyable, and beautiful way," and emphasized that their goal is to raise graduates who are not only well-equipped but also imbued with human values. Looking at the graduates, Prof. Dr. Güngör said, "That moment is this moment. Now, before us, we see our brilliant products, this beautiful, wonderful, glittering work we have created, and we are experiencing its exhilaration."
"Don't be ambitious, adopt determination as a principle"
Stating that the real struggle for graduates begins now, Prof. Dr. Güngör gave important advice to the youth, saying, "Now is when your touches on humanity will truly begin. Now you are taking over the duty, the flag on the path of life. You are taking on all responsibility for our country, our world, and humanity."
Prof. Dr. Güngör gave advice to the graduates, saying, "From now on, be much more diligent. But definitely without ambition; as you weave diligence, entrepreneurship, and courage, adopt determination, not ambition, as your principle. Aim not for competition, but to be strong together. You should continue this journey not by surpassing others, but by growing together with others."
"This is not a farewell, but a greeting to a new beginning"
Emphasizing that graduation is not a separation, Prof. Dr. Güngör stated, "This is not a farewell; this is a greeting to a new beginning. In the period ahead, we will continue this journey together with you, with honor and pride."
Prof. Dr. Güngör also thanked the families and instructors for their efforts, saying, "You brought our young people to this point. This is by no means an easy process. You trusted them and you trusted us. Together, we are making an important contribution to the future of our country, our world, and humanity." Prof. Dr. Güngör also wished the graduates, "May your path be open. May it be filled with beauty, success, productivity, and honor."
Awards presented to top-ranking students
One of the most exciting moments of the ceremony was the segment where top-ranking students received their awards. The third place in the school was shared by Beyzanur Karadağ and Naor F A Abuamer from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör and TARHAN - İDER Foundation Board Member Fırat Tarhan presented the students with their awards and the book "Being a Conscious Young Person".
Second place in the school went to Arzum Atılgan from the Department of Psychology and Canan Solmaz from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. Arzum Atılgan received her award from Furkan Tarhan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Inspirational speech from School Valedictorian Vedat Yıldırım
Vedat Yıldırım, a Software Engineering student who became the school valedictorian with a 4.00 GPA, affixed the plaque bearing his name to the school's log. In his speech, Yıldırım described the challenging process behind his success, saying, "Exams, projects, coding that lasted until dawn, and two-hour metrobus journeys from Beylikdüzü to Üsküdar... Each of these taught me to persevere and never give up." Yıldırım thanked his family and instructors, stating, "We all put in a lot of effort on this path, we got very tired, but we succeeded. For what comes next, I wish new goals and brand new beginnings for all of us," and congratulated his friends.
The award for the school valedictorian was presented by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan.
Meaningful message from an international student to aspiring physicians
Speaking on behalf of international students, Soundous Bensalah, a Faculty of Medicine graduate, stated that medical education is challenging yet equally instructive, saying, "No matter how accustomed we become to seeing many patients, we must never, ever see them as a number or a name. We must always see them as human beings."
Applause for champion athletes
One of the most enthusiastic moments of the ceremony was the invitation of champion athletes, who waved the university flag in different regions of Turkey, to the stage. Athletes from the basketball, football, volleyball, kickboxing, and boxing teams came onto the stage with their trophies, receiving great applause. The university administration thanked each athlete and coach individually and celebrated their successes.
At the ceremony, the athletes presented their signed jerseys, worn in competitions, as gifts to the administration.
Subsequently, the master's degree diploma ceremony and the Faculty of Medicine diploma ceremony were held. The Faculty of Medicine Oath ceremony was administered by Prof. Dr. Haydar Sur.
Successful communicators also honored…
At the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, and Dean of the Faculty of Communication Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay presented awards to successful students of the Faculty of Communication. Ayşe Nur Ateş, a Radio, Television, and Cinema Department student who won the "Best Experimental Film" award at the 31st International Adana Golden Boll Film Festival; İbrahim Karahasan, a finalist at the 58th International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival and Adana Golden Boll Film Festival, who received the "Best Student Short Film" award at the Spain Madrid Short Film Festival; Serdar Karan from the New Media and Communication Department, who was deemed worthy of the "Outstanding Achievement" award at the 34th Young Communicators Competition organized by the Turkish Journalists' Association and Aydın Doğan Foundation with his project "Unnecessary Sensitivity Towards Visually Impaired Individuals"; and Şahin Deniz, who won the second-place award in the Internet News category with his project "Green's Resistance: Turkey's Environmental Struggle" in the same competition, were awarded. Awards were also presented to Mukadder Güneş, Zeynep Erva Karaçay, and Georg Abdurrahimov from the Radio, Television, and Cinema Department, who won second place in the Documentary Film category with their project "Turkey's Space Journey" in the TRT Future Communicators Competition.
Graduates threw their caps in the air
After the Faculty of Communication students received their diplomas, a flag and pennant handover ceremony was held. The ceremony concluded with students throwing their caps in the air and embracing their families.
Additionally, diplomas were presented at the ceremony to graduates of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Health Sciences, and the Vocational School of Health Services.
