Econ Grad to Speak at Spring Commencement

Posted May 1, 2024

With family, friends, faculty, and classmates looking on, five graduates will address the crowd inside McCamish Pavilion as this year’s Spring Commencement reflection speakers.  

The speakers will be Nikhil Iyengar, a Ph.D. aerospace engineering candidate; Stefanny Arcos, an undergraduate economics candidate; Rish Desai, an undergraduate computer science candidate; Ritvik Ramakrishnan, a master’s computer science candidate; and Kathleen Devlin, an undergraduate industrial engineering candidate.  

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

One grade in one class doesn't define an academic career. After a disappointing grade on her first differential calculus exam, Stefanny Arcos wondered if she was cut out for Georgia Tech, but help from her advisors and friends gave her a new mindset that powered her through to Commencement — and it's one she intends to share.  

"I think imposter syndrome is real, and I want to help remind my fellow graduates that they are enough. It's so important to focus on celebrating our small daily victories just as much as the big ones," she said.  

This opportunity gives Arcos a chance to thank those who helped her throughout her journey, and that support is what she'll miss the most. "I have met incredible friends and mentors, and I will always be thankful for my time here. Even at my lowest lows, I was always surrounded by people who comforted and cared for me.”  

The Douglasville, Georgia, native will graduate with a degree in economics, and before starting law school, she will take some time off to visit family in Ambato, Ecuador.  

This article was originally posted in the Georgia Tech News Center. Meet the rest of the 2024 Commencement speakers here.