Hartford mayor at Quinnipiac School of Law: Grads can ‘dream dreams of worlds yet to be’

Nearly 10 years to the day after he delivered remarks at his own commencement from the Quinnipiac School of Law, Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam on Friday conferred 116 degrees for the law school’s class of 2024.

Arulampalam encouraged graduates to “dream dreams of worlds yet to be” and to boldly blaze new trails, according to the university.

“You are launching into a world that needs your unique voices, now more than ever,” Arulampalam said. “You can dream dreams that no one else can dream. Many of you will do things that your parents and your grandparents and your ancestors never thought possible.”

He also encouraged the graduates search for different and unique perspectives as they go out into the world, according to the university.

“Seek out those who think differently than you do and to build collaborative relationships with them and broaden your understanding from a place of humility,” the mayor told the graduates.

“The world needs those bridges,” he said. “The world needs to heal. The world needs to work together. It’s a big and scary world and that may seem like a tall order. But I have confidence in you because I’ve sat in your seats and I’ve been terrified of the world around me.”

Arulampalam, a native of Zimbabwe whose parents were Sri Lankan refugees, worked as an attorney in Hartford and served as deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection before being sworn in as the city’s 68th mayor in January.

He was joined at the commencement by Quinnipiac President Judy Olian, who praised the graduates as change makers with strong values.

“When I look at this class, I see the trailblazers of tomorrow who are prepared to embrace accelerated change,” Olian said, “and to do more than that — you will lead change in the practice of law, in public advocacy, in business, government, non-profits, public interest and clerkships, always keeping your values as the guiding light of your professional life.”

Quinnipiac University also conferred 93 medical degrees on Friday and will continue commencement ceremonies throughout the weekend.