The Sociology Department is honored to announce that Quantae Carr will be this year's LSA Virtual Commencement Ceremony Student Speaker! This is a tremenous honor and accomplishment.
Tune in on Friday, April 30th to hear from Quantae and other speakers, and to celebrate the Class of 2021.
We talked with Quantae to learn about his thoughts on this acheivement, graduating from U-M, and plans after graduation.
About Quantae...
Major: Sociology
Hometown: Detroit, MI
U-M Clubs: Vice President of the NAACP, First Generation Advisory Board Member
Why did you decide to major in Sociology? How has this choice impacted your U-M experience?
"I chose to major in sociology because I always found learning about people very interesting. How people interacted with one another and why we do the things we do. I always had an interest in social inequality but didn’t necessarily know the outlet to pursue what I liked. It wasn’t until I took my first SOC 100 class where everything made sense and I looked at the world differently. This choice has impacted my experience tremendously and it even had a factor in my full-time job. While being a soc major you learn to look at the world from not only your perspective but from a sociologist's perspective, meaning you are unbiased and are appreciative of your surroundings. You now understand why people do the things they do and about race which is extremely important in our society today."
What are your plans after graduation? What will you miss the most?
"My plan after graduation is to work for M&T Bank in their Management Development Program. The thing that I will miss the most is the campus atmosphere and fellow friends that attended here. It’s nothing like the feeling of waking up early on Saturdays and joining the thousands of people walking to Michigan Stadium. The memories shared with friends and the camaraderie built is unmatched and it is something I will forever cherish."
How do you feel about being nominated for this year's student speaker?
"This honor means the world to me! Coming into college, I always knew that I wanted to leave my mark on campus after I left, but I just didn’t exactly know how. I joined many student orgs and even became Vice President of one, but there was something bigger that I wanted to accomplish. As soon as the opportunity was presented I immediately wanted to speak because I wanted to be known as the first-ever LSA Student Speaker. This is something that will go down in history and it is truly an honor to speak at such a prestigious university like Michigan. This school has been around for over 200 years and I can finally solidify my mark in the history books! I would like to say thank you so much for nominating me! Thank you for believing in me to deliver this speech and thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so!"
Are there any other words/advice you'd like to give to your fellow graduates, or future graduates?
"The biggest piece of advice would be to always go for your dreams and never lose sight of what you want to accomplish, it may seem long, hard, and scary but as long as you are consistent you will accomplish any goal set. Growing up I was always afraid to speak in public and showcase my wisdom, but I knew that I wanted to be recognized one day. 22 years later, I got one of the biggest moments in my life because I never gave up and faced my fears."
