Kyle Burbage ’25: “The Way You Move Through This World Matters”
Class of 2025 Commencement Speaker Kyle Burbage ’25 evoked themes of individuality and community in his remarks to fellow graduates at Wesleyan’s 193rd Commencement ceremony. Describing Wesleyan as “a community that will forever connect us,” he noted, “No matter where we go, we must continue to be unapologetically ourselves. Because more than anything, Wesleyan taught me to take up space with confidence, to know that I belong.”
Burbage, an economics and film studies major from Alexandria, Virginia, who played four years as a forward on the men’s soccer team, encouraged his classmates to draw upon the hard work and resiliency they’ve developed at Wesleyan as they pursue their goals with passion. He urged, “Fail, then fail again for good measure. Try it all. The way you move through this world matters, and the impact you make is contagious.”
Burbage made the following remarks during Wesleyan’s 193rd Commencement ceremony on May 25:
Friends, family, faculty, and the Class of 2025, good morning and happy graduation! For those who don’t know me, my name is Kyle Burbage. For those who do, if you could delete any videos of me from the past four years, I’d appreciate it. It’s an incredible honor to stand before you today. With the short time I have, I want to remind you of how extraordinary our time at Wesleyan has been—not just because of the moments we shared, but because of the people we shared them with.
The friends we’ve made, the classes we’ve (mostly) attended, the trophies we’ve lifted. The comedy shows, concerts, and community events we’ve enjoyed. The hours spent in Olin arguing over the perfect sentence, the long lunches at Usdan that turned into entire afternoons, and the spring days at Millers Pond when we let time swim away. This place is not just a campus, nor our experiences just moments in time: it’s a community that will forever connect us and live on past today.
Behind the joy, these years tested us in ways we never expected, in ways we maybe never wanted. In my time here, I’ve lost family, and I’ve lost friends. I know many of you have, too. In those moments, I leaned on some of you—and I am grateful you leaned back. The truth is, every single one of us has faced hardship. And I know, without a doubt, that every single one of us has helped a friend through theirs. That is who we are. That is what this place has made us. And that resilience, that support, will carry us forward—whether we’re heading to graduate school, starting a new career, or headed home still searching.
No matter where we go, we must continue to be unapologetically ourselves. Because more than anything, Wesleyan taught me to take up space with confidence, to know that I belong. And that says a lot, considering how humbling it is to be constantly surrounded by people as impressively intelligent, wildly talented, and deeply compassionate as all of you. We came to Wesleyan for different reasons—academics, athletics, the arts, maybe we thought we looked good in red—but we stayed because we found something worth holding onto: each other. Those in arm's reach.
Candidly, I could list the things my time here lacked. I’m sure we all could. But had I gone anywhere else, I know it would lack everything that is uniquely Wesleyan. When I’m asked what I love most about this school, my answer is always the same: the people. From these conversations, you've taught me that everyone has a story worth telling, a perspective worth sharing. Even when I don't ask, I know Wesleyan students are going to speak their minds anyway, and I'm glad I listened—because it's from these conversations with you that I learned more than I ever could from a textbook. It’s why I chose to study film—because if I could be a part of even capturing one of your stories, bringing it to life for the rest of the world to see, I know the world would be better off for it—because mine is.
Some say college is the best time of your life—I say it's one hell of a stepping stone. Our biggest milestones are ahead, and I cannot wait to see what you'll accomplish. The businesses you’ll build, the art you’ll create, the families you’ll start—it all came through here, with the people sitting beside you. As for the foundation, we worked to reinforce these hard-fought years, keep stacking on it. Continue to push yourself. Compete. Create. Read voraciously. Laugh uncontrollably. Definitely call them. Fall in love. Fail, then fail again for good measure. Try it all. The way you move through this world matters, and the impact you make is contagious.
Finally, I’d like to share a lesson from my experience that I reflect on often: Every exam I took represented hours of studying. Every girl I talked to at bar night represented days hyping myself up. Every minute of playing time represented weeks of practice. But it's every second of happiness I experienced here that represented months or years getting to know you all better.
So, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that 90% of this life is showing up, putting in the work, and preparing for the 10% that is truly unforgettable. You, the students of the Wesleyan University Class of 2025, are truly unforgettable. So as you rise to the stage and hold your diploma in your hands, remember what it is that got you here—your resilience, your individuality, and the community that raised you to this occasion. Congratulations, and happy graduation. I love you all!
