【正文】
on behalf of the graduating masters and doctoral students of washington university39。s school of engineering and applied science, i would like to thank all the parents, spouses, families, and friends who encouraged and supported us as we worked towards our graduate degrees. i would especially like to thank my own family, eight members of which are in the audience today. i would also like to thank all of the department secretaries and other engineering school staff members who always seemed to be there when confused graduate students needed help. and finally i would like to thank the washington university faculty members who served as our instructors, mentors, and friends.as i think back on the sevenandahalf years i spent at washington university, my mind is filled with memories, happy, sad, frustrating, and even humorous.tonight i would like to share with you some of the memories that i take with me as i leave washington university.i take with me the memory of my office on the fourth floor of lopata hall the room at the end of the hallway that was too hot in summer, too cold in winter, and always too far away from the women39。s best feature. were it not for the physics building across the way, it would have afforded me a clear view of the arch. but instead i got a view of the roof of the physics building. i also had a view of one corner of the roof of urbauer hall, which seemed to be a favorite perch for various species of birds who alternately won perching rights for several