On June 30, Skoltech celebrated the graduating class of 2023, which consisted of 224 MSc and 43 PhD students. A new cohort of graduates from 23 countries, joined by their families and friends, gathered in the main hall to cherish the moment they had worked so hard to achieve: their degrees. This gathering was a tribute to excellence, hard work, and ambition.

“Today, you stand on the threshold of your new professional life. In this life, you will encounter many different crossroads, each demanding a decision, sometimes a very challenging one,” Skoltech President Alexander Kuleshov encouraged the graduating class of 2023 to take risks and strive for more. “You are young, well-educated, and well-prepared for a new life. Take risks,” he said.

“Keep on going,” encouraged Viktor Vekselberg, the chairman of the Skoltech Board of Trustees. In his speech, he recalled one of the greatest basketball players, Drazen Petrovic, who, after becoming an Olympic Champion, attended his regular training session the following morning. “Graduation is just your first success, the first page in your book of life. Don’t stop; persist,” he advised.

Dean of Education Clement Fortin further elaborated on the idea of continuous effort as a prerequisite for becoming a leader. “In our Skoltech strategy, we emphasize educating thoughtful leaders,” he said; according to Fortin, thoughtful leaders acquire knowledge and skills to serve society, which is impossible without continuous learning.

Not only the future of Skoltech graduates was under the spotlight that evening, but also the future of Skoltech itself. VEB.RF Chairman Igor Shuvalov announced that the Skoltech Board of Trustees had decided to start offering bachelor’s degree programs, presenting Skoltech with new opportunities and responsibilities.

The ceremony continued with the awarding of degrees to graduates. Those who demonstrated outstanding results in study, research, or entrepreneurship received special awards.

Academic excellence: Oussama Alyounes, Dmitrii Artemasov, Daria Barma, Gleb Bazhenov, Anton Biriukov, Aleksandra Bugakova, Muneeb Farooq, Olga Grebenkova, Andrei Grigorev, Aleksandr Kashirin, Valerii Kornilov, Ivan Krasionov, Olga Kupreeva, Nikita Kuznetsov, Elizaveta Makhneva, Kirill Malakhov, Anastasiia Mikhailova, Vladislav Molodtsov, Namratha Mulpuri, Fedor Noskov, Mkdad Othman, Konstantin Pavlov, Artem Prokoshin, Egor Rumiantsev, Ildus Sadrtdinov, Vladimir Shikov, Vera Soboleva, Petr Sokerin, Igor Spiridonov, Daniil  Tiapkin, Kirill Tyshchuk, Viacheslav Vasilev, Viktor Vorobev, Diana Zagirova.

Best research thesis: Daniil Bershatskiy, Sofya Glazyrina, Andrei Grigorev, Aleksei Ilmenskii, Ayaulym Kuanyshova, Nikita Kuznetsov, Vladislav Molodtsov, Konstantin Pavlov, Alina Pavlova, Anna Shubnaya, Andrei Stapran, Daniil Tiapkin, Iana Zhura.

Entrepreneurial spirit: Maksim Annikov, Anastasiia Archangelskaya, Arsenii Chekalov, Vitalii Kazaku, Kirill Malakhov, Nikita Piliugin, Egor Purlats, Prateek Kumar Rajput, Anna Shubnaya, Viacheslav Vasilev.

Elena Pankratova, an MSc graduate of the Petroleum Engineering program, and Vladimir Guneavoy, an MSc graduate of the Space and Engineering Systems program, expressed their gratitude for the opportunities that allowed them to hone their talents. “All these achievements would not have been possible without one simple thing Skoltech taught us — communication,” Guneavoy reminisced about the initial challenges of interacting with people from diverse backgrounds. Pankratova added that this skill extended beyond interpersonal relations, enabling them to forge stronger connections with customers and the people for whom technologies are developed.“Skoltech gave me more than fun memories, encounters, and doctoral training; in fact, it instilled in me core values and the pursuit of excellence,” said Patrick Aggrey, a PhD graduate of the Materials Science and Engineering program, during his student address. He expressed a longing to relive many of his Skoltech experiences and, as a farewell to his peers, urged them never to forget they were taught to conquer the world.

“Skoltech gave me more than fun memories, encounters, and doctoral training; in fact, it instilled in me core values and the pursuit of excellence,” said Patrick Aggrey, a PhD graduate of the Materials Science and Engineering program, during his student address. He expressed a longing to relive many of his Skoltech experiences and, as a farewell to his peers, urged them never to forget they were taught to conquer the world.

The official part of the ceremony concluded with the seventh annual Education Excellence Awards. Previously known as Faculty Awards, these have been established to recognize and celebrate the efforts of faculty members, researchers, and mentors who made the success of their students and mentees possible:

Best instructor: Ekaterina Khrameeva
Best lecturer: Alexander Chekanov
Best research supervisor: Alexey Frolov
Best career trainer: Pavel Osipenko
Best mentor: Dmitry Gorin
Best professor (teaching excellence): Dmitry Kulish
Institutional leader in teaching and learning: Henni Ouerdane

The informal portion of the event continued on the Skoltech lawn, where food and drinks were served. Skoltech Music Club bands The Science and Red Hot Chilli Pepsi Please took the stage, and despite the rain, managed to get their fans dancing. Surprising the audience, student bands were followed by a performance from the Skoltech Professors’ Band, featuring Associate Professor Andrey Somov from the Engineering Center and Senior Research Scientists Lev Yakovlev and Nikolai Syrov from the Neuro Center.