WORCESTER, Mass. - Former WPI president Laurie Leshin gave the commencement address for the College of the Holy Cross. She praised the class of 2024, the first class to start their undergraduate journeys during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"You started under the most difficult conditions at the peak of fear and uncertainty about the pandemic," Leshin said. "When you started, I was president of WPI just up the road, and so I know from very personal experience how hard a time that was for everyone, especially students and faculty. And yet, you persevered."

The college's 178th commencement exercises took place at the DCU Center Friday morning. Around 750 students made up the graduating class.

Thousands of family members and friends filled the arena to celebrate with them. Many who walked the stage shared a message of gratitude on their graduation day.

"The diversity that's here in Worcester is amazing and I am extremely blessed for all the opportunity it has given me," graduate Michelle Cepeda said. "And I'm also sad because it means an end of a chapter."

"Thinking back on my four years, I definitely think about all the different opportunities Holy Cross really gave me from like internship experiences to research to extracurriculars," graduate Anhthi Phan said. "I think I've been able to really grow, both professionally and personally."

"Holy Cross is a great place, but I feel like I've been able to capitalize on all the opportunities: making friends, developing relationships. I look forward to what the skills and the different lessons that I've learned from Holy Cross is going to help me to do in the future," graduate Josh Azor said.

There are more commencements next week, as Williams College and UMass Chan Medical School will host their events.