Hobart and William Smith Colleges

COMMENCEMENT 2025

Anjalee Wanduragala ’25
Senior Speech
May 18, 2025

“Home itself is rarely continuous. Where is home when one’s heart is in many places? Can forging new love make home of a foreign land?”

These questions written by Wendy Pearlman in her book “The home I worked to make” have made me reflect that home isn’t just a place or a person — it’s something we create through connection, belonging, and shared experiences.

Hobart and William Smith became one of my homes. Transferring from Sri Lanka to Geneva and uprooting my life in just two weeks was unexpected. Yet, I found a place that embraced me and challenged me to grow. 

We all shaped this community, just as it has shaped us.

As we sit here today, it’s hard to believe how many “one lasts” we have already experienced — one last time hearing Oren shout “HAPPY MONDAY!!” at Saga, one last Thursday night of live music at Lake Drum, one last walk into the Dean’s office and seeing Gretchen’s warm smile, one last homemade brownie at the Gearan’s on Fridays. These moments defined our time here. And now we’re ready to find new places to call home, to build homes of our own.

As a first-generation international student from Sri Lanka, it took a village to get me here. Part of that village, my family and support system, are watching me right now on the livestream (Hi Amma, Appachchi, Nangi and all my friends at home! They’re all staying up having a watch party at home – with a 10hr time difference btw). I am deeply grateful for them, and I know countless others feel the same way about the communities that have helped us along this journey.

What has moved me most in my time at HWS is how people, most of whom barely knew me, went out of their way to help make me feel at home. My friends’ families welcomed me into their homes, fed me, cared for me, and made me feel like one of their own when I couldn’t return to my family. You showed me that family is not just blood, it’s the people who choose to stand by you. I know I’m not the only one who feels this way…. to all the families and friends who have supported us with love and encouragement when we needed it most, thank you. These bonds don’t end today; they will stay with us long after we leave this campus. As we celebrate, let’s also take a moment to honor those who began this journey with us—the ones who may not be here at the end but will remain in our hearts forever.

One of the greatest gifts of these four years has been the people we have met. Whether we’ve known each other early on or just met in the final stretch of senior year, every single person here has shaped the way we see the world. Throughout our time at HWS, we have heard the phrase “relationship-rich” more times than we can count (especially if you ever worked in admissions), but standing here now, we are a testament to the fact that this place truly lives up to those words. The connections we’ve built don’t fade after graduation. Wherever you go in HWS gear, you're bound to meet someone — an alum, a friend of an alum, a parent – the bond we share is that strong there’s just no escaping it!

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned at HWS that I hope to carry forward, it’s this: belief is powerful. Whether it’s belief in yourself or in someone else, it can change everything. There were many moments when others believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself, and that belief was enough to push me through challenges I never thought I could overcome. So, as we move forward, let’s continue to believe in ourselves and in each other.

Let Wendy Pearlman’s words be a reminder that home is not just a physical space; it is something we create. Over these years, we took a space and turned it into a place. Through late-nights, shared meals, inside jokes, and moments of support when we needed it most, we made this place our own.

So let’s keep finding home. Let’s keep making home. And let’s never forget that no matter where we go, we will always have a home in each other.

As we step into what comes next, let’s also hold on to what gives us hope—the people, the passions, the moments that remind us why we keep going. Carry that hope with you everywhere you go, and share it with everyone you meet.

This world is chaotic, unpredictable, and often overwhelming. But in the turmoil, all we really have is each other. So lean on people when you need to, and be someone others can lean on too.

Congratulations Class of 2025, I cannot wait to see the incredible things you do!!