Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) celebrated the graduation of the 2025–2026 academic year students of its Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, honoring graduates as they embark on the next stage of their academic and professional journeys.

The ceremony, held at the OMU Life Center, was attended by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Alper Kesten, Rector's Advisor Prof. Dr. Serkan Şen, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Vedat Keleş, Faculty Alumni Representative Prof. Dr. Muhammet Bahadır, academic staff, graduates, and their families.

"A University's True Value Lies in the People It Educates"

In his opening address, Dean Prof. Dr. Vedat Keleş described graduation as more than a ceremonial occasion, calling it the visible culmination of years of dedication and learning.

He noted that the faculty's diverse disciplines, including History, Archaeology, Geography, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, and Turkish Language and Literature, are united by a common pursuit: understanding the question, "What does it mean to be human?"

Emphasizing that human values remain indispensable despite rapid technological change, Prof. Dr. Keleş thanked parents as the "unsung heroes" behind the graduates' achievements and remarked:

"The true value of a university lies not in its buildings, but in the people it educates."

"Our Hearts Will Always Be with You"

Speaking on behalf of the faculty's alumni community, Prof. Dr. Muhammet Bahadır expressed both pride and joy in sending the graduates into the future.

He encouraged them to remain connected with the university through the Alumni Coordination Office, emphasizing that they would always remain members of the OMU family.

"Wisdom Is a Torch in the Darkness"

Representing the graduating class, Hilal Halil, who graduated second in the Department of Psychology, said it was an honor to speak on behalf of her fellow graduates.

Quoting the renowned 11th-century scholar Yusuf Khass Hajib, she said:

"Wisdom is like a torch in the darkness of the night, and knowledge is the light that illuminates the way."

She also reaffirmed the graduates' commitment to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's ideal of raising "free-thinking, free-conscience, and enlightened young people."

Hilal thanked the faculty members and families who supported the graduates throughout their education and concluded her speech by commemorating Hüseyin Demir, a Psychology student who lost his life in the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.

Following the speeches, graduates received their diplomas before celebrating the occasion with the traditional cap toss.