A group of smiling graduates in vibrant red caps and gowns celebrate during a commencement ceremony in a large arena. In the foreground, a woman with blonde-highlighted hair smiles toward the camera, holding a rolled diploma tied with a red ribbon. Beside her, another woman with long dark hair smiles warmly while making a hand gesture. In the background, a man in a red cap also smiles, and the blurred red seating of the stadium is visible behind them.

Congratulations to our Fall 2025 Graduates!

Congratulations to the over 150 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering graduates who were honored at Reynolds Coliseum on December 11, 2025.

December 17, 2025     Colleen Brown


Congratulations to the over 150 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Fall 2025 graduates! Family, friends and members of the NC State ECE community gathered at Reynolds Coliseum on December 11, 2025 to celebrate. 

“A degree from this department is a solid foundation for you to propel your careers,” said Department Head Veena Misra. “Our ECE department is a top 25 ranked department with over 2,000 students, dedicated faculty and staff, the largest research activity in the university (over $60M last year), excellent infrastructure of labs and a robust industry partnership program… And the demand for our degree and our department has never been higher. From electrons to bits, from photons to signals, from circuits to intelligent systems—we are the engineers shaping the world.”

A photo of an older man, speaking at a lectern during graduation. He is wearing dark robes and a cap.
Graduation guest speaker Dr. Damir Novosel. Photo by Adam Jennings

Dr. Damir Novosel, president and founder of Quanta Technology, served as the guest speaker for the ceremony. Dr. Novosel developed and implemented several pioneering concepts and methods that helped improve the reliability, security and resilience of electrical power systems. He holds 18 US and international patents, has published over 200 articles and reports, contributed to eight books, and is regularly invited to be keynote and plenary speaker at industry events. He also serves as an adjunct professor at NC State.

”Important principles that are key to success, and I cannot overemphasize them, are passion, hard work, and a willingness to learn. Pick any successful person – and success is relative – and you will find those characteristics… Every path you choose, choose it for the right reasons – for instance, you do not aspire to management to be more important but to enable your team to be more successful. You can always change paths,” said Dr. Novosel.

A graduate in a red cap and gown delivers a speech at a podium during a commencement ceremony. The speaker stands behind a black lectern labeled "NC STATE UNIVERSITY Electrical and Computer Engineering." He wears a red graduation gown, a matching mortarboard with a white tassel, and a white and red stole over a white shirt and red tie. The background features large red banners; one displays the NC State Belltower icon, and another reads "NC STATE Engineering." A metal truss stands to the right, and the stage is set against dark curtains.
Student speaker Ben Patton. Photo by Adam Jennings

Ben Patton, a graduating senior in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Renewable Energy Systems, along with a minor in Renewable Energy Assessment, served as the commencement student speaker. During his time at NC State, Patton served as the team lead for the Solar District Cup for two consecutive years and helped establish the university’s first Solar District Cup club, serving as its inaugural president. His academic interests center on solar energy, power systems and sustainable infrastructure.

“For a long time, I made sure I was always on top of everything, or at least made it look like I was. When everything started to slip, I chose to lie my way out instead of asking for help, convinced that even asking would make me fall further than I already had. I thought that  strength, even in name, was better than the alternative. But the truth is exactly the opposite: No one gets through this major — or life — by doing everything alone. Strength isn’t refusing help. Strength is knowing when to lean on the people who care about you and giving back when you can.”

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is beyond proud to celebrate our graduates and recognize the outstanding achievements all of our students have accomplished. Congratulations, Class of 2025!

Check out photos from the ceremony.

View the livestream here.

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