Honors graduate Annemarie Yaldo offered a few words of congratulations and encouragement as one of the Commencement speakers during the Winter Commencement Ceremony on December 12, 2015.

Yaldo graduated Summa Cum Laude with University Honors while earning a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Political Science and a Bachelor's of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

She participated in many different service projects during her time at Wayne State, including Alternative Spring Break in Detroit, teaching English to middle and high school Chinese students during a summer service-learning project in China, and tutoring students at the Woodbridge Community Center her freshmen year.

While participating in Alternative Spring Break, she helped clean up various locations in Detroit as a member of the Blight and Poverty team, which included the Imagine Station in Corktown and Roosevelt Park.

While tutoring at Woodbridge Community Center her freshmen year, she was part of a group of students who organized a book drive for the community center's library.

"While my group was tutoring, we noticed there was a serious need for books," she said. "We made a presentation in front of both classes of Honors 2000 and asked for book donations from anyone who could. As a result, we got a ton of books that we were able to donate."

In addition to her service work, Yaldo also worked in the Dean of Students Office as a Student Assistant, where she helped organize the "Thursdays in the D" events and served as a Legacy Leader.

After graduation, Annemarie will begin an internship at the US District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan under Judge George Steek III from January until March, followed by an internship in Cuenca, Spain, where she will be an English Language Assistant in the schools. She will also tutor children and adults at the Centro de San Jose in Southwest Detroit in January as well.

She will begin law school at the University of Michigan in June.