Stamps senior selected as U-M commencement speaker
When Nicholos Daniel (BFA ‘23) recalls his favorite memories at U‑M, he goes back to watching Michigan Football games with friends at the Michigan Stadium. Now, on April 29, Daniel will return to the Big House as a featured speaker for the 2023 University of Michigan Spring Commencement Ceremony.
Daniel will take the stage as one of three U‑M students chosen by the Student Speaker Selection Committee.
“I wanted to put myself out there and make sure that I could leave an impact on my community. Applying to be a speaker wasn’t to get accolades and be recognized, but to be a help to my community,” Daniel said.
Daniel is reflecting on his community in preparation for his remarks. In his time at U‑M, Daniel was a Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated member, served as co-marketing chair for EnspiRED Runway and co-chair of Community Outreach for the Black Student Union, and served on the Creators of Color executive board on campus. In his free time, he helped the Women’s Basketball team during practices and assisted different organizations on campus with graphic design needs.
At Stamps, Daniel focuses on animation, with the primary goal of working on video games and film in the future. After graduation, Daniel plans to attend graduate school to pursue a Master’s Degree in Animation.
His animation work is displayed in “Figment/Fragment: The 2023 Stamps School Senior Exhibition,” on view through April 29.
“I created an open-world game. You get dropped into a world I made and walk around with the character,” Daniel said. “The purpose is to showcase my ability to create that type of setting.”
Daniel says his graduation from the University of Michigan Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design and his opportunity to give remarks is “surreal.”
“This is a final testament to my story,” Daniel said. “I want to get graduates ready for the next step in their lives and light the fire driving them. I’m very excited to be able to stand up there to represent the Stamps School, my fraternity, and the Black community in Michigan.”