Students, family and faculty gathered at the Grand Hyatt on Monday to participate in the School of Professional Studies graduation.

SPS dean Dennis D. Lorenzo, who made the opening remarks at the undergraduate ceremony, congratulated students on their achievements and emphasized the importance of the opportunities students have through SPS to discover their true passion in life.

Andrew Ross Sorkin, co-anchor for CNBC’s Squawk Box and financial columnist for The New York Times, was the main speaker at the event. He encouraged graduates to work hard for their dreams and to not give up.

“What’s really the reward in life is persistence,” Sorkin said. “It rewards the person that doesn’t take no for an answer. It rewards the person who thinks about the no as simply the beginning of a conversation that ends with yes.”

Student speaker Tiffany Huang, who graduated with a B.S. in hotel and tourism management, discussed the obstacles students and their families face to afford an education at NYU, and said the difficulties along the way are worth it in the end.

Sorkin added that despite challenges, students should not give up on trying to pursue a career in the field they enjoy.

“If you can find that thing you fall in love with, it will change your life,” Sorkin said.