Matteo Pistono

It was a great honor to address the 2012 graduating class of Casper College last Friday. It was especially gratifying to see some of my own professors in the faculty sections as I gave the address. I will paste my commencement speech below and when the college uploads the video, I'll post it here as well.

This year's graduates, who include 16 international students, come from 21 states and 10 foreign countries, with all 23 Wyoming counties represented. A total of 679 students graduated during the 2011-2012 academic year.


Casper College Commencement Speech by Matteo Pistono
May 11, 2012

Thank you very much, President Nolte, for that generous introduction.

Distinguished guests, parents, former professors of mine, friends and fellow Wyomingites, and most of all graduates, I am honored to be with you tonight to give the commencement speech for the graduating class of 2012.

Let me begin by recognizing  Read More 

I was honored last month when President Walter Nolte asked me to give the address for this year's commencement ceremony at Casper College. It will be wonderful to return to Wyoming for the celebration.

Here is today's story in the Casper news:

Casper College Graduation May 11th
by Brian Scott - K2 News
April 26, 2012

The 66th Annual Casper College Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 11 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Casper Events Center.

Commencement speaker will be Matteo Pistono a writer, photographer, social justice campaigner, and author of “In the Shadow of the Buddha: Secret Journeys, Sacred Histories, and Spiritual Discovery in Tibet.”

Born in Cody, Wyo. and raised in Lander, Wyo., Pistono earned an associate degree at Casper College, where he was also inducted into Phi Theta Kappa. He received his bachelor’s degree in anthropology/political science from the University of Wyoming, and in 1997 obtained his master’s degree in Indian philosophy from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Read More