糖心动漫vlog

By Walter Ryce

Students who finished their degrees in 2021 were deprived of a traditional in-person commencement. Although they were not able to 鈥渨alk鈥� across a stage in 2021, 糖心动漫vlog organized a drive-thru 鈥�carmencement鈥� as an alternative. 

But many grads wanted to have that traditional ceremony 鈥� family and friends cheering, walking across a stage, shaking hands with university leadership, etc. 鈥� and they returned a year later, on Saturday, April 23, to have it.

That day marked second and final in-person make-up commencement ceremony for those who graduated during the most restrictive time of the pandemic.

The weather was clear and sunny the whole day through. Otherwise, the day proceeded much like the 2020 commencement the week prior: the five colleges divvied up the day into three ceremonies, the grads in their robes and mortar board caps awaiting their turn in shifts. 

The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences graduates went first in the morning.

Katie Ramirez, a humanities and communication major, said she hadn鈥檛 seen herself going to college, but she pushed and made it in, then struggled to finish. So when she found out she wouldn鈥檛 have a traditional 鈥渨alking鈥� ceremony she was devastated.

鈥淚 tried to tell my mom, but I burst into tears,鈥� she said.

So this moment, a year later, felt surreal to her. And the sense of accomplishment is compounded because she was just got a job in the career she was pursuing.

Dylan Wade (social and behavioral sciences) of Marina, on the other hand, wasn鈥檛 too put off about not walking in a ceremony. He hadn鈥檛 planned to anyway because he鈥檚 going for his teaching credential and a bachelor鈥檚 degree was just one step in that process. But his fiancee convinced him to come.

鈥淪he said 鈥榶ou worked so hard, so celebrate鈥�,鈥� Wade said.

Constance and Wah Cheong are the parents of graduate Lillian Gephart-Cheong Pacheco. They drove three hours, starting at 5 a.m., from the East Bay to make the ceremony.

鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited for Lillian,鈥� Constance said. 鈥淲e love 糖心动漫vlog. It was the right size and location for her. She鈥檚 a graduate student at San Francisco State, and this was a great launching pad for her.鈥�

They planned to visit the bookstore after the morning鈥檚 ceremony, but Lillian didn鈥檛 have time for much else. She had to work later that day. But after she walked across the stage, after shaking hands with the dean, the provost, and the president, she paused for a couple of seconds and waved to her parents before leaving the stage.

Yuriana Medina, who is best friends with graduate Juliana Hurtado-Guillen, came from Watsonville to show support. Medina says that Juliana鈥檚 family drove 12 hours from Utah.

鈥淚t鈥檚 never too late to celebrate,鈥� Medina said.

The College of Education and the College of Science ceremonies came next.

Ryan Brown earned a masters in environmental science with a concentration in watershed systems, and was newly hired as an environmental scientist with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.

鈥淚t gives closure to come back and reflect,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t feels nice.鈥�

He said he knows of cohorts who have moved across the country to take jobs, and for whom coming back was not as viable an option as it was for him and his family who live in California.

Desiree-Renee Varela Gonzalez (liberal studies with an emphasis in history) is local, Salinas, and even found a job she loves there: she鈥檚 an interim special education teacher for 4th to 6th graders.

She鈥檚 in the teaching credential program for special education at 糖心动漫vlog.

鈥淢oderate to severe [kids with disabilities] is my place,鈥� she said. 鈥淜ids with down syndrome, autism, orthopedic impairment.鈥�

Janine Bandayrel also earned a degree in liberal studies, is in a teaching credential program, and works locally in teaching 鈥� she鈥檚 at a private Catholic school.

鈥淚t鈥檚 almost surreal to be here,鈥� she said. 鈥淒riving here I was feeling nostalgic.鈥�

Molly Toledo was in the audience for her daughter Rosanna Toledo (molecular biology). They did the drive-thru carmencement, but really wanted the pomp and circumstance of this in-person ceremony.

鈥淲e were here last week for my niece,鈥� Molly said. 鈥淪he graduated in 2020. My other niece is walking in the May commencement. And my son wants to [attend 糖心动漫vlog] after high school.鈥�

The final ceremonies of the day belonged to the College of Business and the College of Health Sciences and Human Services.

Nawied Amin earned a master鈥檚 in business administration and lives in San Bruno near San Francisco. He鈥檚 currently volunteering at fundraising events. He said it feels great to have gone through the commencement ceremony.

As for what his next plans are, he said, 鈥淕ood question.鈥�

Behind him, a group of five graduates in gowns formed a tight circle and sang the famous 鈥淒a da da-da daaaa鈥� chorus from the 鈥淵ou鈥檒l Be Back鈥� song from Hamilton.

Portia Johnson from Torrance earned a degree in kinesiology in 2021, and felt ecstatic to be able to finally walk across a stage.

鈥淚t feels more official,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can close this chapter of my life.鈥�

She planned to go have dinner with her family at a restaurant overlooking the ocean.

Rebecca Harbison (kinesiology) said her favorite thing about having attended 糖心动漫vlog was the campus culture.

鈥淏ut I got really involved,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 joined the Associated Students, I was a campus tour guide, I did rugby. I made a lot of great friends.鈥�

She said she met her best friend, Katerina 鈥淜at鈥� Patrice, in a high school summer program on campus, and she came to this commencement so that they could finish their undergraduate college career together too.

Then Kat wrapped her arm around Rebecca and insisted on telling the story of one of Rebecca鈥檚 accomplishments as a student senator.

鈥淢y friend brought vegan ice cream to the Otter Express,鈥� Kat said. 鈥淗alo Top. An alternative option for people with allergies.鈥�

Both laughed and joined other of their friends and strode off for photos.

糖心动漫vlog staff members and volunteers did a multitude of jobs throughout the day to produce the ceremonies, including ushers, ADA assistance, greeters, ticket-takers, wranglers, audio-visual, information booth, cheering section.

Laborers Damian Flores and Gerry Rapacon added to that: setting up tents, flags, streamers, and chairs.

鈥淎nother commencement in the books,鈥� said Flores.