Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The54thAnnualCommencementCeremony
PacificOaksCollege
PasadenaCivicAuditorium
Saturday,May3,2014The54thAnnualCommencementCeremonyforPacificOaksCollege
washeldatthePasadenaCivicAuditoriumonSaturday,May3,2014.The2014graduating
classwasoneofthelargestinitshistory.Over300studentsparticipatedinSaturdays
ceremonyinfrontofafewthousandcheeringfriendsandfamilymembers.
GraduateLauraWallersteingaveaninspirationalspeechreflectingonthejourneysheandher
fellowclassmateshavetakenatPacificOaks.
Welearnedtoquestionassumptions.Embracedifferences.Celebratediversity.Identify
injustice.Getinvolved.Advocateforchange.Workforsocialjustice.Havecourage.
Explorelifeexperiences.Ponderandprocess.Grow,statedWallerstein.
PresidentEzatParnia,Ph.D.turnedtheapplausetothosemembersintheaudience,mothers
andgrandmothers,fathersandgrandfathers,siblings,children,cousins,friendsandneighbors,
andtothefacultyonstagewhomadethismomentousaccomplishmentpossible.Endinghis
remarks,Dr.Parniaadded,
Iamconfidentthatourgraduates,thisclass,willrepaythecommitmentyoumadeto
themwithameaningfulcareerandthroughtheimpacttheywillmakeintheir
communities.Theyleavetodayasagentsofsocialjusticeandchange,andthats
somethingwecanallbeproudof.Mycongratulationstoeachandeveryoneofyou.
AboutPacificOaksCollege&Children'sSchool:Anaccreditednonprofitinstitution,Pacific
OaksCollegeoffersbachelor's,master's,familycounselingdegree,andcertificateprogramsin
earlychildhoodeducation,humandevelopment,counseling,andteachingcredentialing.