Santa Monica College Holds 81st Commencement Exercises

By Michael Aushenker
Special to The Lookout

June 17, 2011 – June 14 may symbolize Flag Day to millions of Americans, but for several hundred students at Santa Monica College, this year’s holiday will forever represent the day they received their certificates and graduated from the community college.

“We don’t want you to forget us,” SMC President Dr. Chui L. Tsang told his graduates, “and we will definitely not forget you.”

International graduating class at SMC's 81st commencement. (Photo by Michael Aushenker)

Under a moody charcoal sky, the early evening began with an ethnically diverse mix of families filing into SMC’s Corsair Football Field, the graduation site, from 16th Street.

Across the street from the stadium, vendors sold graduation novelties such as stuffed animals, balloons and flowers from ad hoc tables on residential lawns for those family and friends who needed to pick up last minute congratulatory gifts.

That rascally pirate Pico the Corsair, the official SMC mascot, milled about as families trickled in to fill the rafters of the stadium for the 81st Commencement Exercises.

“As you move forward, I know you will continue to strive to achieve your dreams. I hope you take time to express gratitude…and reflect on what you have achieved and where you want to go,” Dr. Andrew Walzer, chair of Santa Monica Community College District Board of Trustees, told the college’s graduates in blue cap and gowns gathered out on the field. “Congratulations!”

Tsang roused the crowd, eliciting big cheers from the stands as he proclaimed Santa Monica College “the number one community college in the nation!”

He noted SMC’s international student body.

“We have tried to make it all the more special by putting all of these flags on the field to represent the college’s global nature,” said Tsang. “We have the flags of 109 nations.”

With 3,000 students matriculating from all over the world, SMC has the biggest international student population of any junior college nationwide.

In a true sign of the times, Tsang urged those in attendance to text family and friends to let those who could not make the ceremony in person know that the graduation was being streamed live online at the alumni association’s website.

“Anyone without family members here, they can see this live on the web,” said Tsang, providing the website. “If you don’t know how to spell it, look on the program!” Big laughs.

The evening's greatest highlights came from keynote speaker Dr. Robert J. Birgeneau, chancellor of University of California at Berkeley.

After an introduction by Randal Lawson, SMC’s executive vice president, the Toronto native delivered a freewheeling, unpretentious speech laced with humor and wit that quickly connected with the thousands of people in attendance.

Birgeneau drew cheers noting that this year, 355 SMC students were admitted into Berkeley, with 200 more arriving in the fall. He added that 44 percent of those matriculating men and women identify themselves as international students.

Like Tsang, Birgeneau referenced social media and the Internet.

He also reminded the audience that John Densmore, legendary percussionist of The Doors, delivered last year’s commencement address with a drum roll.

Birgeneau quipped that what would have been really impressive was if SMC could have brought in Jim Morrison as a keynote speaker, revealing himself to be a huge Doors fan.

As Birgeneau continued the commencement address, outside the stadium Leah, 25, stood in her cobalt gown and matching mortar board.

The SMC student, who had just spent the last three-and-a-half years studying psychology, beamed, posing for photos as two friends snapped away.

“I changed my major twice,” she told Lookout News. “After high school, I took a break working” before enrolling at SMC.

Leah said that she loved attending the college:

“Amazing! It’s one of the best colleges for sure. I’ll miss the teachers, the students, the atmosphere.”

“We’re just very proud of her,” said one of Leah’s friends as she captured Leah’s big day with a digital camera.

Not every graduate in attendance was dressed in blue. Noriko, a young fashion major in her early 20s from Osaka in folksy beige and earth-toned clothes, said that she could not join her three classmates (of various backgrounds) out on the field.

“I was late to apply for the graduation ceremony,” she said.

Nevertheless, Noriko’s smile brimmed with excitement.

“I’m so happy about it,” the Japanese student said of this culmination of her education on an American campus. When she returns to Japan, “I want to be a stylist, hopefully [for magazines],” she said.

When asked if she was disappointed not to be a part of that field of blue, she said, “A little bit, a little bit. I want to be with my friends.”

Her lack of cap and gown notwithstanding, Noriko, from this day forward, stepped out of the supportive nest she experienced on the Pico Boulevard campus and onto the world stage, armed with an education, a diploma, her hopes, her dreams, and a special bond with the several hundred fellow newly minted alumni graduating this year.

Perhaps Noriko can take Birgeneau’s message to heart when he quoted President Obama’s observation: “This is a period of breathtaking change like few others in history. We can not stop these changes, but we can channel them. We can shape them and we can adapt to them. And education will allow us to do so.”

Or, as the Doors succinctly put it, “Break on through to the other side…”