Graduation!

It finally happened!  Six months after the fact, I finally had the opportunity to celebrate my bachelor's degree on Saturday in an intimate setting on the campus of San Jose State University.  Unlike most, I decided to skip the stadium bash of a graduation to instead help set up my department's graduation ceremony, which turned out to be a ceremony I'll always be proud to have helped put together because of its uniqueness and intimacy.  I don't often go into the intricacies of what's going on my life (unless it is a concert I can't stop smiling about afterwards), but writing this down will serve as a good log in a certain point of my life.  And I've just got too many cool pictures.

Here's the set up - Outside Hugh Gilllis Hall, with tons of food followed behind the chairs. 



Danielle, Sara, and me - Grad. Committee members, I like this pose



So I introduced the ceremonies, which went well because I had it scripted.  But... And I do this all the time, I made the bonehead decision to improvise my speech of the three most important individuals that I was to thank.  It didn't go too bad, but... I probably shoulda written it down   But... I did keep emotions in check, although a few of the eleven graduates did break down and had a few tears.  Who'd I thank?  The dept. of Social Science faculty, the "boys" (group of longtime friends), and my family, of course.  I got to embarass and have each of them come up  



I forget- Not all went perfect during my speech, my mike kept slowly trickling down!  I love this shot of Professor Rooks of the department helping me out. 



Love this shot!  Professors Do and Rooks, looks like those gowns really are hard to put on.  I learned more than I ever wanted to know about regalia that day...



After the ceremonies, all of the graduates!  Yes, it was THAT small! 



Another group shot, but with four of the faculty sitting- L to R - Professor Rooks, Gutierrez, Ochoa, Do. 



The Boys



The obligatory but perfect family shot



Buncha teachers



Lindsey, a great social sci. friend- But I wanted to point out the tower behind us, which was the backdrop for the entire ceremonies!  Very nice, indeed. 



So there you have it, quick and painless and each student got a few minutes onstage.  The best moment?  The end, when we, the graduating committee decided to close out with a few words.  Before we had a chance, Professor Rooks took over and began singing, beautifully, lines of an old slave song to which he described that he was inspired to share with us because of the emotional outpouring and brightened view of the beyond, for which he used rainbows as a metaphor for, or something like that.  I forgot entirely what he said, I think I, and my commitee mates, were just shocked, but in a good way of course.  We had no idea! 

I got more photos in a nifty slideshow here:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jdo11/slideshow?.dir=/f53b&.src=ph