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[ Music ]
>> Hi, and welcome to PCC Today.
I'm Juan Gutierrez, Director of Public Relations
of Pasadena City College.
Well this is our year-end celebration and we're going
to give you a unique view at PCC commencement through the eyes
of Jefferson Strouse a graduating student.
I hope you enjoy this behind-the-scenes look
at [inaudible] graduation.
>> Hi, my name is Jefferson Strouse, class of 2012,
and this is PCC graduation rehearsal.
[ Music ]
Hi, so this thing is at 8:30 which I forgot existed, so,
I'm very tired, [inaudible].
Here is Karen [phonetic].
>> Hi, it's rehearsal time and it's all set up
and I think we're all excited about it.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. And I'm so amped for graduation.
We worked so hard to accomplish everything that we've gone
through and playing sports here, it helps out a lot.
And we're finally moving on to the next step.
So, yehey, I'm super excited to graduate today.
Yehey.
>> Oh yes.
[ Music ]
>> All right, so we're lining up A through M. Apparently,
I'm M through Z. Too bad I forgot my last name.
[ Music ]
Do you want to say how excited you are for graduation?
>> Super.
>> Super excited?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay, everyone is lined up?
A through M., M through Z. I'm so excited.
[ Music ]
So there is the man of the hour, Peter McGreen [phonetic].
Wave Peter.
>> So we have a great event plan for you tonight.
And so, we want to make sure that we have a good time
and then enjoy ourselves, but that's why we want
to make sure we have everything coordinated.
So just line up against that yellow line
as you're imagining it-- I mean don't exactly,
so that you don't have to be too, too close,
you can give yourself--
[ Music ]
>> Congratulations.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah. [Laughter]
>> Thank you.
>> Are you going to record it?
Hold on.
>> Yes I am.
>> That's my diploma.
>> Oh sorry.
>> It's okay.
>> So it's 10 o'clock.
It's been an hour and half on the field been practicing
and we're only half way through, and I'm excited.
>> So just walk in straight back.
You're going stay within this balloon arch.
>> Got it.
[Inaudible Remarks]
>> Yeah, you go in first row and then once the first row is
out of their seats, then the second row goes, okay?
>> With you?
>> Second row stands up, second row.
There we go.
So once that last person-- -
>> We just graduated.
>> And just keep going out.
>> [Inaudible] graduated right there.
>> Just keep going.
>> Oh look at that and music.
[Inaudible Remark] This is the preview, a taste of what's going
to happen tonight, so see you then.
[ Music ]
My name is Jefferson Strouse and this is PCC's 2012 Commencement.
>> I'm really excited like it took me three years
to graduate so-- and I mean too much and also--
my parents are really happy and I'm really happy too.
>> I am very excited, everybody is.
>> What are you doing after this?
>> What am I doing?
I'm allow-- I'm going to party for sure.
[Laughs]
>> All right, cool.
>> Yes, I'm very excited.
>> What are you excited for?
>> Getting out of here and transferring.
>> Where you going?
>> Chapman.
>> All right, cool.
>> Yes.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah, I'm excited for graduation.
It's been three years.
Three years of a pretty amazing time at PCC.
Definitely not as bad as spending 50,000 dollars
at other schools for my--
although [inaudible] course work,
so I definitely had a great time here.
>> What are you going to do next?
>> I'm transferring to UCSB for film and music.
>> Cool, thank you.
Are you excited?
>> Yes, very excited.
>> Where are you going to do afterwards?
>> I will be transferring to Riverside [phonetic]
and getting my bachelors in two years.
>> All right, cool.
What about after the graduation?
>> Tomorrow is my sister's graduation, so whoo.
[Laughs]
>> Whoo, two parties.
>> Yeah. So this is graduating class right here.
Look at everybody, they're all excited.
Everybody is all ready to go, just amped, psyched.
[ Cheering ]
[ Inaudible Remark ]
>> Oh, it's definitely.
It's been a long time coming, six years.
>> Six years?
>> Part-time, in the evening.
>> Oh wow.
>> So I'm very excited.
>> What do you doing next?
>> I'm going to get a certificate
in project management.
>> Oh nice.
>> For my job at work.
>> Very good.
>> Yeah. [Laughs]
>> And what about you?
[Laughter]
>> Congratulations to all the students.
[Laughs]
>> Thank you.
>> So it's 6:20 and-- [Inaudible Remark] We're getting down,
we're getting down.
The countdown is beginning, whoo.
>> Congratulations graduates.
[Simultaneous Talking]
>> Oh, it's so sweet.
[Laughter]
>> Cheer.
>> Cheers.
[Inaudible]
>> Are you-- okay, go.
>> Hi, I'm really happy to be graduating today.
I'm a voice major.
I've been PCC-- I've been at PCC for the past three and half--
four years and I'm really satisfied
with their music programs.
Congratulations everyone.
>> Can I get a cheer 2012?
>> Whoo, I am going to see some in the fall.
[Cheering]
>> Go class of 2012.
Whoo. [Cheering]
>> 2012.
>> I've been here two years
>> Two years, are you excited to graduate?
>> I am extremely excited to graduate.
I'm going to Berkley.
>> Berkley?
>> So I'm really excited to transfer and get out of PCC.
>> How long have you been here?
>> About two years
>> Two years.
All right, well congratulations.
>> Thank you.
>> Can I get a class of 2012?
>> Whoo.
>> Hi, my name is Jefferson Strouse
and this is 2012 Commencement, PCC.
Whoo. Oh, excuse me.
[ Noise ]
>> Are you excited?
[Cheering] [Inaudible] Want to wink to the camera 2012?
>> Yeah.
[ Cheering ]
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
>> Yes, I'm really excited.
My name is Jay Lee [phonetic], I'm a nurse--
registered nurse major and-- go class 2012.
>> How long have you been here?
>> For three-- this is my third year.
>> All right, nice.
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
[ Cheering ]
That cheer.
Everybody cheer.
[ Cheering ]
Thank you.
[ Cheering ]
How long have you been here?
>> Too long.
>> Too long.
[Laughs]
>> But now, it's couple of years.
>> Just a couple of years?
>> Yeah.
>> All right, this is an interesting sash, what is that?
>> This is a PCC veteran's sash.
>> All right, which branch--
>> I was in the navy, five and a half years.
>> Well, thank you for your service.
>> No problem, man.
>> All right.
>> Happy to be here.
>> Can I get class 2012?
>> Class 2012.
[Cheering]
>> Are excited to graduate?
>> Yes, who isn't?
It's the whole point of coming here, finishing up
and going on to the next level.
>> How long have you been here?
>> Two years.
>> Two years, can I get a--
>> I used to go to [inaudible] before that,
but this is a much better school.
>> Where did you serve?
>> Nice.
>> Huh?
>> Where did you serve?
>> I served in the marine corp, I did eight years.
I just got out recently a couple months ago, and I'm just--
I wanted to be free from the service so I could move on.
>> Nice. We'll, thank you for your service
and can I get a class of 2012?
>> Class 2012, whoo.
[Cheering]
>> Getting ready.
>> Getting ready.
How do you feel?
>> Getting ready?
>> We're so ready.
[Inaudible Remarks]
>> I'm good to go.
>> All right.
[Laughter]
>> Yes, I'm very excited.
>> How long have you been here?
>> Two years.
>> Two years?
>> Yes.
>> That's an interesting sash, what's it for?
>> AGS.
>> What did you have to do to get it?
>> Maintaining a GPA, I'm not quite sure what-- I guess, 3.9.
[Cheering] That's not good for me, I really want it 4.0.
>> But you're really close-- it's okay.
>> Yes. I'm transferring to UCLA.
>> Nice, congratulations.
[Cheering] There you go.
>> At PCC, two years.
I was vice president of [inaudible] alliance
for a semester here, and I'm excited
to be graduating and going to UCLA.
>> Nice.
>> Congratulations.
>> Thank you.
>> Can I get-- we all-- say that whoo.
[Cheering] This is every one lined up.
We're getting ready.
I guess, well my-- all right.
Graduation, it's boring.
This will be amusement.
I can probably do this for another like an hour and a half.
And it looks like everyone is starting to go.
Well too bad, we're really far in the back,
so we're probably not going to for another like two minutes.
[ Cheering ]
[ Inaudible Remark ]
>> Ladies and gentlemen, [background music] we are proud
to present the Pasadena City College class of 2012.
[ Music ]
>> Here now walking.
This is actually happening.
Oh no, finally graduate from PCC.
>> Oh boy, oh boy.
>> Oh no. I could do another three and a half years here.
>> Yeah, and destined to be honored.
>> Yeah.
>> So I was walking-- [Inaudible Remark] Look at this,
we're walking right now.
[ Music ]
[Inaudible Remark] Like a metaphor, the sun is setting
on our PCC experience.
[Inaudible Remark] [Cheering]
>> Yeah baby, you guys did it.
2012 baby.
>> All right, here we are.
>> Watch out [inaudible].
>> About [inaudible] of the fields.
We're walking up the stairs.
>> It's happening.
>> This where a lot of people fail, jut walk up the stairs.
This is why you have to stay active.
[Laughter] Here we go, about to go on the fields.
>> Going back to the field.
Oh, look at that sun.
[ Noise ]
[ Music ]
Here's the back of what looks
like to be a [inaudible] length of professors.
That is my shadow, okay.
It's very symbolic right here.
[ Music ]
Right now I am just scanning for my parents,
I cannot see them but-- [cheering] Where could they be?
[ Music ]
There are teachers cheering us on.
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
[ Applause ]
[ Laughter ]
Oh no, no, this is for PCC.
[ Applause ]
>> They love us.
>> [Inaudible] can you please--
[ Applause ]
[ Laughter ]
>> Why don't this sone keep it together?
[Inaudible Remark]
>> I'm so proud of you, so proud of you.
>> All right, thank you.
[ Inaudible Remark ]
[ Applause ]
[ Cheering ]
>> I still don't see my parents.
>> Maybe they have signs.
>> There is Flora [phonetic] right there.
There's Caesar [phonetic].
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
Here's Jenny [phonetic] hard at work.
>> Congratulations.
>> Okay.
[ Music ]
>> Here it is, the end of the line.
>> One, two, three, four.
[ Inaudible Remark ]
>> All right.
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
[ Laughter ]
>> I got it.
[ Cheering ]
>> Nice shot.
>> Thanks [inaudible].
[Inaudible Remark] I don't know where anyone is.
[ Music ]
Still scanning for my parents, I can't find them anywhere.
Let's see.
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
[ Cheering ]
There's Caesar hard at work right there.
Look at him working.
[Cheering] With liberty and justice for all.
[ Music ]
>> That tassel you will keep for the rest of your life.
I want you take that tassel and I want you to put it
in your special safe place.
Put it in your keepsakes.
And as you travel life's road, your ups and your downs,
I want you to go back to that tassel and put your hand on it
with these magical properties and know that every single one
of us back here at PCC faculty staff, students, administrators,
trustees will be rooting for you wherever you go.
Congratulations
>> Please raise your hand if you were the first one
in your family to go to college.
Let's see, that's everybody, okay.
Don't be timid about asking for help at any age or at any stage.
Our school like yours is truly a place
where it takes a village to succussed.
And we are saying it out loud means we will live
up to our promises.
[ Music ]
>> This is [inaudible],
[background music] I'm enjoyed it.
>> Oh yeah.
>> Particularly, are you enjoying that?
>> It's the feel good music, you know.
[Laughs]
>> Are you enjoying the music?
>> I love the music.
>> All right, cool.
[ Music ]
>> And that the true measure of success is not
by how much we succussed, but how much we fail.
[Background music] Only through failure can we arrive at success
because failure is a first part of success.
>> Whatever your passion,
wherever your heart looms, follow it.
Embrace your own potential and actualize it.
[Applause]
>> There is no more passion and advocate for you, the students
of this college, than our own assemblymen,
the great Anthony Portantino.
[Applause] A true champion of both education and civil rights,
Dr. Jacobs and her husband marched with Dr. King.
And she has set an example for both and served both PCC
and the Pasadena Community in the decade since,
and we were so honored to recognize her
with our campus special recognition award.
Please honor Dr. Jacqueline Jacobs.
[Applause]
>> And at this time, to introduce the recipient
of the Risser Award for Distinguished Teaching,
I would like to ask Tooktook Thongthiraj to stand.
[Applause]
>> I certify that upon the completion of their programs
of study, these candidates who have satisfied the requirements
of the State of California
and of the Pasadena Area Community College District.
It is my honor to, on behalf of the board,
to award you your diplomas and degrees
and to confer upon you all the rights
and privileges appertaining thereto.
[ Applause ]
[ Inaudible Remark ]
>> There is another 20 minutes before they call my name.
It's going to be a long night.
>> Manny Leong [phonetic].
[ Cheering ]
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
>> Nancy Wong.
[Inaudible].
>> It's Karen--
>> Hi.
>> It's [inaudible] right there [inaudible] around.
>> Jose--
>> Here's the row end for us.
[Cheering]
>> Congratulation.
>> This is all on the PCC website guys.
>> Right here, we're next, we're next.
I'm excited.
>> I'm excited, just can't hide it.
>> You excited?
>> Absolute.
>> Brand new batteries.
So this way, it won't-- unless you guys give me bad batteries
and that's your fault, but I don't think you guys--
[Inaudible Remark] Yeah, I got you, I got you, right there.
The TVR crew working diligently.
[ Cheering ]
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
>> All right, almost there.
Look at this, right here.
Right there.
All right.
>> He's like-- this guy is like the mayor,
he's the final checkpoint and the tassel pinning right there.
>> Guys, guys [inaudible].
>> This is going to be [inaudible].
>> This is it.
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
[ Laughter ]
>> Samantha Rose Smith [phonetic].
Jefferson Strouse.
>> You going to get this--
>> Right.
>> What are you-- you going to post it on YouTube?
>> No, this is for PCC.
>> Oh nice.
>> Yes.
>> Okay, good.
Congratulations.
>> Thank you.
There's Ms. Taylor [phonetic] right there.
>> Good job.
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
[ Cheering ]
>> There he is, congratulation man.
>> Thank you very much.
>> All right, you made it.
>> Thank you.
>> You keep going.
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
[ Cheering ]
>> There right there.
Put everything down low.
This is a closed section, thanks a lot.
>> There you go.
>> Good job.
[ Inaudible Discussion ]
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you.
There is Justin.
This is Justin, Justin.
>> Ashley Michelle Taylor [phonetic].
>> This is why I think graduation--
>> Oh thank you.
[ Cheering]
>> Michelle White.
[ Cheering ]
[ Inaudible Remarks ]
>> Look at that.
Look at that.
Associates of arts degree,
better say it right 'cause I now have a degree.
[ Inaudible Remark ]
[ Cheering ]
>> And the symbol of your academic achievements,
you may now certify that you are a graduate
of Pasadena City College by moving your tassel
from the right side to your left side.
[ Cheering ]
[ Noise ]
>> And now, we're just waiting on the very long procession.
[Background music] Preceded us, this is it.
About to go off the fields, graduation is over.
[ Music ]
[ Inaudible Remark ]
>> Look at that.
>> Then, last ones out.
>> Ah, I don't care.
[Laughs]
>> All right, we're going.
This is it.
>> Congratulation.
>> Thank you.
And so ends a chapter at PCC.
It was fun.
[ Inaudible Discussion ]
[ Music ]
[ Cheering ]
>> Yeah.
>> We are now leaving the football field.
Going over the quad.
How does it feel to graduate?
>> Amazing.
>> Amazing.
>> Felt really good.
>> That's everyone, the procession,
going over to the quad.
Start [inaudible].
A sense of anticipation in the air for meeting up your parents,
or family, loved ones, hated ones.
This is where it all ends right here.
[ Noise ]
[ Inaudible Discussion ]
So, what are the feelings going through you right now?
>> Definitely very, very happy, very, very proud.
I love PCC, so, yeah very happy.
[ Cheering ]
[ Inaudible Discussion ]
[ Music ]
>> So, how does it feel to be graduating?
>> It's awesome.
>> Thank you.
[Laughter] How do you feel now that you graduated?
>> Excited and overwhelmed.
It's a good feeling.
[Laughs]
>> Congratulations to you, where are you going?
>> I'm going to San Diego.
>> Oh, I'm going to Santa Barbara.
You'd be--
>> San Diego after graduate.
>> [Inaudible]-- I mean like you come here and you don't
when it's going to end.
You think you're going to be here forever and then all
of a sudden, it ends and then you're like, "It's over?
Really? Wait, no, playback again."
but you can't.
You just have to really enjoy it,
really not rush anything I guess and take it all in.
That's all I can say.
>> All right, thank you very much.
Well this has been a Pasadena City College commencement
for 2012.
It's been a whole lot of fun.
I'm very excited to be graduating.
I will be going to San Diego in the fall
and this Jefferson Strouse signing off, goodbye.
[ Music ]