With cheers, hugs and leis, more than 1,500 UC Merced graduates received a celebratory sendoff to their bright futures as a prominent keynote speaker told them to make the most of the here and now.
Hundreds of families and friends joined the graduates in three days of commencement ceremonies at the university’s Recreation Field. White picket fences lined the processional path for graduates, faculty and campus leaders of the San Joaquin Valley’s only research institution.
University of California President Michael Drake, a longtime champion of the 20-year-old campus, told graduates at Sunday’s ceremony to make the most of every moment.
“This is your life. Today doesn’t come again,” Drake said. “You need to keep your hearts and minds open. When you’re turning in an assignment or completing a project for work, always ask yourself if you’ve done your best. Great if the answer is yes, but if not, it’s always appropriate to double back and improve your effort.
“That kind of focus and engagement leads to learning. It leads to lasting relationships. It leads to success in life.”
Drake, who will step down as UC president later this year, received a Chancellor’s Medal, UC Merced’s highest individual honor, from university Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz.
On Friday night, Jennifer Alvarez’s moment included holding 3-year-old daughter Aluna as she and family celebrated her doctoral degree in environmental systems. Two years ago, Alvarez and her husband, Pedro Millan, moved from Modesto to Merced so Aluna could receive on-campus day care, and her mom could devote more time to coursework.
“It feels like everything was perfect timing,” said Alvarez, who is on a path to be a soil conservationist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “I really needed the push of the responsibility of having a child to believe in myself and finish.”
About 120 students received advanced degrees Friday, including a limber master’s graduate who performed the splits while crossing the stage. Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education Hrant Hratchian told the graduates that only 13% of U.S. residents attain master’s degrees and just 2% earn doctorates.
The speaker that evening noted that 10 years ago, “almost to the day,” she received a Ph.D. in psychology from UC Merced.
“I was sitting where you are,” said Kristynn Sullivan, who earlier this year was appointed director of the Merced County Department of Health.
Sullivan said her achievement a decade also brought her to crossroads. She had a baby daughter, a doctorate and two career options —a crime analyst or an epidemiologist. She chose the latter though she had little knowledge of the public health industry.
Why? Two reasons. One, getting vaccinations for her daughter through Medi-Cal was a “horrific” experience; perhaps she could effect change from the inside. Two, the job had a better insurance plan.
“Allow space for those moments, for that magic, to infiltrate, even when you have a five-, 10- and 20-year plan,” Sullivan said. “Stopping, assessing and making sure you are listening to your gut and still choosing the next right thing can lead to opportunities you never imagined. Saying yes to unexpected things can lead to the most beautiful of lives.”
