Grads celebrate happy endings, new beginnings

By Judy Lin

Even though two speakers, former President Bill Clinton and columnist Ariana Huffington, were no-shows, cancelling because of an unresolved labor union contract, nothing could hamper the loud hurrahs at the June 13 commencement ceremony for the College of Letters and Science, the largest of the many graduation celebrations held that weekend.

Walking proudly onto the same floor at Pauley Pavilion upon which so many storied Bruin basketball teams have played, some 4,000 black-robed students worked their way to a sea of chairs, greeted by 12,000 family members, friends and guests cheering, whistling and waving flower bouquets.

Electronic equipment was out in full force: Digital and video cameras clicked and whirred, and grads and guests called and text-messaged each other on cell phones and mobile devices to home in on their locations in the huge crowd.

Chancellor Gene Block and Judith Smith, vice provost of undergraduate education, led into the arena a procession of administrators and deans decked out in colorful caps and gowns and doctoral hoods.

"Hello, UCLA graduates," hailed Professor Robert Fovell of the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, beginning his official welcoming remarks. That elicited a roar of cheers and applause. "The academic performance of the Class of 2008 makes you the highest-achieving students ever to graduate from UCLA," Fovell said.

Chancellor Block seconded that in his address: "You are truly the best of the best. You would not have been admitted here if you weren't. And," he jokingly added, "even if we made a mistake, you wouldn't be here today. This is a hard place to get through. And you've achieved that."

Student speaker Tristan Reed, a columnist for the Daily Bruin who will study economics as a graduate student at Harvard University, thanked parents for their support, as well as faculty and administrators. Then, in a nod to members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, some of whom were picketing outside the pavilion, he turned his attention to staff.

"I want to thank especially UCLA's staff — those who have maintained the grounds, cleaned our classrooms and our restrooms and our dorms and cooked our food," he said, asking for the continuation of good faith negotiations.

He added, "But this is our day. We don't need Bill Clinton to send us off."

Deans of each of the College's four divisions presented the degree candidates to Chancellor Block, who told the excited students: "Your presence here today demonstrates the rich reward of intelligence and perseverance.

"And now," Block continued, "this is the official part: By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Regents of the University of California, I hereby confer upon you the degree of bachelor of arts or bachelor of science. Congratulations!"

Reed led his peers in the traditional "turning of the tassels" from the right side to the left, signifying that students have "left" college, and a toss of hundreds of mortarboards skyward while shimmering blue-and-gold confetti filled the air.

The College's commencement was just one of scores of celebrations campuswide, from graduations at UCLA's 11 professional schools to 30 separate gatherings hosted by individual academic departments.

This year, UCLA awarded approximately 10,400 bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional degrees.