Commencement May 3, 2020 Valencia College Fifty-First Annual Commencement
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CLASS OF 2019 – 2020 CommencemenT May 3, 2020 Valencia College fifty-first annual Commencement May 3, 2020 VALENCIA COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Tracey Stockwell Chair Daisy Lopez-Cid Vice Chair Bruce Carlson John Davis Maria Grulich Guillermo Hansen Michael Sasso Beth Smith Mai Swanson VALENCIA COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM Presiding Dr. Sanford C. Shugart, President Processional Pomp and Circumstance .....................................................Elgar Congratulatory Remarks ..........................................Dr. Sanford C. Shugart President Commencement Address ...................................................Tamyia Paul 2019-2020 Mary Smedley Collier Distinguished Graduate Conferring of Degrees ............................................Dr. Sanford C. Shugart, Ms. Tracey Stockwell Chair, Valencia College District Board of Trustees Alumni Message. Mr. Jeffery Villegas Chair, Alumni Advisory Board, Valencia College Alumni Association Recessional ....................................................Special Music Selection Share your own photos: facebook.com/valenciacollege @valenciacollege @valenciacollege 1 A MESSAGE FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION May 3, 2020 Dear Valencia College Graduate: On behalf of all Valencia College alumni, we would like to extend our enthusiastic congratulations to you on your graduation. This impressive achievement was, no doubt, a journey of hard work and sacrifice. We are incredibly proud of you and applaud your accomplishment! Be excited that you have earned an educational credential from Valencia College; a college consistently ranked as one of THE BEST colleges in the United States! While this may conclude your coursework here, remember that life at Valencia JEFFERY VILLEGAS College does not end when you graduate; it continues, grows, and thrives. You have joined an international network of more than 200,000 alumni who are thought leaders, innovators, and creators striving to make our community better. Wherever your life’s work takes you, you will always be a part of the Valencia College alumni family. We are here to support you. Please do not be shy. Reach out and ask for our expertise. Your alma mater continues to invest in you even after your time as students. The office of alumni relations has created a wonderful community for alumni to connect, mentor, and share their knowledge through their services. Valencia College is about creating lifelong learners, and we hope that you will utilize these resources for life. Congratulations to you and all the members of the Class of 2019 – 2020 who are celebrating their graduation today! Please stay in touch and let us know about your accomplishments as you make your mark in the world. Welcome to life as Valencia College alumni; we wish you the very best in the next chapter of your life! Sincerely, Jeffery Villegas, ’16 Chair Valencia College Alumni Association 2 VALENCIA COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MARY SMEDLEY COLLIER DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AWARD* Tamyia Paul 2019 – 2020 DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE As a senior at Osceola High School in Kissimmee, Tamyia Paul toured colleges and universities throughout Central Florida. But on those personal visits, she was left cold. “They felt too big—like I would just be another number,” says Tamyia. However, when she visited Valencia College Osceola Campus, something clicked. “I got butterflies in my stomach,” she recalls. “I felt safe and comfortable; everyone was so friendly.” Tamyia needed a place that would match her big, friendly personality—and give her the opportunity to get involved on campus. After being accepted to six different colleges and universities, Tamyia ultimately chose Valencia College. Today, we salute Tamyia as the Valencia College Mary S. Collier Distinguished Graduate for 2020. An excellent student, Tamyia credits her family with instilling in her a strong work ethic, a passion for people and a desire to create change. In high school, Tamyia volunteered each week at the Osceola County Teen Court, where students serve as jury members, attorneys or clerks with real cases involving juveniles—and local attorneys serve as judges. “I learned a lot about what happens in real court, and it was always the highlight of my week,” says Tamyia. That volunteer experience inspired her to pursue an education in the legal field, and she hopes to one day become a judge. Taking on a full-time course load in college, Tamyia worked two part-time jobs and was involved on and off campus. As a welcome team ambassador, she gave tours to prospective students and their families while assisting in middle/high school group visits and presentations. In addition, she served as an officer in four clubs, including the Honors Student Advisory Committee and Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two-year colleges. Earlier this year, she competed in a rigorous job-search simulation to win the title of President For a Day, where she shadowed Dr. Kathleen Plinske, the college’s provost and executive vice president, who is also serving as the president of the Osceola, Lake Nona and Poinciana campuses. “I was so honored, and it was an unforgettable experience,” says Tamyia. Off campus, she worked at Papa John’s Pizza where she had fun with her co-workers and learned new skills. “I never wanted to be that student who just went to class and came home; that’s so boring to me,” Tamyia says. After graduation, Tamyia, who’s 20, plans to transfer to the UCF Downtown Campus to major in legal studies. “I’m excited to see how the next phase of my life will unfold,” she says. At home, Tamyia combines faith and fun with her three sisters and her parents each week on “The Paul Pack,” a show that they host on YouTube, Facebook and other social media channels. “The goal was to show the dynamic of a black family and how we handle life’s issues,” says Tamyia. Tamyia will be a part of Valencia College history as the distinguished graduate for the college’s first virtual commencement ceremony. “At first, I was disappointed that we weren’t going to have the traditional graduation experience,” she says. “But, after taking a moment to stop and reflect on all that is happening, I’m grateful for any opportunity to celebrate all that we’ve accomplished.” * In January 2012, the Alumni Association named this award in honor of Mary Smedley Collier, the college’s first Distinguished Graduate, former Alumni Association president, and a longtime Valencia College advocate and benefactor. 3 VALENCIA COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Members of the Board of Trustees are appointed by the governor of Florida to direct the college’s policies. These community leaders extend their time, experience and dedication to make Valencia College the successful learning institution it has become today. We recognize their good work in making this day possible for so many of our students. Tracey Stockwell Daisy Lopez-Cid Bruce Carlson Chair Vice Chair John Davis Maria Grulich Guillermo Hansen Michael Sasso Beth Smith Mai Swanson 4 VALENCIA COLLEGE Valencia College is an innovative leader in higher education with The faculty and staff who bring these educational experiences a national reputation for teaching excellence. The college places to Central Floridians are scholars as well as practical experts the highest value on the success of each individual student. In in their fields. They are caring people who put their energies an ongoing effort to be responsive to the community, we build into instruction and their emphasis on the success of relationships with high schools, universities and corporate partners individual students. to strengthen academic scholarship and economic development. Ninety-three to ninety-seven percent of Valencia College Valencia College is truly a part of the community, meeting diverse Associate in Science degree graduates are placed in jobs in educational needs at eight locations, and dozens of business and their chosen field. Valencia College graduates are UCF’s community sites in Orange and Osceola counties. Our Poinciana number one source of transfer students, and make up Campus opened in 2017 and our newest campus, Downtown one-quarter of their graduates. opened in August 2019. In 2011, Valencia College was named the inaugural winner of From its beginning in 1967, the college has met the ongoing the Aspen Prize as the top community college in the nation for challenge of keeping pace with the dynamic growth of the 2011-2012. The Aspen Institute, a Washington educational and community and has continued, in an ever-changing environment, policy studies center, selected the college for this prestigious award to fulfill its mission. As an educational leader, the college provides based on an overall graduation rate nearly three times that of other an “open-door” comprehensive postsecondary education. colleges, as well as the high job placement rates of its workforce training programs. According to U.S. Department of Education The college fulfills its mission by offering degrees that provide data, Valencia College ranks fourth among the nation’s 1,200 for transfer to a university or for immediate entry into a career. two-year colleges in the number of associate degrees awarded, we also offer continuing professional education to thousands of fifth in the number awarded to Hispanics and seventh in the residents who recognize the value of lifelong learning. number awarded to African Americans. A 2012 study found that Valencia College boosts the economy of Orange and Osceola counties by $1.05 billion a year. DEGREES AT VALENCIA COLLEGE