Commencement Program
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91ST ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT JUNE 25, 2021 Santa Monica College Changing Lives in the Global Community Through Excellence in Education SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Rob Rader, Chair Dr. Louise Jaffe, Vice Chair Dr. Susan Aminoff Dr. Nancy Greenstein Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez Dr. Sion Roy Barry A. Snell Ali Shirvani, Student Trustee Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President ORDER OF CEREMONIES Celebrating Student Success Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery Superintendent/President Santa Monica College Board of Trustee Remarks Rob Rader Chair, SMC Board of Trustees Faculty Challenge Dr. Nathaniel Donahue President, SMC Academic Senate Associated Students Remarks Tafari Alan President, SMC Associated Students Commencement Address Hon. Fiona Ma California State Treasurer Conferral of Degrees and Certificates Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery Superintendent/President Join SMC graduates online! June 25 at 4 p.m. Live stream: smc.edu/graduation KATHRYN E. JEFFERY, PH.D. Superintendent/President Santa Monica College Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., has served as Superintendent and President of Santa Monica College since February 2016. With more than four decades of diverse higher-education experience, Dr. Jeffery has successfully served in roles as college professor, academic and career counselor, and superintendent/ president. She is highly regarded and respected by her peers and colleagues for her knowledge and experience in educational leadership, and especially for her strong background in student services, transfer curriculum, and Career Education (CE). She is a passionate advocate of higher education, courageous and innovative, and takes pride in using a student-centered approach to address the challenges and opportunities that are part of the emerging landscape of higher education. Dr. Jeffery has a rich and comprehensive knowledge of community colleges reinforced by her broad work experience and academic preparation. She earned a Ph.D. in Educational Administration — Community College Leadership from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.S. in Applied Behavioral Studies in Education (Counseling) from Oklahoma State University, and a B.M.E. (Bachelor of Music Education) with a major in piano and minor in voice from Oklahoma State University. A lover of the arts — especially music and theater — Dr. Jeffery is a talented classical pianist and vocalist, and plays the viola. On the national level, Dr. Jeffery is on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), President’s Round Table of African American CEOs. She is also the co-chair of the AACC Commission on Structured Pathways. In California, Dr. Jeffery serves on the Los Angeles-Orange County Regional Consortium Committee, The Broad Stage Foundation Board of Directors, the Santa Monica College Foundation, and the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Prior to serving as the CEO of Santa Monica Community College District, Dr. Jeffery served as President of Sacramento City College and Hennepin Technical College; Provost/Chief Campus Administrator of the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas; Vice President of Columbia College in the Yosemite Community College District; and Dean for Faculty and Staff Diversity/Development and Dean for Student Services at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office in Sacramento. 2 COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER Hon. Fiona Ma California State Treasurer Fiona Ma is California’s 34th State Treasurer. She was elected on November 6, 2018 with more votes (7,825,587) than any other candidate for treasurer in the state’s history. She is the first woman of color and the first woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position. Treasurer Ma is the state’s primary banker for California, the world’s fifth largest economy. Her office processes more than $2 trillion in payments a year, and oversees an investment portfolio of more than $124 billion, about $34.8 billion of which are local government funds. She serves as agent of sale for State bonds, and is trustee on debt of $93 billion. In 2020, her office refinanced $6.2 billion of debt, creating a savings of $1.8 billion for California taxpayers. Before being elected Treasurer, she was an elected member of the California Board of Equalization from 2015 until January 2019 and worked to protect the rights of taxpayers while ensuring California collected its fair share of tax revenues. Treasurer Ma served in the State Assembly from 2006-2012, serving as Speaker pro Tempore from 2010 to 2012. During the budget crisis, she passed legislation to expand access to health care, and to protect education and the environment. From 2002 to 2006, she served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and worked on many issues, including ending human trafficking in massage parlors. Treasurer Ma became involved in public service in 1994 when she was elected president of the Asian Business Association. From 1989 to 1993 she worked for Ernst & Whinney, before starting her own accounting practice in San Francisco. Treasurer Ma has been a licensed CPA in California since 1992 and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the Rochester Institute of Technology (NY), a Master’s Degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University (SF), and an MBA from Pepperdine University. She is a Member of the Vatican’s Council for Inclusive Capitalism, Member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, serves on the Board of California Women Lead, is an Honorary Chair and Spokesperson for the San Francisco Hepatitis B Free Campaign, and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild. She is married to Jason Hodge, a full-time firefighter and Oxnard Harbor Commissioner. 3 GRADUATING STUDENT PROFILES Ainura Abdullayeva Defining Resilience Ainura Abdullayeva, an Art major from Kazakhstan, had to return to her home country when COVID-19 hit. Scared and uncertain of the future, she made a vow on the plane ride: No matter what it took, she was not going to lose the home she had made for herself at SMC. Starting her first semester at SMC in spring 2019 was a dream come true. Ainura knew hard work would allow her to shine academically, but she also wanted to experience the SMC community. She immediately joined the Cheer Club, and in fall 2019, she became a member of the honor society Phi Theta Kappa. Ainura also wanted to gain American work experience. As an international student who could only work on campus, she took a job at Campus Kitchen, where she loved meeting the students, faculty, and staff who stopped by. With her “promise made in the sky” front and center, Ainura has carried on — from Kazakhstan — as a full-time student with a 4.0 GPA. She has also been working online to help international students as a Peer Mentor at SMC’s International Education Center (IEC), holding weekly student Zoom meetings, reaching out to prospective students via webinars, conducting virtual campus tours with SMC’s Student Ambassadors, and helping IEC staff guide new students through the enrollment process. Ainura graduates from SMC with an Associate degree in Art. She plans to work and gain professional experience for a year, then transfer to CSU Long Beach and study Graphic Design. Ashley Garcia Hands-on with Life and Change Ashley Garcia came to SMC in fall 2017 with the intention of majoring in Biology. After taking a cultural anthropology class, everything changed. “It encompassed my favorite aspects of biology and history, without all the math,” she said. As a first-generation college student, Ashley had no one in her family with the experience to help prepare or guide her in her higher education. “I was essentially blind,” she said, “so I heavily relied on the Counseling department.” She involved herself in the Scholars Program, and also joined SMC’s swimming and water polo teams. “It’s been a chaotic few years,” she said, “especially 2020.” Having dealt with her grandmother’s cancer diagnosis, her father’s uncertain immigration status, and the eventual family-spread COVID-19 diagnosis, “it became overwhelming.” Despite these obstacles, she continued her studies. “Her determination, focus, and strength are admirable,” said SMC Scholars Program Counselor Denise Martinez. “She is a student that has inspired me.” Ashley credits Counselor Martinez, along with SMC Aquatics Coach Brian Eskridge and the unconditional support of her parents and brother, for helping her keep her life on track. Ashley graduates from SMC with three degrees: an Associate Degree for Transfer in Anthropology and Associate degrees in General Science and in Liberal Arts – Social and Behavioral Science. She will transfer to CSU Long Beach as an Anthropology major, with plans for an advanced degree in Psychology and a career in Counseling, “where I can, hopefully, help guide others in a similar position, which is all I really want to do.” 4 Stories available at smc.edu/graduationstories GRADUATING STUDENT PROFILES Anet Kalpakciyan Determined to Succeed Anet Kalpakciyan, an international student from Istanbul, Turkey, enrolled at SMC in summer 2013. A first-generation college student studying in the United States, she was also undergoing physical changes. In the fall, she enrolled in Media 10, “where she finished her assignments early because she was due to have her baby,” said SMC Journalism and Media Studies instructor Sharyn Obsatz, impressed by Anet’s determination. Anet had a boy, and she and her husband settled in as parents. Then circumstances changed again, and they returned to Istanbul. “I was very disappointed because I couldn’t finish my studies,” she said. Anet and her husband and son moved back to the U.S. in 2019. She re-enrolled in SMC in winter 2020, and was attending spring semester classes when the pandemic forced her to pivot to studying online. “It was so challenging studying, as we were at home all the time,” she said. “But I won’t give up, even when things get complicated.