Nearly 450 graduate, La Sierra returns to traditional commencement

06/19/2022 Darla Martin Tucker

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The meaning of it all was just beginning to dawn on Martin Jimenez Gonzalez as he stood in the line of graduates during the cool morning of June 19 – the moment was getting real.

The Class of 2022 lines up in preparation for the march to "Pomp and Circumstance" on the morning of June 19. (Photos: Natan Vigna)

Chris Bauman, a magna cum laude graduate with duo degrees in marketing and management waits in line to march to Founders' Green.

John Thomas, dean of the Zapara School of Business with his daughter, Natasha Thomas, a pre-med graduate who earned a degree in management for healthcare professionals and received the President's Award for Outstanding Undergraduate.

Marshal Dr. Leslie Martin poses in front of the graduation stage banked by a floral display of the class year.

Student Association President Lawrence Steven Dorsey III gives a hug to his father, Pastor Lawrence Dorsey II before addressing the graduates.

Joshua Young, senior class vice president reads the commencement scripture.

Foreground, Kim Thomas, left, mother of presidential awardee Natasha Thomas, and Jonathan Thomas, Natasha's brother, watch the Conferring of Degrees ceremony.

President Fehr presents the President's Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Student to Natasha Thomas.

President Fehr presents the President's Award for Outstanding Graduate Student to Heather Petersen.

Max Proebstle exits the Conferring of Degrees ceremony on June 19 during which he received an MBA in healthcare management and finance.

Roberto Alvarez with his daughter, Sephora Alvarez after she received her Master of Arts in teaching degree. Sephora will teach first grade at Loma Linda Academy. (Photo: Natalie Romero)

Criminal Justice graduate Martin Jimenez Gonzalez inscribed his graduation cap with a dedicatory message to his father who died last year from Covid-19. (Photo: Natalie Romero)

A graduate on June 19 is greeted after receiving his diploma. (Photo: Natalie Romero)

At 8 a.m., he and several hundred other La Sierra University graduates, clothed in their billowing dark blue gowns and with their tasseled and at times elaborately decorated caps would soon be walking down the hill to their seating area under a white canopy on Founders’ Green. From there he would eventually walk on stage to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. It would be an emotional moment filled with appreciation.

“I'm just really grateful to be here,” Jimenez Gonzalez said before the graduates began moving down to the commencement area. “I’m really grateful to be able to dedicate this achievement to my dad, he passed away unfortunately. So I'm grateful to give him that and I'm grateful to be here with my family and just spend this day with them.”

Jimenez Gonzalez was among 449 members of La Sierra University’s Class of 2022 who graduated on a day that also celebrated Father’s Day and Juneteenth. It was a return to the university’s long-standing outdoor commencement on Founders’ Green that capped two days of graduation events. Graduations in 2020 and 2021 consisted of single drive-through events in which graduates decorated their cars and drove through campus, receiving gifts and cheered on by faculty and staff who lined the route. After completing a college career stressed by the trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic, many members of this year’s class were excited for a return to the traditional graduation experience.

The Covid-19 pandemic forced Larissa Iannella Oliveira, a sociology and legal studies graduate, to spend a year in Portugal taking La Sierra classes on Zoom. International pandemic restrictions prevented her return to the states and to campus. “I was stuck out of the country for a whole year during the pandemic,” she said, noting that she was concerned her graduation might not be the hoped-for in-person event. “Coming here, it's just success. I'm happy about it.”

Perris resident Judith Ibarra who was standing next to Oliveira in line early on Sunday looked forward to receiving a Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a minor in forensic psychology. She aims to become a court interpreter. Three families arrived at La Sierra to cheer her graduation.

“It's been the most beautiful experience, just the whole journey.” -- Ebubechi Ibika, marketing and management graduate, Class of 2022

“It just means you know, all my hard work paid off,” she said. “All our families are proud of us, we didn't let them down and it's extra special because we get to be here in person. We know the last few years they weren't able to celebrate. But we are here in honor of them and in honor of us.”

Ebubechi Ibika, a double major in marketing and management arrived at La Sierra from Kansas City, Mo. The oldest of five siblings, he viewed his college graduation as an example-setting moment.

“It's been the most beautiful experience, just the whole journey,” he said while he waited in line for graduation to start. “You tend to look at the outcome and where you want to be, but I knew I had to get it done for me, my family, my city back home, for my siblings, and just to set an example that like, if I can do this, I can do anything, …me, my family, my siblings, all Black people, we can do it all. This is just the beginning, it is just the first step.

“It's so surreal,” he added. “I'm still just taking it in. I think it's gonna hit when I walk across the stage, but it’s just been a beautiful experience all together. I wouldn't have it any other way.”

Live for others

The Conferring of Degrees ceremony featured a commencement address by La Sierra University President Joy Fehr who urged graduates to live for others and not just for themselves. She recounted the story of a Canadian wilderness camping and hiking trip with her husband and inlaws during which she suffered a broken ankle. Because of the kindness of strangers, and in particular that of a young man, a member of a Canadian infantry regiment who carried her miles out of the mountains on his back, she was able to obtain medical attention at a local hospital.

“When we realize that life is not about us, that it’s about others, when we shift from egotism to altruism, when we do that we find lasting, life-altering … moral joy ,” Fehr told the graduates. “I shared my experience with you to turn the focus to the others in my story. They cared for, they stepped alongside, they loved someone who most of them they didn’t even know. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here today.“

For what idea are we willing to live and die?” she asked. “Live for others, not yourselves. Walk alongside them and support them. Carry them down the paths of life.”

"When we realize that life is not about us, that it’s about others, ...when we do that we find lasting, life-altering … moral joy." -- La Sierra University President Joy Fehr

Lawrence Steven “Steve” Dorsey III, La Sierra’s student association president announced the senior class gift – a memorial tree to be planted on Founders’ Green. “This dream has not been a pursuit without trial,” he said in reference to the joys, pains, victories and losses the students encountered along their college pathway. “However we will never forgo remembrance of those we have lost along the way. …this tree will serve as a testament to the heart of the university, its students.”

Dorsey, who graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and religion minor this fall will join a cohort of 18 college students selected from various universities for an 11-month California Senate Fellowship in Sacramento. He will serve as a full-time intern working on state public policy issues before entering a psychology graduate program at Fuller Seminary next year.

“I see those before me who will not be complacent nor stand idly by in a world that would suggest darkness is the only option,” Dorsey said in his final remarks to his classmates. “I see light bearers, individuals committed to ensuring the world knows there is hope. Cultivate the hope. Share the hope. Be the hope. I have faith in what this university can achieve if it remains spirit led and continues to pursue equity in all places.”

Dorsey’s father, Pastor Lawrence Dorsey II gave the invocation for the Conferring of Degrees ceremony and was on stage for his son’s speech. Steve hugged his father as he approached the podium.

“June 19, 2022 will be a day I will never forget,” Dorsey II said in later comments following graduation. The day’s events were particularly emotional as the family had recently suffered a significant loss, “yet the excitement of the day acted as a soothing balm for the moment,” he said. “For the past 20 years Father’s Day has been obscured by youngest son’s birthday, however seeing Steve walk up to me and hug me before his address on his graduation day was breathtaking. I was stunned, speechless and numb to all that was taking place. It felt like he and I were the only two people in the moment. I am thankful for God’s leading in his life, I am thankful for his accomplishments and I am thankful to the university for giving me an opportunity to place this moment in my museum of memories.”

“I see light bearers, individuals committed to ensuring the world knows there is hope." -- Lawrence Steven Dorsey III, President, Student Association of La Sierra University

During the ceremony, several graduates were noted for the awards they received from the alumni association and from the College of Arts & Sciences, the H.M.S. Richards Divinity School, the School of Education and the Tom & Vi Zapara School of Business.The President’s Award for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students went to Natasha Thomas and Heather Petersen, respectively.

Thomas graduated summa cum laude in pre-medicine and with a degree in management for healthcare professionals from the Zapara School of Business, earning a GPA of 3.99. She is also an All-Star Concerto-winning harpist and an instrumental member of the Enactus team as leader of the e-Library project which has provided enhanced educational opportunities to more than 200,000 underserved students in other countries as well as in several U.S. states and communities in four California counties.

She also served as a member of the Zapara School of Business Dean’s Team, and at Loma Linda University as a member of Professor David Baylink’s research group where she participated in some 300 hours of cutting-edge research leading to scholarly publication and co-authorship.

Petersen received a Doctor of Education degree in curriculum and instruction from the School of Education. She earned an Ed.S. from the school in 2021. Her many contributions include teaching conversational English in China and high school courses in California, in addition to mentoring new teachers and providing literacy support. During her time at La Sierra University, she worked as an adjunct professor, demonstrating exemplary leadership in her academic and professional roles.

For 18 years she taught middle and high school reading and language arts classes, then returned to Asia in 2021 where she taught in Tibet and in Beijing. Her research on international teaching examines what constitutes successful support of and professional development for teachers in international contexts.

"When I was notified that my name was being submitted for the President’s award, I was astonished and overwhelmed. I never dreamed of being considered for this kind of recognition," Petersen remarked. "To be identified as one who models the mission and vision of the school means I am uniquely identified with and connected to La Sierra University for the rest of my life. "

"I find great joy in equipping teachers and seeing the fruits of their labors." -- Heather Petersen, presidential awardee for outstanding graduate students

Part of her dissertation involved the development of a mentoring framework/handbook to be used in the international teaching context. She hopes to publish her work for use in the international teaching world, she said, and develop a consultation business that offers training to international schools in how to mentor new teachers. "My end goal is to help international schools that hire people willing to leave the comforts of their known country to teach in a new country. By training their new teachers and helping them adjust, these new teachers will want to stay longer at the school," she said. "I find great joy in equipping teachers and seeing the fruits of their labors."

Thomas is the daughter of Zapara School of Business Dean John Thomas who was on stage to greet her with a hug as she received her degree.“It’s an amazing and gratifying thing to watch your children excel, graduate from college and receive recognition for their outstanding achievements. It’s particularly meaningful to be the one actually greeting them on the graduation platform as I was able to do today with Natasha, and also with her brother Jonathan three years ago,” John Thomas said. “I am so proud of Natasha’s hard work which brought her the presidential recognition today -- it’s the best Father’s Day gift. I am honored and grateful to be her and her brother’s dad.”

Pivotal moments

Following the ceremony, hundreds of graduates along with their family members and friends spilled onto Founders’ Green to take photos and celebrate the occasion. Snacks and water were offered at canopies set up by the university’s three schools and its college.

Sephora Alvarez wiped tears of happiness from her eyes as she gathered with her family members. She is the first of her family to graduate and received a master’s degree in teaching. She will teach first grade at Loma Linda Academy this fall and previously taught at Ridgecrest Adventist Elementary school.

“She finally made it,” said her father, Roberto Alvarez. “It means a lot as a family. [She’s] the first one out of six [to graduate from college]. We are so happy, she worked so hard every day, and couldn’t sleep for a few nights, but here it is.”

“I've been waiting for this for three years,” Sephora said. “Yeah, it was just really hard. So it means a lot.”

Jimenez Gonzalez and his family members – 11 in total – gathered to take photos. He showed the inscription on his graduation cap which held a dedicatory message in Spanish in elegant typography for his father who passed away last year from the Covid-19 virus.

His sister Maria commented on the significance of the occasion. “I'm here celebrating the graduation of my youngest brother, and he dedicated this day to my father, and he commemorated this graduation as a symbol to the love and support he gives us throughout our whole entire lives,” she said. “I am more than happy to say that I am [his] sister, and that we are a family united to celebrate him and another day in life.”

Isaac Hinojosa a resident of Hesperia who obtained a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice noted, “it feels amazing and I'm grateful to be here.

“I've been waiting for this for three years, ...so it means a lot.” -- Sephora Alvarez, Master of Arts in teaching, Class of 2022

Los Angeles resident Darryn Everage earned a degree in communications and aims for a career as a sports announcer or as a professional basketball player. He arrived through a scholarship to play ball for the Golden Eagles.

“What today means to me is just staying with it, not giving up,” he said. “College is not easy at all, especially as an athlete. Just to keep on going and stay determined, it means a lot. It means more than just a degree or just a better way of getting a good career, it’s more like a personal feeling, just one of the best days of your life.”

The year and a half of virtual instruction after the university moved online in March 2020 was particularly tough, he said, ”because I think as athletes we learn easier with hands-on because that’s how we play our sport. So having to sit there [and]not really have that kind of interaction was pretty tough, but you’ve got to deal with what you’ve got to deal with and just keeping going.”

His family members and friends celebrated with him following the ceremony. “This is just wonderful, such an accomplishment, it was a rough ride but he did it,” said his mother.

His grandmother Diedra Brooks described graduation day as “awesome. This graduation was put on very well. It was exciting to see all these people accomplishing something.”

Chris Bauman graduated magna cum laude with duo degrees in marketing and management from the Zapara School of Business. He received multiple business school awards for academic excellence, for leadership as president of the Hispanic Business Incubator, and for entrepreneurship as part of the Project Utopia investment venture. He aims to jump into real estate after graduation while applying for jobs.

“It's an amazing moment, I'm really excited,” he said following the ceremony. “It was very emotional seeing everyone, it was great seeing everyone I love supporting[me] and it was just an awesome experience.

“It felt so good coming back and being able to see everyone and actually like connect with them, be able to shake hands, hug everyone and walk across that stage, it was awesome.”