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Monday, June 15, 1998

Graduation takes new spin

ALTERNATIVE: Ceremonies focusing on ethnic, racial traditions gain popularity

By Ann Hawkey

Daily Bruin Contributor

For some graduates, sharing their special day with thousands of other students just doesn't have that personal touch.

Alternative ceremonies provide graduates with the opportunity to remember their years spent at UCLA in a smaller, more personal environment than the departmental ceremonies, organizers and participants say.

"It's a more personal level of graduation," said Elissa Fleak, a graduating senior who will take part in the American Indian graduation. "Each person is recognized individually who is graduating in our community."

Alternative commencements celebrate the achievements of graduates, and also recognize the contributions they have made to the cultural and social groups that have affected them through their lives.

Groups such as the African Student Union (ASU), the American Indian Student Association (AISA) and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Campus Resource Center are sponsoring graduations this year.

Many other ethnic and social groups are also sponsoring alternative ceremonies to recognize their graduates individually.

"It's a celebration of my culture, and also my involvement over the past five years here," said Anika Johnson, a graduating senior who is participating in ASU's graduation.

"It's closer to my heart. It's not just about a career; it's a celebration of family, of culture," she continued.

One way alternative ceremonies will celebrate the achievements of the graduates will be through awards and honors given out at the ceremonies.

"We have the graduation in order to highlight the achievements and contributions of students to the American Indian community," said Natalie Stites, president of AISA.

At the Lavender Graduation for LGBT students, leadership awards will recognize service to the UCLA community, as well as academic excellence.

Organizers of the alternative graduations tried to personalize the ceremonies by inviting speakers who could directly relate to the graduates from their own experiences.

AISA will have George Ramos, a Tlingit/Eyak and elder of his clan in Alaska, speaking at their ceremony. The Lavender Graduation will feature two speakers, both former UCLA students. The speakers will be Sheila Kuehl, speaker pro tempore of the state assembly, and Kerry Lovel, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

"We wanted to have a state and national leader who was a former UCLA community member to speak and be a part of our graduation," said Ronni Sanlo, director of the LGBT Campus Resource Center and founder of Lavender Graduation.

Though well-known speakers can inspire graduates, individual reflections can also personalize the graduation experience. The Asian/Pacific Islander graduation will give each of

its 200 graduates a chance to relate their experiences at UCLA.

"They have 15 seconds to speak and really express their feelings," said Carol Lee, chair of the Asian/Pacific Islander graduation. "It's a chance to relive what they've gone through in the years they were at UCLA."

Lavender Graduation was also created with hopes of making commencement more special for graduates. Each participant will receive a rainbow-colored tassel, and a reception will be held after the ceremony.

"I wanted (the graduates) to finally have their last memories of the institution be happy and loving ones," Sanlo said .

Groups this year have continued to sponsor alternative ceremonies, despite rising costs and scheduling problems.

Even in the face of these problems, support among graduates has not wavered. MEChA is seeing one of its largest graduations yet this year, with over 300 participants.

Among the celebrations and congratulations of the commencement ceremonies, participants remember not only their own achievements, but also the communities that helped them along the way.

"I'm participating in support of my community that helped me overcome a lot of the adversity that I faced at this university," said Hugo Maldonado, chair of MEChA, who will be taking part in Raza Graduation.

"It's an opportunity as a community to celebrate the culmination of all our efforts."

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