After months of uncertainty without knowing if they would graduate in person or not, finally the students of the class of 2021 and 2020 from the University of Southern California (USC) celebrated their victories this Friday by walking on the stage of the Los Angeles Coliseum to collect their diplomas.
East May began the graduations that will be a total of 14 ceremonies, to maintain social distance, and that will take place over a week.
For Latino students, this is not only exciting but also gratifying news as they consider it the best gift they can give their parents.
Kevin Camargo , who will graduate on Tuesday with a degree in communications, said he was excited to see that he will graduate with his peers but also said he is a bit nervous, as he says e star aware that the COVID pandemic – 19 has not yet disappeared.
“Before I didn’t take much importance to graduate But when I reached my last year and saw what we were experiencing, I understood how important it is, ”said the young man from years.
Camargo transferred from East Los Angeles College to USC. He indicated that success is not only personal but also family success as his parents have supported him throughout his education and have seen the hard work he did to get to USC.
” None of them have much experience in the university, so I had to find out everything myself or ask my older brother, “said the son of Mexican immigrants.
Now, The young man hopes to be an example to follow for his little sister who is in third grade.
“Maybe now I don’t know the importance [de la graduación] but when I get to college, or whatever she wants to do, we’ll be there to support her, “said the South Gate resident excitedly.
Breaking stigmas
Irísela Martínez, who graduated today Saturday with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a second degree in forensic science and criminality, feels that the experience is surreal.
“I cried when I saw the email they sent us saying that we were going to graduate in person,” said the young woman from years old.
“I am a first generation student and it broke my heart to know that I was not going to graduate in person. ”
The Huntington Park resident said that this was a very important achievement because when she was studying at Huntington Park High School there were people who told her that she would not get very away.
“They told me: ‘The students here don’t really go to high-prestige schools’ or they said, ‘either they get pregnant or they don’t do anything’ and that scared me, so I struggled to be able to go to the
university. ”
Coming to USC was an unimaginable achievement, since that was the school of his dreams. She was living on campus until the coronavirus arrived and had to continue her classes via Zoom.
She said that it was very difficult but she was trying to cheer herself up knowing that his entire family was healthy and no one suffered from COVID –
She assured that her best cheerleaders were always her parents who are now very excited to see her pick up her diploma.
“Every time she went to have an exam they would light a candle and pray for me. We are very Catholic, ”said the young woman. “When I gave them the news of graduation, they hugged me and celebrated my accomplishments.”
Now, the young woman hopes to begin her master’s degree at Loyola Marymount University in the fall and work for Teach for America, teaching classes for students with disabilities at the same high school from which he graduated.
USC admitted 8, . students for the fall of 2021. Of this total, one in five students belongs to the first generation of their family to go to university and the % are Latino.
Attending mass to give thanks
Dressed in a cap and gown, Kate Sequeira attended a mass held at USC on Thursday in honor of graduating students. The young woman who finished her exams on Wednesday said that she was still trying to process that it is true that she finished college and that she will attend her graduation in person.
“In my family we are very Catholics and this is a way of thanking God to advance to the next stage, ”said the young woman, adding that also at the beginning of the semester, USC conducts Mass for students and their families to pray for their studies.
The young woman with Mexican and Nicaraguan roots said that for her parents this is an achievement very big and above all to see that they will be able to celebrate in person. Additionally, the Carlsbad resident family will celebrate that Sequeira’s younger sister will also attend USC next year.
The young woman’s graduation will be at the Coliseum next week and she will receive her BA in Journalism and Contemporary Latino and Latin American Studies.
“I’m looking forward to Tuesday, also because a lot of my friends who were kind of , and they did not obtain their graduation, they are going to graduate with us ”, said the young woman.
USC graduates have a pass to invite two people and these three Latinos chose their parents to witness their great achievement.