Story and Following Photos by Russ Lindquist
GROSSMONT COLLEGE–Thousands cheered as newly graduated Grossmont Griffins received long-awaited acknowledgement of their achievements. An estimated 1,500 students received degrees, certificates or in some cases both, at a ceremony June 1 in the Main Quad.
Student speaker Timothy Snowball shared his imperfect educational journey, with a crowd estimated at 4,000–a journey that now brings him to being graduated from Grossmont–with honors–with Associate’s Degrees in Political Science and University Studies. Snowball indeed had a chance in hell, having weathered Depression and Anxiety Disorder and having dropped out of high school; thereafter, whenever he spoke to friends and co-workers about returning to school, they scoffed at him.
Undeterred, he spent three years at Grossmont, along the way having joined Phi Theta Kappa, an international academic honors society. He said that his eventual aim is a degree in law. Between then and now, he said that he plans to gain a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. For this leg of his life’s race, Snowball has won acceptance to UCSD, UCLA and UC Berkeley. Now, he can take his pick.
At the comment ceremony, of the estimated 1,500 Grossmont graduates, over 100 maintained an overall Grade Point Average of 3.5 or more, but only seven people maintained a perfect G.P.A. of 4.0.
They were
- Andrew De-Li Chang
- James R. Cooper
- Alisha May Fuchs
- Alexandra Kaul
- Joshua Levi Pederson
- Massimo Ralli
- Ian Ruston
Throughout the day, I roamed the campus with a camera. Following are some scenes from Commencement 2011:
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Lindquist is editor-in-chief of the GC Summit
