Eastfield College Commencement
June 13, 2020
Class of 2020
Making History
On behalf of the Board of Trustees for the Dallas County Community College District, congratulations on your graduation! During these unprecedented times there were no instruction manuals, yet you committed yourselves to your classes, stayed the course and achieved your dreams.
We want you to be ready for new jobs and new opportunities. We also want you to be prepared for change. You must be able to adapt to dynamic, real-life situations and each of you have proven that you can do just that during this pandemic. You are entering a tough job market, and you are tough too. We've instilled in you an "Education That Works," regardless of your next step in life - whether you are transferring to a university to continue your education or entering the workforce.
The District's colleges enroll students of all ages and from all walks of life. The students at our seven colleges reflect and represent our multifaceted communities. You, our graduates, are the reason for our existence and you are an integral part of the beautiful, diverse social fabric that is Dallas County.
Very soon, our seven colleges will become a single institution - Dallas College. You are the last class of students that will graduate from the seven individual colleges, and we are especially proud of this historymaking class of graduates. Your determination and grit to finish strong will be remembered for years to come. Congratulations!
“It doesn't matter how many times you fail. You only have to be right once and then everyone can tell you that you are an overnight success.”
When Mark started his door-to-door business selling garbage bags at age 12, the seed was planted for his long-term success. He later graduated from Indiana University, moved to Dallas and, following a dispute with his employer, Mark created MicroSolutions - a computer consulting service. He sold it in 1990 to CompuServe.
In 1995, Mark and one of his long-time friends came up with another business: an internet-based solution to listen to Hoosiers basketball games in Texas. In just four years Broadcast.com (then Audionet) sold to Yahoo for billions of dollars.
Mark is also heralded for his acquisition of the Dallas Mavericks in 2000. He oversaw the Mavs competing in the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, in 2006, and becoming NBA World Champions, in 2011.
Through The Mark Cuban Foundation, Mark gives back to the communities that promoted his success. The Foundation's AI Bootcamps Initiative hosts free trainings for low-income high schoolers. Mark also saved, and annually funds, the Dallas Saint Patrick's Day Parade - the largest parade in Dallas and a true city institution.
Program
Introduction to Virtual Commencement & Board Welcome
Monica Lira Bravo, DCCCD Board of Trustees, District 4
Remarks to Candidates for Graduation & Community
Dr. Joe May, DCCCD Chancellor
Guest Keynote Speaker
Mr. Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks Owner and Entrepreneur
President’s Remarks
Dr. Eddie Tealer, Eastfield College President
Student Speaker
Julio Hernandez, Student Leader of the Year and
Co-President, Psi Eta Chapter, Phi Theta Kappa
Introduction of the Graduates
Dr. Eddie Tealer
Presentation of Candidates for Graduation
Conferring of Degrees and Certificates
Dr. Eddie Tealer
Closing Remarks
Ms. Brie Day, Biology Faculty
Faculty Highlight Reel
Special Thanks to
Honorable Clay Jenkins, Dallas County Judge
Khary Payton, Actor
Honorable Victoria Neave, Texas State Representative
The Academic Procession
In colleges and universities, academic degrees are conferred at commencement exercises. Originally, the term meant the inception of the student graduate as a teacher and his recognition as such by his master and other members of the profession. Thus, the term once marked an actual beginning.
The processional and recessional of students and faculty dressed in academic regalia is a traditional part of these commencement exercises. The history of academic dress goes back to the medieval universities. In the 12th and 13th centuries, when universities were taking form, they were under the jurisdiction of the church. Those studying wore a habit or cloak to which was attached a cowl or hood which could be pulled up over the head or thrown back, according to weather conditions. Later, the gown served the dual purpose of providing warmth in the unheated halls as well as uniformity of dress.
The hood seems to have had three uses: a covering, a shoulder cape and a bag for collecting alms. It is believed that when large wigs were worn, the cape part of the hood was cut open in front and the entire garment, cape and hood proper, was allowed to fall back, producing approximately the effect seen today
After wigs went out of fashion, the original shape was not restored. The master’s hood is longer than the bachelor’s, and the doctor’s longer than the master’s.
Gowns commonly worn in the colleges and universities of this country have pointed sleeves for the bachelor’s degree, long closed sleeves (with a slit for the arm) for the master’s degree, and bell-shaped, open sleeves for the doctor’s degree. The bachelor’s and master’s gowns have no trimming. The gown for the doctor’s degree is faced down the front with black velvet and three bars of the same across the sleeves; or these facings and cross bars may be of velvet of the color distinctive of the faculty or subject to which the degree pertains.
The cap is an essential part of the academic dress and it is to be retained on the head throughout all academic exercises except during prayer. In particular, the cap is not to be removed at any point in the conferment of a degree.
All hoods are lined with silk showing the official colors of the institution that conferred the degree, and all are trimmed in specific widths with velvet signifying the degree as follows:
- Accounting - drab
- Agriculture - maize
- Architecture - brown
- Arts and Letters - white
- Dentistry - lilac
- Economics - copper
- Education - light blue
- Engineering - orange
- Fine Arts - brown
- Forestry - russet
- Humanities - crimson
- Law - purple
- Library Science - lemon
- Medicine - green
- Music - pink
- Nursing - olive green
- Philosophy - dark blue
- Physical Education - sage green
- Public Administration - peacock
- Public Health - salmon pink
- Science - golden yellow
- Social Science - cream
- Social Work - citron
- Theology - scarlet
- Veterinary Science - gray
Special Recognition
Members of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society for two-year colleges will be wearing gold tassels and gold stoles over academic regalia.
Members of Sigma Kappa Delta (National English Honor Society) will be wearing green and gold cords and the official pin of the honor society.
Members of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars will be wearing gold stoles and gold and maroon cords.
Members of the National Society for Leadership and Success will be wearing black and white cords and the official pin of the honor society.
Eastfield College Honors Program graduates will be wearing orange cords
Members of the Student Government Association will be wearing silver medals with orange and blue ribbon.
STEM scholars will be wearing yellow cords.
Rising Star students will be wearing gold medals with a red, white and blue ribbon.
Eastfield College Campus Ambassadors will be wearing blue stoles.
Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces will be wearing red, white, and blue cords.
Student Media members will be wearing red cords.
Eastfield College International Students will be wearing a sash/stole that represents their home country.
Academic Excellence scholars who achieved a 4.0 during their entire academic career will be wearing gold pins.
Academic Recognition and College Honors
(*)Cum Laude honors Cum Laude honors are based upon a 3.5 – 3.66 cumulative grade point average through the fall semester.
(**)Magna Cum Laude honors Magna Cum Laude honors are based upon a 3.67 – 3.84 cumulative grade point average through the fall semester.
(***)Summa Cum Laude honors Summa Cum Laude honors are based upon a 3.85 – 4.0 cumulative grade point average through the fall semester.
Field of Study in Business Administration and Management
Field of Study in Criminal Justice
- Karla Alvarado
- Tymple Brown-Freeney
- Daniela D. Carranza
- Roman Castilleja Jr.
- Justin R. Clarke
***Summa Cum Laude honors
- Yasmin Consuelo
- Alan A. Cruz
- Sierra S. Garcia
- Jazmin J. Garza
- Chassidy Hayes
- Leo L. Hernandez
- Michael Izaguirre
- Nautica Jackson
- Luis Jaramillo
- Viridiana Jimenez
- Loryn Kelley
- Savrie Leatherwood
- Valencia M. Lomax
- Elizabeth R. Martinez
- Rebecca J. Martinez
**Magna Cum Laude honors
- Roberto X. Martinez
- Rafael Moncada
- Jesus D. Perez
**Magna Cum Laude honors
- Thelma Perkins-Smith
- Tammy Price
- David Ramirez
*Cum Laude honors
- Maria Ramos
***Summa Cum Laude honors
- Felipe Robledo
- Julian Rocha
- Vanessa Rodriguez
*Cum Laude honors
- Victor M. Sanchez
*Cum Laude honors
- Natalie N. Sierra
- Teresa Sims
- Ileana I. Soto
- Zeina S. Stafford
- Brielle M. Zayas
**Magna Cum Laude honors
Field of Study in Mass Communications - Journalism
- Hunter T. Garza
**Magna Cum Laude honors
- Sonia Hernandez
- Michael L. Pagano
- Anahi Torres Balderas
- Andrew Walter
***Summa Cum Laude honors