2008 Woodie Awards
Award-winning author to speak at commencement ceremony
Antoinette Luzano
Issue date: 6/16/08 Section: Features
For many De Anza College students, June 28 is going to be the beginning of the next stage of their lives. It is the day of the 2008 commencement ceremony.
"It is a celebration of our students' accomplishments," said Paula Joseph, senior administrative assistant of college services. "The students worked hard."
Approximately 924 letters were sent out to De Anza students this year, indicating their eligibility to graduate, according to Joseph. However, not all students apply for graduation.
This year's keynote speaker is author Francisco Jimenez, who is currently a professor in the department of modern languages and literatures at Santa Clara University. He had also been the director of the university's Ethnic Studies Program for five years.
He has written books such as the award-winning autobiography "The Circuit: Stories From the Life of a Migrant Child," a novel about Jimenez's experiences leaving Tlaquepaque, Mexico when he was four years old and becoming a migrant worker in California. "The Circuit" has been translated to Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Italian, and the sequel to the novel, "Breaking Through," has also won several awards. "Reaching Out," a recollection of experiences from high school and college, will be published in August.
Jimenez was asked to be the guest speaker at this year's ceremony by De Anza President Brian Murphy. Honored, Jimenez accepted, partly because he knows Murphy personally.
"It will give me the opportunity to congratulate students for their educational success and to join their family and friends in the joyous celebration," said Jimenez.
Through his speech, Jimenez hopes to "express [his] respect and admiration for students, who, in spite of many obstacles, managed to succeed academically, thanks to their God-given talents, hard work and determination."
However, Jimenez also attributes the graduates' success to their professors and families, "who made a commitment to make a difference in these students' lives."
"It is a celebration of our students' accomplishments," said Paula Joseph, senior administrative assistant of college services. "The students worked hard."
Approximately 924 letters were sent out to De Anza students this year, indicating their eligibility to graduate, according to Joseph. However, not all students apply for graduation.
This year's keynote speaker is author Francisco Jimenez, who is currently a professor in the department of modern languages and literatures at Santa Clara University. He had also been the director of the university's Ethnic Studies Program for five years.
He has written books such as the award-winning autobiography "The Circuit: Stories From the Life of a Migrant Child," a novel about Jimenez's experiences leaving Tlaquepaque, Mexico when he was four years old and becoming a migrant worker in California. "The Circuit" has been translated to Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Italian, and the sequel to the novel, "Breaking Through," has also won several awards. "Reaching Out," a recollection of experiences from high school and college, will be published in August.
Jimenez was asked to be the guest speaker at this year's ceremony by De Anza President Brian Murphy. Honored, Jimenez accepted, partly because he knows Murphy personally.
"It will give me the opportunity to congratulate students for their educational success and to join their family and friends in the joyous celebration," said Jimenez.
Through his speech, Jimenez hopes to "express [his] respect and admiration for students, who, in spite of many obstacles, managed to succeed academically, thanks to their God-given talents, hard work and determination."
However, Jimenez also attributes the graduates' success to their professors and families, "who made a commitment to make a difference in these students' lives."
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