Congratulations to an Extraordinary Class of Graduates

A total 476 undergraduate and 63 graduate students received their diplomas for degrees in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters this Spring. While the live graduation had to be postponed due to COVID-19, several departments are having their own virtual celebrations. 

The Department of History is hosting a WebEx party with graduates and faculty on Friday, May 8 at 10 a.m. More information is at this link https://cutt.ly/Lyg9tK9.

The School of Communication and Multimedia Studies created a video to congratulate their graduates 

The Department of English created a video to congratulate their graduates:

 

The Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature created a video to congratulate their graduates in English and in Spanish:

  

 

The Department of Music created a video to highlight their graduates: 

 

The Department of Philosophy congratulated their graduates on their website here:
http://www.fau.edu/artsandletters/philosophy/

The Department of Political Science congratulated their graduates on their website here: http://www.fau.edu/artsandletters/politicalscience/

The Department of Theatre and Dance celebrated their graduates on their website here: http://www.fau.edu/artsandletters/theatre/spring2020grads/

The Department of Visual Arts and Art History celebrated their graduates on their website here: 
http://fau.edu/artsandletters/vaah/

The Center for Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) celebrated their graduates on their website here: fau.edu/artsandletters/wgss/graduation
View the 33rd Annual (WGSS) Graduation Program here. Additionally, the WGSS newsletter can be viewed here. 

The college’s 539 graduates come from all around Florida and well beyond. Each has their own unique history, and each has their own story of challenges in what became an unprecedented senior year.

One graduate who is no stranger to challenges is Ilse Cruz. Ilse was born in Honduras and fled to the United States in 1996 to escape gang violence. Ilse was valedictorian of her graduating class in high school, and during her years as a political science major at FAU, has fought tirelessly for the rights of the immigrant community. She has helped to organize sit-ins in defense of the Dream Act and collected thousands of signatures in support of immigrants’ rights. Ilse is the first in her family to earn a college degree, and she hopes to go on to earn a law degree.

Pat Archer also faced his share of challenges as a student with a disability. He worked hard at FAU and was rewarded for this work with an appointment by Governor Charlie Crist to serve on the Florida Developmental Disability Council. Pat will use his Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies to work toward his goal of becoming a videographer.

These are just two of the many stories of our incredible Spring 2020 graduates, each and every one of whom achieved great things during their years at FAU. No one could have foreseen what their graduating year would have been like, but we like to think it means that each of them is destined for something very special in their future.

Please enjoy this message from the Dean, with highlights of graduate students receiving their degrees this Spring.