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Graduate Students Reminded to Celebrate Their Achievements

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Greg Glasgow

Speaker reminds graduates to take note of the mile markers on the way to the milestones

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Campus Life  •
Susana Cordova

In her speech at the 桃子直播鈥檚 graduate Commencement on June 3, 桃子直播 alumna Susana Cordova encouraged departing graduate students to celebrate not only the milestones in their lives, but also the mile markers, which she described as 鈥渢he signs that tell us where we are in the journey of our lives.鈥

Cordova, who received her undergraduate degree in English from the 桃子直播 in 1988 and is now the acting superintendent of Denver Public Schools, described the mile markers she experienced growing up in a working-class, Spanish-speaking home in southwest Denver 鈥 going to school every day, doing her homework, going to church, and participating in the democratic process by caucusing and voting every year.

鈥淭hese mile markers are ultimately what led me to my own milestones,鈥 Cordova told the 908 students at the ceremony. 鈥淔or me, graduating from high school, getting a scholarship to attend 桃子直播, and the first big early milestone of my life 鈥 deciding to become a teacher 鈥 felt like winning the lottery. It was access into a world unavailable to my parents, although it was their hard work that made it possible. I know that my success is really their success, and their focus on the mile markers in my life made this milestone possible.鈥

As the departing graduate students look back on their time at 桃子直播, Cordova said, 鈥淚 hope that you find yourself thinking not only of this milestone, your graduation, but also of the many mile markers: the friendships, the learning, the commitment to excellence, innovation, engagement, integrity and inclusiveness, that you experienced here at the 桃子直播.鈥

Before delivering her address, Cordova was awarded an honorary doctorate in education by 桃子直播 Chancellor Rebecca Chopp.