After 18 months of experiencing lockdowns and social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Shoreline graduates from the Class of 2021 were excited to celebrate their achievements with both a virtual Commencement ceremony and a Drive-Thru Celebration (or “carmencement,”) on Saturday, June 19.
Virtual Ceremony
Hundreds of degrees and certificates were conferred at Commencement 2021. While the ceremony was held virtually for the second year in a row, the 30-minute ceremony aired on YouTube with all the typical pomp and circumstance.
Emceed by Debra Pralle, faculty in the Film, Drama & Cinema department, the event featured (then) President Cheryl Roberts, Board Chair Catherine D’Ambrosio, Vice President for Student Learning Phillip King, and Associated Student President Sunshine Cheng. Luckisha Phillips provided the faculty speaker remarks, and Mashaal Shameem was the student speaker.
Shameem eloquently charged her fellow graduates to “move forward in the world remembering the lessons that we’ve learned here at Shoreline, to embrace and stay true to who we are, to define and celebrate success for ourselves, and to use our privilege, experiences, and resources that we have at our disposal to be a force for good in the world.”
The event closed with a performance of the song “Lovely Day” by the talented Shoreline Community College Virtual Ensemble, led by Music Faculty Member Jeff Kashiwa.
Drive-Thru Celebration
Following the virtual Commencement ceremony, graduates were invited to attend a Drive-Thru Celebration. Grads paraded through campus in vehicles, picking up special graduation goodies with family and friends in their vehicles while being cheered on by staff and faculty, and serenaded by the Shoreline Concert Band.
While it has not been an easy year for many, our graduates’ hard work and perseverance during this time make us extremely proud. Congratulations to all 2021 graduates!
View this year’s Commencement ceremony recording, download the official program, or check out the photos on Facebook.
