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  A Message From the Faculty…  
From Jane Penney, Professor of Sociology and President of the Faculty Association

On behalf of the Eastfield College faculty, I want to congratulate you on your successes and accomplishments. Graduation is always an exciting time, watching students and their families celebrate the work and effort that culminates in graduation. It is a time to realize that our journeys in life are never taken alone but with the support and love of those around us.

Those of you who walk across the stage to receive your diploma demonstrate that it is possible to accomplish goals with hard work and dedicated attitudes. Parents and grandparents making that walk are role models for their children and grandchildren. Because of your efforts, you send the message that education is important at any age and throughout our lives. The idea or concept of being done with education is obsolete because our technology is changing so rapidly, and we either learn to change with it or are left behind. So, throughout the coming years, you will probably find yourself sharpening your skills and knowledge by taking additional classes. I hope you will return to Eastfield College to update your education, whether in credit or non-credit classes.

Some of you will be transferring to colleges and universities to pursue your bachelor’s degree. You can be proud that the faculty of Eastfield College has prepared you well for the challenges ahead. In research the college collects, our students do as well or better than those students who begin at the college or university. While there may be adjustments related to living, your academic foundation will serve you in future academic challenges.

Many of you are graduating from programs with specialized certifications or degrees. The faculty who have prepared you for the workforce have prepared you well for the realities of work and life. You have learned it’s about more than the mechanics of having a skill; you know your personal growth and communication abilities are also important to success.

The faculty of Eastfield College is proud to be a part of your life story; it is our hope that you will continue to grow and challenge yourself, never being satisfied to simply accept information without asking questions. The faculty hopes that you have been challenged to expand your assumptions and question ideas and attitudes you once simply accepted.

We look forward to continuing to educate the generations of the future! We hope you will return to the college to let us know how you’re doing and keep us updated about your experiences. I leave you with two of my favorite quotes…

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.
William Butler Yeats

The ultimate goal of the educational system is to shift to the individual the burden of pursuing his education.
John W. Gardner

Return to Graduation 2004


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