Items

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  2020-09-24

  The New Normal: A Virtual Graduation

  As a graduating senior, this email was sent to me by the Provost Office to notify me that this semester's graduation will be virtual. Ever since my freshman year of college, the idea of walking across the stage at my graduation always inspired me to try my best in all of my courses. My hard work and dedication was geared towards this big moment. While it is admirable that St. Mary's is still looking at ways to celebrate their student's accomplishments in the safest way possible, it is still difficult to process that I'll be walking across my living room instead of a graduation stage.
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  2020-05-10

  Graduation 50 Years Apart

  In this photo, I am holding a picture of my deceased grandfather while I'm dressed for my undergrad graduation that did not happen. I wanted to take a picture in my regalia on the campus that we both studied at, but due to the pandemic, I was forced to finish my undergrad degree at home. This photo in my regalia reminded me that I could not celebrate this accomplishment at the same place that my grandfather did only 50 years before.
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  2020-06-10

  Grateful!

  I selected this picture to represent my experience of Covid-19 and 2020. It's a graduation photo that defines an accomplishment and my journey. I've learned the concept when beginning an adventure, I will have to continue. But as I approach the finish line, I might have to finish alone. The pandemic has opened doors of opportunities not only financially, but spiritually. God has shown me in so many ways that he's here to care for me and supply my needs. Though Covid-19 has been a raging storm in our lives, I've realized that I appreciate life much more.
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  2020-04-27

  Finished my first semester of grad school amid a global pandemic

  Juggling grad school and a full time job hasn't been easy. The outbreak of Covid-19 made this a more difficult task, as I work at a school and teaching was shifted to an online format within a matter of days notice. It often feels that things have been moving so quickly that I haven't had time to fully comprehend them. Nonetheless, I must take note of some of the accomplishments along the way, such as finishing my first semester of grad school at Arizona State University. 10 monographs, some dozen scholarly papers, and two major papers I feel both relief and a sense of accomplishment.