Sun Devil Second Time Around: Graduation

It's amazing how much I forgot in the two years since I graduated the first time. Yet at the same time, the past two years have pretty much passed me by...

Yesterday morning, I made my wife late for work because I thought it would be a good idea for us to drive to campus together, since I would be there all day as well.

I went to Wells Fargo Arena for the Commencement and was promptly told to go sit in a three row area reserved for the College of Public Programs. When I noticed that I was the only master's candidate sitting there, I went back to the usher and asked "Aren't the master's and Ph.D. candidates supposed to sit on the floor?" He told me no and said I was in the right place. Pretty soon, two of my classmates came and sat with me and told me that they were told the same thing. Before we knew it, Pomp and Circumstance started playing and in came the Ph.D. and master's candidate...including the rest of our classmates. Irked, yes, but not completely. Another MPA grad, Dan, came and said we should go sit on the floor - so we did, and were eventually joined by some nice master of nursing students. They were told to sit up in the lower bowl as well and came down to the floor when they saw us.

It was a nicer commencement than I expected. Dr. Frank Rhodes, a former president of Cornell and receipient of numerous other accolades and awards was one of the honorary degree recipients and gave what I assumed was the commencement address. He's British, and of course the accent made his already humorous comments all the more endearing. And more importantly, he kept it short.

We also had an opportunity to give one last salute to Dr. Milt Glick, who in a roundabout way is my wife's boss. He's recently been named the President of the University of Nevada-Reno, and, in my opinion, will be a huge loss for ASU, and the ultimate gain for UNR. Congrats again, Dr. Glick.

Then, that evening, we headed down to Gammage Auditorium for the College of Public Programs Convocation. The good thing was that it was short, the bad thing was that I thought it was boring. The dean made her introduction, and I had been forwarned that she might use some info on me as one of the students she mentioned. Well, she didn't - which is fine, because I don't really care - but what's funny is that the person from the MPA students she did mention graduated...LAST semester. I'm sure that wasn't her intention, but someone wasn't on the ball. Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon addressed us as well. On my way into the tunnel to line up for our march, I saw his car and security detail and I told one of the guys jokingly to tell the mayor to keep it short. Well, it was ok. He talked mostly about Phoenix, mostly about the new Downtown Campus, and not much about students. Paul Luna made a great effort, but it didn't really get altogether too student oriented until the end of his remarks.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't graduation SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT THE GRADUATES?!?

Anyway, I did my little dance across stage, we wrapped it up, I took some pics with friends (except Jay who unfortunately couldn't be there - we missed you, dude), family, and of course, my favorite professors (who know who they are!)

But overall, I'm just glad it's over. I've already written the graduate coordinators and Gerogia and Duke to inquire about their Ph.D. programs. Duke has an amazing public policy school, but is only barely launching the Ph.D. program in the fall of 2007 - which is when I hope I will start mine. So, essentially, I've moved on and am looking to the future. I just hope I can get into a program. Because of my career aspirations, I'll need to go to a good school, which would be either Georgia or Duke, followed by some good, but not as good schools that I would definitely consider. Someday I'll post a list and maybe take a poll on what y'all think.

Folks, I really loved my master's program. I got to take place in some once in a lifetime events, worked amazing, difficult, stupid, fun, and enriching jobs, made really great friends, got married, and got the best GPA I've ever had in my life.

I'm happy, yet sad at the same time...