Woodbury graduation celebrates a diverse class

The themes expressed by a trio of student speakers at the Woodbury University commencement ceremony Saturday focused on celebrating fellow classmates, expressing thanks for the support they offered one another, and a call to continue their altruistic ways in their post-graduate lives.

“Because class sizes are small, we have learned about each others’ cultures, beliefs and views,” said Danica Melina Fonseka, a senior from the School of Business. “The value of such a diverse environment is that we learned to appreciate other cultures, we learned to work with those who are different from us.”

Graphic design major Gilberto De Jesus Ruiz-Ortega drummed up school spirit in his speech, when he compared the school’s little-known, gender-ambiguous mascot Woody the Warrior Owl to other local college mascots.

“She isn’t a Bruin or a Trojan or a Matador, but she’s just as ready as any of them, if not more so,” said De Jesus Ruiz-Ortega. “He is the underdog — or the under owl — trained with the powers of designed thinking, entrepreneurship, transdisciplinarity and civic engagement. If you ask me, the warrior owl sounds pretty badass.”

In his commencement speech, Juan Jose Hernández-Quintanilla, a graduate in the school’s first filmmaking class, drew from his early experiences at Woodbury, when he said he felt alone and was disconnected, and how becoming more active in on-campus organizations and helping others transition into college taught him a life lesson.

“Being involved is a two-way street. Being human is a two-way street. The more I give, the more I receive,” said Hernández-Quintanilla.

More than 400 graduates made up the 131st class at Woodbury, including more than 120 graduate students. Along with their professors and families and friends who filled the campus quad, they listened to commencement speaker Henry Rollins, the former lead singer of the iconic hardcore punk band Black Flag, talk about the importance of continuing to learn and experiencing life after college.

“Lessons are everywhere. For me, school is where you find it. School is always in, and I am a perpetual student. For me, there is no graduation,” Rollins said.

Rollins also implored students to use their education to produce positive change in the world.

“This is the century that will be taught in schools all over the world because this is the one where homo sapiens either get it right or doesn’t. When these lessons are taught in the ‘Heroes of the 21st Century’ class, they will be talking about you and what you did and how you changed things and how you helped.”

For Glendale resident Arvin Shirinyans, the work to change things has already begun. Shirinyans, who earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture, is already working at an architecture studio in Sherman Oaks. He said in addition to the intimate class settings the school’s reputation for getting students to work was what drew him.

“It’s a cool experience because the size of the school is small. You get to know the students you started with and the teachers at a pretty good level,” Shirinyans said. “There’s a lot of people like. That’s another good part about the school, too. They help a lot of students find jobs.”