Perseverance pays off

Deirdre Newman

OCC CAMPUS -- Valerie Miller sported a sequin-covered Band-Aid on her

left hand to match her indigo graduation gown.

The Band-Aid illustrated the struggle Miller went through to make it

to the milestone event. Early in the semester, her third finger was

severed in a door jam. It was such a traumatic accident that Miller’s

teachers recommended she take the semester off.

But Miller, 50, who worked full-time and raised a teenager while

taking classes, persevered.

“I was too close [to graduating] and was not going to let anything

stop me,” Miller said.

On Thursday evening, Miller joined more than 1,300 graduates who

received associate’s degrees. An additional 548 students received

certificates of completion from a variety of career and vocational

programs.

Miller’s determination embodied the theme of the ceremony -- everyday

heroes -- as presented by student speaker Belle Berg.

Berg praised the OCC staff for enabling students to realize their

potential.

“Our time at OCC has helped us figure out who we are and where we’re

going and how we can become that everyday hero,” Berg said.

Faculty Members of the Year Valerie Hayward and Karen Mortillaro

passed on their nuggets of wisdom to the graduates.

“Whatever your dreams, goals may be, go for it,” Hayward said. “And if

anyone tells you that you cannot possibly achieve anything, listen

politely and decide for yourself.”

Mortillaro had her own words of advice.

“Thank anyone that has helped you, and if you have no support, value

your dreams and who you are,” she said.

Payvand Abghari said she was excited to complete this stage of her

education but was already looking forward to the next step.

“It’s kind of a rite of passage to higher education,” said Abghari,

who is off to UCLA to study political science in the fall. “This school

is great for people who are low-income.”

One of the proudest and most relieved audience members was Lisa

McKenzie, whose son, Matthew, spent six years at OCC and is finally

moving on to Cal State Long Beach in the fall to study computers.

“It’s taken him forever,” McKenzie said. “He didn’t really need to get

an A.A., since he’s getting a B.A., but he did it anyway, and I admire

his tenacity.”

During the ceremony, the college’s president, Margaret Gratton, also

presented the school’s annual Outstanding Citizen Award to David Cline,

founder and chief executive of Balboa Instruments Inc. An honorary

associate’s degrees went to longtime OCC supporters Willis and Judith

Longyear.

* Deirdre Newman covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 deirdre.newman@latimes.comf7 .