"Prepared You For Everything" Department of Psychology Convocation

Shared memories and classes, whether challenging or rewarding, drew together psychology's 2012 graduates (Christina Olivas photo).

By Sarah Kyo, Web Communications Specialist

(This week, SJSU Today’s small but mighty band of writers and photographers took a peek at graduation receptions and convocations campuswide so we could share with you the excitement of the more than 8,000 members of the Class of 2012. We’ll post more photos on Facebook.)

From Spartans basketball to famous musicians, the Event Center hosts a variety of festivities that bring people together. On May 24, family and friends in the stands cheered for the Department of Psychology. Led by their faculty, the graduates entered the main floor from the home and visiting team entrances, forming two side-by-side lines as they walked down the center aisle to their seats.

In his opening address, psychology department Chair Ronald Rogers said the faculty’s goal was not to fill students’ heads with names, dates and equations.

“We trained you for very little, but we prepared you for everything,” he said.

Rogers drew some knowing laughter from the graduates when he mentioned a statistics and research methods course.

“It wasn’t just abuse,” he quipped.

Student speaker Yvette Szabo shared more inside jokes with the crowd. President of Psi Chi, the International Society in Psychology SJSU Chapter, Szabo said graduating seniors she talked to didn’t want to hear inspirational words at their convocation.

Instead, they reminisced over “no air conditioning” at Dudley Moorhead Hall, “distress at failing neuroscience” and happy hour at nearby Flames Eatery and Bar. Shared memories and classes, whether challenging or rewarding, drew them together.

“We have a background in psychology to prepare us for what’s next,” she said.

Graduates were not the only ones who received cheers and applause. Lecturer Russell Arias encouraged parents, husbands and wives to stand up, as they received recognition from the Spartans that they have supported over the years.

At the end, the master and bachelor degree recipients exited the Event Center together, side by side. They now share another quality: SJSU alumni.