2010 Plaza College Graduate Recognition Ceremony

Student Inspirational Message

Thursday June 2, 2010
By Jacqueline Gonzalez

Good evening, Trustees, President Callahan, Provost Callahan, administrators, faculty, families, friends and graduating class of 2010. It is indeed a pleasure to stand before you on this very special occasion; an occasion that, had you told me ten years ago that I would be a part of, I would have adamantly responded with a resounding “You’re out of your mind!”

I arrived at Plaza College with a dream, but confidence in my ability to succeed was lacking. I was afraid. I was petrified of failing because while I had a dream, I didn’t believe in myself enough to make that dream a reality.

My experiences at Plaza remind me of the story of a little girl, who, at the age of four disappeared while eating with her parents in a hotel restaurant. Fortunately, her worried parents quickly found her. She was on the stage in the dance hall. Her brother, Todd, recalled, "We heard this tiny little voice. We went into the next room and there she was, at the piano singing a song that she heard on the radio." The song? "Help Me Make it Through the Night"! The little girl on the piano? The actress, Jennifer Love Hewitt.

“Help me make it through my time here at Plaza College,” was the song I sang as a new student. Throughout the time that I have been at Plaza, I have sung the lyrics, sometimes totally out of tune, while administrators, faculty, and fellow students provided the music and the background singers and helped me carry the tune. Together, we climbed up the Plaza College Billboard to become the number one hit that we are today.

I will never forget my first day at Plaza. I felt totally lost and out of place. The fact that I had recently lost my son only served to make my sense of helplessness greater. I had barely started, and I already wanted to quit. But determined administrators were not having that. Dean Loffert was the bridge between Plaza College and the door that beckoned me to run as quickly as I could right back out through it. In a style that I’ve come to recognize as special and very unique, she embraced me and allowed me to be myself. I poured out my heart and soul to her. I told her about my losses and about my fears and she listened and validated me. Immediately, I felt accepted and supported.

Other back-up singers came, all singing the same chorus.

Dean Dolla took the verse at this point. Stern, but fair, she ensured the success of all of her students. Failure is not an option for Dean Dolla. I found in her a true friend and one who would help in whatever way possible to ensure her students’ academic success.

Dr. Anderson, my mentor, was relentless in his quest to release the potential that he saw in me, a potential that, before Plaza, I didn’t know I possessed.

Ms. Meyer, whose sense of compassion extended beyond her role as an educator, took the time to call to check on me after I underwent major surgery, and when I returned to Plaza, she took me under her wing and ensured I got caught up with all of my school work, encouraging me each step of the way.

Professor Howle. His belief in me to this day far exceeds my own. I will never forget the many times I tried to hide from him so that he wouldn’t pick me for one of his special projects. But no, I couldn’t hide from him. He had a special ability for smelling me a mile away. Professor Howle’s passion for the written word and for women and their roles in film opened up a totally new world to me.

And then there were my peers…Stacy Arce. I can’t think of a stronger back-up singer than Stacy. Her voice echoed in my mind even when we weren’t together. She truly helped me make it through the night, providing a shoulder to cry on, the peer review necessary for staying on track, and man, did she ever hold me accountable!

And then there was Elizabeth Rodriguez, a mother and grandmother who experienced many losses, and yet never once lost her determination and resolve to succeed.

Finally, other singers joined the chorus along the way to help make this journey a fruitful one for me. My fiancé Skip, who not only put up with me during periods of frustration and stress, but whose support and understanding made it possible for me to stand before you here today. And then there are my angelic duo--My son George, who I am sure is looking down on me from heaven, proud of the accomplishments I have made, and my father-in-law, who took every opportunity to let me know that he believed in me and in my ability to make something positive and productive out of my life.

I thought that I had come to Plaza College to gain the knowledge necessary to excel in my chosen field. But I found something more than that. I found a family, a support network and role models who taught me that knowledge is power, but that it only becomes power when it is shared.

I came to Plaza singing “Help Me Make it Through the Night,” and I now leave singing, “There Can Be Miracles If You Believe.” I came to Plaza with self doubt and a defeatist attitude, and I leave self-determined and a victor. I came to Plaza afraid and lost, and I leave courageous and with the knowledge that there is a place for me in the world. I came to Plaza broken, and now I leave complete.

To my Plaza College family, I leave you with this quote by John Quincy Adams:
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

Thank you.