“It’s a dream, my grandmother had not been able to see me in any of my graduations, things have been difficult, sometimes she could cross, and now she is 93 years old, but today she is here with me”, those were the words of joy from Cristine Baeza, a young graduate from Southwestern College. For the first time, this school held a Binational Graduation Ceremony in the city of Tijuana.
Cristine and other graduates were encouraged to celebrate their achievements at the border with their Mexican relatives and friends who were unable to enter the country due to personal reasons. This helped them achieve their goal of including their loved ones in their celebration.
“She lives in the United States, is a citizen, she was able to graduate there, but she wanted to graduate here so that her grandmother (me) would come to see her,” said Mrs. Cristine, her grandma. Baeza is a recent graduate of Southwestern College from the International Logistics area.
The High School Federal Lázaro Cárdenas de Tijuana hosted the historic ceremony, which saw the sharing of accomplishments between students and their loved ones, with more than 60 graduates in attendance.
Mark Sanchez, president and administrator of Southwestern College, said: “It is very important, I am very proud, I am here for this ceremony, and it is the first time we have a graduation in Tijuana, I am very proud for the families, the friends, everyone is important to this community.”
Southwestern College has always been dedicated to academic advancement, and now it is further demonstrating its commitment to integrating the binational population into its programs.
Claudia Pérez, a graduate in criminology and political science from Southwestern College, said, “I am thrilled to see my classmates who, when we had the ceremony in Chula Vista, their family who were unable to attend are now supporting them, the support feels very nice.”
A Family Effort
Although the merit belonged to the students, parents also contributed to academic success by making sacrifices to support their children in achieving their educational objectives.
One of the students’ relatives remarked, “So many times that I would bring my children to school as any father would, and today I am so proud of all my boys who are wonderful individuals.”
Today’s recent graduates envision their future educational goals in the United States, but they will never forget this moment of unity on the Mexican border.
