Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Very happy personal news

Lack of posts to AICL are because I was at the Beinecke Rare Books Library at Yale for a week doing research, and after that...
 
I was at Yale for my daughter's graduation!

Yale's "Class Day" ceremony is for undergraduates. The keynote speaker this year was Tom Hanks. Twelve major prizes are announced at Class Day. Liz won the Nakanishi Prize, "awarded to two graduating seniors who, while maintaining high academic achievement, have provided exemplary leadership in enhancing race and/or ethnic relations at Yale College." On Class Day, students wear some kind of hat instead of the mortar board. Liz chose to wear a ball cap from Nambe Pueblo. The Native American Cultural Center at Yale gives Native grads a blue stole. Liz's degree is in Political Science, and she graduated "with distinction." 



My parents, a sister and her son, and a niece and her partner traveled to New Haven from New Mexico by train. It was a three-day/two-night journey on three different trains for them! My brother-in-law flew in from Sacramento. Here we all are (photo taken by woman who offered to do it for us):


What I've said in this post doesn't reflect the joyful emotions of the last ten days... I'm so proud of Liz and so happy that we were all there with her.

10 comments:

Phil K said...

Thanks for the heartening post. Excellent in all respects.

Claire said...

Congratulations to her!

As impressive as you, she looks to be.

Jean Mendoza said...

Oh, Liz!! What a girl, what a remarkable young woman. I remember watching (yeah, I'll say it) Pocahontas with four-year Elizabeth, who was not yet Liz. Oh, gosh. Good for you, Deb and George. How wonderful that so many from the family could be part of her graduation, and the fact that she received that award is spectacular, poetic, fantastic, outstanding -- beyond superlatives. It's RIGHT!

Cynthia Leitich Smith said...

Congratulations to Liz and the whole family, and consider my day brightened! I'm so happy to hear this good news.

wfs said...

wow! it's a pride for here. I salute you guys.

Congrats...

JCD said...

Congrats to Liz! You must be so proud. This news made my morning.

Marlon Magdalena said...

Congrats!!! Nice to see Natives succeeding.

equa yona(Big Bear) said...

Intelligent, hard working AND drop dead gorgeous! The woman has it all, mazel tov!

LaurieA-B said...

Congratulations both to Liz and her proud parents. Thank you for sharing this glimpse of your family.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your daughter's graduation and award. May this be only the beginning of great things to come.