Richie Galacgac - Leeward CC Commencement Ceremony 2023 Graduate

Taken at the Fil-Grad Recognition Ceremony with my ASAN 204 professor, Prof. Desiree Quintero.

Taken at the Fil-Grad Recognition Ceremony.

Taken at the Fil-Grad Recognition Ceremony.

Taken at the Fil-Grad Recognition Ceremony. My mom is standing next to me.

Thank you to my family, friends, and professors for sticking with me and supporting me in this journey. For me, it was not about earning my degree but learning valuable skills and knowledge with my professors' expertise and wisdom. I had the hands-on experience that would prepare me for the design industry, like using Adobe Illustrator and other products. I cannot thank my professors enough, Prof. Raymund Liongson, Prof. Desiree Quintero, Prof. Erika Molyneux, and Prof. Imelda Gasmen, for allowing me to experience college life through their classes. I would also like to shout out my mom, Noche, my personal cheerleader, and my friend Keenan, whom I have known since elementary school. I will not forget my time at Leeward CC, and I wish all the graduates the best.

My favorite memory at Leeward CC was helping out my professors for Discovery Fair for extra credit. Discovery Fair was an event targeted to kids to have fun at the booths set up by professors and others. I helped my ART 113D - digital drawing and Filipino 101 professors, Prof. Erika Molyneux and Prof. Imelda "Tita Ime" Gasmen, respectively, with their printmaking and parol Christmas star ornament-making booths. I volunteered from 8:45 AM to 2 PM. Another time I helped at this event was with my ASAN 203 Philippine History Culture professor, Prof. Raymund Liongson. And the crazy thing is that I actually experienced going to Discovery Fair as a child and playing with the oobleck, a non-Newtonian fluid. I also remember seeing the ceramics booth but being too busy to try it.

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present." - Master Oogway (Kung Fu Panda)