Pomp and Circumstance

UC Santa Barbara sent its first graduates of 2014 out into the world on Sunday, June 8, when 92 students from the College of Creative Studies (CCS) received their degrees.

“Congratulations,” UCSB Chancellor Henry T. Yang said to the students and audience in Campbell Hall. “Through your time here, you have demonstrated to all of us just how special you are. We have come to appreciate your curiosity, your devotion, your imagination and your kindness and compassion to each other.”

 Along with words of encouragement and congratulations, speakers at the CCS commencement spoke words of solace to the new graduates, who are still reeling from the tragic shootings in Isla Vista.

“We are not helpless; we are not hopeless,” said CCS Dean Bruce Tiffney. “And injustice is not eternal.”

Several graduating seniors took additional honors at the ceremony, students whose creativity, intelligence and effort shone particularly bright through their undergraduate years in CCS. Demi Anter (art), Elizabeth Eck (biology and physics), Anne Hébert (physics), and Maia Kinnebrew (biology) received the CCS Faculty Executive Committee Commendation of Excellence awards. Ananda Das (physics) received the CCS Student Service Award.

CCS' commencement was the first of the UCSB commencement ceremonies for 2014. The Bren School of Environmental Science & Management will hold its commencement ceremony on Friday, June 13. Ceremonies for the College of Letters and Science, the College of Engineering, and the Graduate Division will take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15.