Artist/Activist Simón Silva (Photo – simonsilva.com) and Astrophysicist Dr. France Córdova (Photo – nsf.gov)
It’s college graduation time, and students from Pasadena City College (PCC) and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) are gearing up for their respective Commencement Ceremonies taking place on the same day of June 14, 2019.
By Rena Kurlander
Graduating students from PCC will hear remarks from Simón Silva, an artist whose vibrant works illustrate his Mexican-American upbringing. While students from Caltech will hear remarks from the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Caltech alumna (PhD ’79), astrophysicist Dr. France Córdova.
Simón Silva
Born in Mexico, Silva spent his summers as a child working with his family in the fields of the Imperial Valley. Silva’s spare time was filled with drawing as a way of expressing his creative energy. Art became a way of communication for him, he says, and a way of escaping the harsh working conditions of the fields.
Silva earned his associate degree at Imperial Valley College and earned a Bachelor of Fine Art degree in Illustration from Art Center College of Design. The years of earning money for his family picking fruits and vegetables instilled in him the discipline necessary to succeed in the academy’s legendary demanding course load. Today Silva speaks to educators and students on “Cultivating a Creative Mind” – the title of his second book and his perspective of communicating using one’s native artistic talent.
France Córdova
Appointed by President Obama in 2014 to lead the National Science Foundation (NSF), Córdova has developed interdisciplinary initiatives that cut across fields of scientific discovery, technological innovation, and STEM education. A $8.1 billion independent federal agency, the NSF maintains the competitive advantage of the United States through programs that empower future generations of scientists and engineers, and fosters U.S. prosperity and global leadership.
Before assuming her position at NSF, Córdova served as president of Purdue University and as chancellor of the University of California, Riverside. From 1996 to 2002, Córdova served as vice chancellor for research and professor of physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Twelve hundred PCC students are expected to cross the stage on June 14, 2019. The ceremony is set to begin at 7 p.m. in Robinson Stadium on the PCC Campus. Tickets, available at this link, are required for entry, and early arrival is encouraged. (Proceedings will be live-streamed on the college’s YouTube channel).
Caltech’s commencement ceremony will be held on Beckman Mall on Friday, June 14 at 10:00am. No tickets are required for the Commencement Ceremony. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Partial sources: PCC and Caltech
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