Yesterday, Monday, May 10 of 2010, a large crowd of nearly 300 gathered in Mangilao, Guam at Faith Presbyterian Church to celebrate the first commencement activities of Pacific Islands University! (Up to this past year, we have been Pacific Islands Bible College.)
It was a great celebration of the hard work of our recipients of bachelors and associates of arts degrees in biblical studies! The students did a great job of entering on cue! They also sang a song written by one of our AA graduates in honor of the day.
Faculty members sat facing the crowd to the left of the pulpit while students were seated on the right, also facing the crowd. What a great photo op! On the far right of this photo you will see Dave Owen, president of PIU, and me (Melody) - this was the first year we had any of the faculty dressed in regalia. Those speaking wore regalia, but in the future, we'd like to see more faculty also thus dressed.
As the students' names were announced, each one walked down the center aisle to the front while I read a passage of scripture each had chosen for this purpose and then Dave presented them with their diplomas. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to share a passage that had special meaning for them at this point in their lives!
After the ceremony, the crowds gathered outdoors for a reception to celebrate! One of the ladies at the church Tim and I attend created a beautiful cake for the occasion, complete with plumeria blossoms!
At the end of the evening, students and their families left for their own celebrations. Here are two of our young graduates covered with traditional leis, celebrating and honoring their accomplishment. Please keep our graduates in your prayers, that they would be able to serve and honor God with their gifts, talents, and educations. Pray that God would use them in a mighty way to bless their communities.
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