Rose petals were strewn as Louisa Smythe, the 1,000th graduate of the Bren School, took the stage. Credit: Patricia Marroquin
Four of the five Ph.D. recipients were on hand Friday at Bren Hall to accept their degrees. They are, from left, Eric Edwards, Sheetal Gavankar, Rebecca Toseland, and Trevor Zink. Credit: Patricia MarroquinUC Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science and Management marked a milestone on Friday at its 2014 Commencement ceremony when it conferred a degree on its 1,000th student. This “green” grad school celebrated by showering that student, Louisa Smythe, not with paper confetti but with multicolored rose petals.
At the 10 a.m. ceremony in Michael J. Connell Memorial Courtyard, the 18-year-old Bren School graduated 79 students: 75 earning MESM (master of environmental science and management) degrees and four earning Ph.D.s. Chancellor Henry T. Yang pointed out that the Bren class represented 1.4 percent of this year’s total UCSB graduating class, calling the ceremony “small but very special.”
Assistant Dean Satie Airame and Bren Dean Steven Gaines sing "Joy to the World." Credit: Patricia MarroquinBoth the chancellor and Bren Dean Steven Gaines acknowledged the six students lost in the May 23 Isla Vista tragedy, with Chancellor Yang calling for a moment of silence. Yang announced that six scholarships have been established in the students’ memories and each will be awarded a bachelor’s degree posthumously.
Awards and recognition were given to both students and faculty. Taylor Debevec was honored with the MESM Service Award, and two students – Casey O’Hara and Maxwell Ludington – received MESM Academic Achievement Awards. Professor Roland Geyer was presented with the Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award.
Ashley Conrad-Saydah, Deputy Secretary for Climate Policy at the California Environmental Protection Agency and a 2008 MESM graduate, delivered the keynote address, “Time to Leave the Choir.” She called for students in the graduating class to “take a harder path,” and quoting Frost, urged them to “take the road less traveled, diverge, and cultivate alliances where you might otherwise be a lone ranger.” The student address was given by Emily DeMarco (MESM 2014).
Class Chairs Alison Amrhein and Elizabeth Ross applaud their class for 100% participation in the MESM 2014 Class Gift. Credit: Patricia MarroquinClass Chairs Elizabeth Ross and Alisan Amrhein presented the class gift, noting that this year they were able to get 100% participation from the graduating class. The gift, sun shades, will help shield students from the sun on the Deckers Outdoor Corporation Terrace, also known as the Deckers Deck.
Before, during, and after the ceremony, musical entertainment was provided by Bren School’s own student band, Brengrass. The music included a rousing rendition at the conclusion of the ceremony of Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World.” Joining in the singing was Dean Gaines and Satie Airame, Assistant Dean for Academic Programs.
Appetizers, desserts, and mimosas were served at an outdoor reception afterward. One table featured foods from Salty Girl Seafood, which won two awards – the Elings Prize and the People’s Choice – in the recent New Venture Competition 2014, hosted by the Technology Management Program. Salty Girl Seafood is a sustainable seafood distribution company founded by two Bren MESM graduates: Norah Eddy and Laura Johnson.
Congratulations to all the Bren School graduates; and congrats on reaching the milestone of 1,000 graduates!
Bren School graduates celebrate their degree with the traditional tossing of the caps. Credit: Patricia Marroquin
Brengrass performed such songs as "Happy," "This Land Is Your Land," "America the Beautiful" and "Joy to the World." Credit: Patricia Marroquin
Bren School graduates share a laugh at the ceremony. Credit: Patricia Marroquin