Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute

Hi everyone,

Bich has forwarded along the story of her exciting Graduation day- she wanted to share it with everyone!

Michelle
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MY GRADUATION AT PSU!

Office of Graduate Studies, Dr. Baker’s office, Monday noon
August 25

“Dr. Baker, I know that we only have one graduation ceremony in May each year. I finish in August. Could I please have some pictures with the gown and the cap with you and the College of Graduate Office?”

“Will see. We will think about it”

26 Emerson Street (Bich’s apartment), Tuesday afternoon

An email came from Baker, asking: “Bich, we need to talk about some details. Could you come to see at my office at 1:45 tomorrow?”
Replying the email: “Yes, I will come to see you at your office”
Wondering and a little bit nervous: What are “some details” about?

Office of Graduate Studies, Wednesday morning, August 27, 9:30am

Nina: “How are you Bich?” “I have some photocopying work for you from Dr. Sandy”
Ellanna: “Hi Bich. Actually when you are done with that photocopying, I have a fun project for you”, said Ellanna, handing me a giant pile of envelops, letters and educational journals.

“Can I work at that desk, Ellanna?”, I asked pointing at the free desk on the left of reception desk. “How about at the big meeting desk in the basement level? You have more space down there. 1:45 show up for the meeting with Dr. Baker. You know that?”

“Yes, I know. Thank you Ellanna”
(Oh yeah, Ellanna. I am doing well in a small desk. Now I also know that that is just because you are trying to push me working in the level so you can keep things secret)

“What’s up”, said “coldly” Michelle
“I just stopped by to say hi”
“Hi”
“Hi”
“I would like to see Blake”
“She will be here at noon”
“OK”

I left her with a warm hug.
“Thank you for stopping by”

“How are you, sweet? It is so nice to see you”, sweetly smiling Lisa

Lori, “Hi Bich. What’s going on?” (Oh yeah, you know all about “what is going on, Lori)

Half of the morning in the basement level with a pile of stamps and envelops near Lena, and Roger’s offices

“That’s a fun job to do, eh”, smiling Roger, walking by. (Now I realized how wicked that smile was!)
“So, what brought you here? Why did you end up coming here?” “You are interesting”, said curiously Lena.

1:00 pm, Michelle’s office, Ellanna, Michelle and Bich

I walked up to the front desk, looking for Ellanna:

“Ellanna, I need a break and then I need to come to see Dr. Baker at 1:45. After that I can work for a while more”

“We will take you to the hospital”

“Why do I go to the hospital? For what?”

“Michelle, hang around at the hospital for about 20 minutes. She needs to be here for an appointment at 1:45”

“Go with me, Bich. We go to the hospital. I will show you a secret road”

“Michelle, I have never been here. But why do we have to go to the hospital?”
Amazingly, she walked me along the hallway after the college office’s door which links to the hallway of the hospital. Nurses. Hospital staff. Parents. Children. Is this part of Spear hospital? Interesting. We turned right and I saw the sign of the cafeteria. Checking my purse. Only 3 bucks left. I didn’t bring enough money for a lunch.

“What would I have now?”
“Do you want me to go back to my office for some money? I will be right back”
“OK. Thank you, Michelle”

3 minutes later

Blake appeared at the cafeteria door with Michelle. Here she is!

“How is Blake? You have a nice break?”
“Nooooo. Yeah, but I sometimes come to hang around with other people.”

At the Spear hospital cafeteria, I was so innocent that I didn’t even know that I was being escorted by the two ladies who were trying to keep me misled and keep eyes on me, watching me finish my unexpected lunch with a hamburger sandwich. How the members of PELI are doing back in Pakistan, post PELI works, Kim Rawson’s wedding, … are the subject of the conversation. (Oh yeah, dear Blake. Now I know what you mean when you say you come to the office to “hang around with other people”)

I have NO clues about a BIG thing in my life is going on…

Finish the lunch. It was Michelle’s treat. Blake hurriedly walked back. I was accompanied by Michelle. The hallway led us back to the college office’s door.

Upon opening the secret door…

“Put it on. Put it on”

Vice President, Dr. Maslaskowski and Dr. Baker grasped me right at the door. It is a quite dark corner. I didn’t have enough time to realize what was going on but a big black set of clothes. Oh yeah, “it is a gown”, I said to myself. “Is that for rehearsal?” I asked.

“No, not for rehearsal”, “You put this on”. One of them replied but I was unable to recognize whose voice it was! Awkwardly I zipped the gown. And “someone” put on my hand a cap. “Put this on, also”.

There were many strange noises and it seems to be there was a rally in the front desk. Looked over the reception where I could see more sunlight. President Sara Jayne Steen, Vice president Julie N Bernier, my supervisor Whitney Howarth, all the people I saw this morning at the office and many more from undergraduate office. They are clapping with big smiles on their faces.

Now, I understand what was going on. My graduation!

On behalf of my sponsor who was away this whole week and also the one who knew “what is going on”, President read the message from him which said:

“I am sorry I cannot be there to celebrate this wonderful event with you, Bich and your friends and supporters at PSU. You have come so far in many ways, - from the other side of the world, from a culture that shares a little with ours, fro hearing few native English speakers other than scratchy shortwave BBC broadcasts, from a home with no hot water, no stove, no refrigerator and eight people in two small bedrooms. Today is the proof that good things and strong people come in small packages. I am so proud of you. I hope that you have finished your studies and you will take your nose out of the books once for a while! Congratulations!- Bac Russ”

When you ask me:
“You have graduated from PSU. So, tell me what do you think about the people at PSU?”
Then I’ll say: “They will surprise you from the beginning to the end”. Gee wiz! Everyone in PSU, especially in College of Graduate Studies, is SO good at keeping things secret.’

PSU says: “Give us your best and we will give you ours”. Really. You will see. I am serious. Really.

26 Emerson Street, August 28, 5:34 am

I woke up. Rose. Diploma. Gown. Cap. PSU bookmark. Cards. Photo frames. And other college souvenirs are on my desk. Ah! I graduated yesterday!

Tears of happiness and gratefulness were in my eyes. The movies of my days since I knew about PSU slowly came back: when I started the application to PSU with the great support from my sponsor, Russ Thibeault, months of waiting to hear from PSU with hope and realisticness, from the morning when an email popped up in my yahoo mailbox which granted me a full teaching fellowship, saying “You’re almost accepted to PSU”, the night I landed on Manchester, NH airport in a bloodily cold winter, the day when I started my online first class.

I have made it today because of your great support and care, PSU! I have you all as my aunts, my uncles, my sisters, my brothers, and my friends. I felt so warm and caring when you asked me first thing in the winter morning when you saw me “Are you warm enough, Bich?”

PSU has lighted my family’s name and my clan’s name. Tens of years later, there will still be a legend: “In our Tran family’s name, there is descendant who was helped to go to America for a Master degree”

PSU has written that legend: The legend of my family’s name. Thank you very much.