05/13/2023
GERMANNA COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER WENT FROM SHY TEEN LEARNING ENGLISH TO LEADER WITH 4.0 GPA
The student speaker at Germanna Community College’s Spring Commencement Thursday night came to GCC after her family immigrated from Lima, Peru, in 2019. She overcame language challenges with an impressive work ethic and positive attitude, graduating from Chancellor High School at 16 and Germanna at 18. She quickly became a student leader with a 4.0 GPA and has been accepted to the University of Virginia for the fall and is waiting for an answer from Georgetown University.
Alessandra Garcia Guevara graduated from Chancellor in the spring of 2021; she entered Germanna that fall at age 16. She said in her commencement speech that she felt like a shy 6-year-old. However, she quickly became a highly visible figure and a role model.
She was one of 762 graduates receiving 918 Associates, Certificates and Career Studies Certificates at the Fredericksburg Expo Center.
“Success does not come overnight, nor is it granted simply because we want it,” she said in her speech. “Success comes in many forms and is measured by ourselves and the goals we set for ourselves… Remember, if I can do it, so can you.”
She had an aunt living in Fredericksburg, which led to her family immigrating here after a years-long process. Lima is a modern, bustling city, and her family owned a small business there, but the move was still daunting for 15-year-old learning English. She said the kindness and support she found at Germanna was critical, and she wants to help others in the same ways GCC helped her.
“As we embark on this new phase of our lives, let us remember the power of sharing our knowledge with others,” she said in her speech. “Let's be empathetic, encourage each other, and strive to become the best versions of ourselves. There is so much room for all of us to succeed, and we can make a positive impact on the world by working together. I am passionate about giving back to the world, acts of kindness, and sharing knowledge. We should remember that we all started in one place and grew little by little. It's important to recognize those who helped us along the way, even with small gestures, as they make a difference in people's lives. Let's continue to inspire others and give them confidence because sometimes, taking the first step is the hardest. Let's keep being kind, sharing, and making our society a more welcoming place for everyone.”
In an interview, she said: “I'm happy that I chose Germanna as my option to start college because I came a little bit unprepared in terms of my public speaking skills and just my development in English. I remember being very shy and didn't want to talk out loud because I would fear that I would say something wrong or mispronounce something or say something that didn't make sense.” She said one on one attention at Germanna helped her to become more comfortable and confident. She said faculty and staff were “always very encouraging. They were always there to answer any of the questions that you had. And I've always been a student that loves to ask questions.”
“When we moved to the U.S., my dad became a self-taught mechanic, and my mom works as a prep cook. We've always had a strong work ethic, and my parents made sure I did everything they did. At first, I wasn't happy about it, but now I'm grateful because I know how to do many things and am a fast learner. One summer, my dad even sent me to sell sodas in the street, which was embarrassing, but it taught me to be unashamed of doing any job and to do it with love.”
“When it comes to moving to another country and starting again, it feels like you're a small kid again. You're just shy, and everything's new for you… for me, it was my second home because I remember that I used to take the bus to come here. And I would stay until very late until my dad picked me up, like at 7 p.m. So I would be here all day, every single day, for two years. I enjoyed that because I found the community that I was looking for that I used to have in Lima. Germanna has been my second home. Student Government Association and Student Activities [coordinator] Ms. Kelly Saunders and Dr. Frank Cirioni with Phi Theta Kappa honor society helped me with leadership skills.”
Roy Branklin, a 2010 Germanna graduate, was the alumni speaker.
Branklin is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Lifestance. He completed his Master of Science in Education in 2015 at Old Dominion University.
After several drug-related arrests, Branklin decided to
He entered Germanna at age 45 in 2019 to pursue a Para-Professional Counseling Certification. During this process, I discovered the potential that I never knew I had. No one in my family had a college degree; I desperately wanted to change that. I had always dreamed of getting a college education, but I let obstacles and challenges get in my way for years. I had given up on my dreams and aspirations.” He said GCC psychology faculty members Gayle Wolfe and Kevin Handley convinced him he could succeed.
Branklin told the graduates to decide what they want to do, focus on that goal, work hard, and never give up.
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Alessandra Garcia Guevara immigrated with her family from Lima, Peru, in 2019. Overcoming language challenges, she graduated from Chancellor High School in 2021 at 16.
