Women take top honors at Valley Forge Military College graduation
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A cadet takes a playful video of a non-military classmate as they get ready for their graduation ceremony at the Valley Forge Military College, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Students take photos outside before their graduation ceremony at the Valley Forge Military College, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Cadets from the Valley Forge Military College hang their commencement tassels from their uniforms at their graduation, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Professors at the Valley Forge MIlitary College proceed to their spots on the dais (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Graduates of the 2016 class at Valley Forge Military College line up in the pews of Alumni Memorial Chapel during their graduation ceremony, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
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Graduates of the 2016 class at Valley Forge Military College file into the Alumni Memorial Chapel for their graduation ceremony, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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The Valley Forge Military College orchestra leads the chapel in the national anthem (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Class Valedictorian Cynthia Flipo Diaz gives an inspirational speech to her peers. It is the first time in Valley Forge Military College history, which was established in the 1930's, that the valedictorian and the salutatorian were women. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governer Mike Stack gives a commencement address to the graduates of the 2016 Valley Forge Military College (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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The graduation cermony for Valley Forge Military College takes place inside the Alumni Memorial Chapel, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Diquan Gilbert stands with his decorated graduation cap during the 2016 Valley Forge Military College graduation, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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A young family member sits in the pews of the Alumni Memorial Chapel for the May 20, 2016 graduation at the Valley Forge Military College. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Clarence Morris hugs a family member after receiving his diploma from the Valley Forge Military College, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Geoffrey Philippe stands for a photograph for his family with his newly received diploma at the graduation ceremony for Valley Forge Military College, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Cadets and non-military graduates of Valley Forge Military College walk out of the chapel where their graduation ceremony took place, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Graduates from the 2016 class of Valley Forge Military College line the pathway outside of the Alumni Memorial Chapel and ceremoniously throw their hats in the air to offically mark their graduaton, May 20, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
The sun came out Friday giving the 2016 graduates of Valley Forge Military College a perfect spring day for graduation.
As family and friends filled the aisles of the college’s Memorial Chapel, students lined up outside on the Wayne, Pennsylvania campus anticipating their entrance. Professors handed out tassels to each of the cadets, and the college orchestra quietly rehearsed in the east wing.
The ceremony began with a prayer and the national anthem and after the academic awards had been given out and school honors were bestowed upon different graduates, valedictorian Cynthia Flipo Diaz gave an inspirational speech to her peers.
It is the first time in the college’s history, which was established in the 1930’s, that the valedictorian and the salutatorian were women. Diaz talked about how the tough love and nurturing love given by the teachers helped shape not only her time at the school, but her as a person.
Pennsylvania State Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack then gave the commencement address. He shared his respect for the mixed class of cadets and traditional non-military student graduates, who break the common boundary found between the military and civilian communities within our society.
Stack talked about his own call to serve later in life in the United States National Guard, where he discovered a renewed energy and focus that he sees now within the graduating class. He concluded his speech while imparting some wisdom to the graduates.
“What you give will come back to you in many more ways than you could ever imagine,” Stack said, and wished them luck as they enter into the next chapter of their lives.
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