¶¶ÒõÆƽâ°æ

Every year, student representatives are selected to speak on behalf of the graduating class at Commencement. This year, we’ll be celebrating two Commencements to honor both the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020 — and are pleased to announce that Raen See ’21 and Glenn Morales ’20 are the student speakers for the ¶¶ÒõÆƽâ°æ 154th and 155th Commencement Ceremonies.

Raen See will represent the Class of 2021 at Commencement. An Arts and Entertainment major, Raen is a student ambassador and has actively participated in the Student Government Association and the International Student Orientation during her time at Dean. She has also been involved in a number of performances on campus, including Radium Girls, Arts Mosaic, Project Green Showcase, Dance Faculty Concert, Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Beté, and the School of Arts Production of Werk Your Craft. Raen also had the honor of being named to the President’s List for the 2019-2020 academic year.

The student speaker for the Class of 2020 is Glenn Morales ’20, who graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Communications and was the 2020 recipient of the Arthur W. Peirce Prize. While at Dean, Glenn was a member of the Black Student Union, Dean News Network and SpeakEasies, the President and Founder of CAL Club and the Director of the Raito Fashion Show. He frequently performed at Open Mic Nights, worked in the Kokes Fitness Center, was a first-year mentor and orientation leader and presented at the to celebrate the Class of 2020.

As we all get ready for Commencement, we caught up with both Raen and Glenn about their favorite memories on campus and their plans for the future.

Q: What experience(s) have you had at Dean that you are most grateful for or have had the most impact on you?

Raen: For me, the most grateful and impactful experiences that I have had are through the people I have met here, truly. Whether that was going to the Association of Performing Arts Professionals with David Rowell in January of 2020, working with Joe Zumbo along with the admissions team as a student ambassador, or working on shows here at Dean — it all gave me such a sense of pride. Seeing the work we put in as a team and seeing the result is extremely rewarding. The people I have met here have made such an impact on me, and I can only hope that I have done the same.

Glenn: The most impactful part of Dean has been the people — collaborating with clubs on events, making lifetime friends and learning from professors. I wouldn't be who I am without this community. 

Q: What are your plans for after graduation and for the future?

Raen: As of right now, I am still interviewing and applying for internships. However, after all this time of being in school, I want to be able to take this time for myself and be able to explore the options that are available to me. Even travel — pandemic willing! After years of pouring 110% of myself into school, it’s now time to invest that back into myself. It’s time to start writing the next chapter!

Glenn: Currently I am working as a voice actor and selling my first company to finance my second!

Q: Anything else you’d like to share with the Dean community?

Raen: Just a simple thank you to Dean. I know it’s not possible to convey even a fraction of how grateful I am for the opportunities that Dean has given me. With being a transfer student and having one of those years be remote, it is unfathomable to me how quickly I found a home here at Dean.

Glenn: Please tell my Mom, Hayley, and the “Nope Chat” that I love them all very much!

Congratulations to both student speakers — and to the Classes of 2021 and 2020! The Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2021 will be held on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. on the front lawn of Dean Hall, along Awpie Way. The Class of 2020 Commencement Ceremony will follow at 3:00 p.m.

Learn more about ¶¶ÒõÆƽâ°æ Commencement.