Elizabeth Sierra-Zarella, who received a doctorate in philosophy and has taught at Binghamton University, Mohawk Valley Community College, Syracuse University and the University of Texas-Brownsville, spoke on behalf of the graduate students at the Fall 2020 Commencement ceremony.

“By treating me as a junior colleague, Dr. Diane Wiener (professor of social work in the College of Community and Public Affairs) has taught me to challenge my students, hold them to high standards and identify their strengths so that I might build upon them. Through working with her, I now have a better handle on what it means to be an educator.”

A Clifford D. Clark Fellow, Sierra-Zarella celebrated “survival and success” with her fellow graduates. Sierra-Zarella was a teen mother who made the journey from GED earner to PhD recipient while also suffering from vitiligo, a skin condition that causes pigment loss.

She told audience members of taking part in the Dia de los Muertos festivities on the U.S.-Mexican border, where traditional Mexican altares are displayed in honor of loved ones. The altares consist of offerings such as candles, photos, flowers and food.

“Now that we’ve made it through, let’s not forget where we come from,” she told the graduates. “Please don’t shut the door behind you. Remember to build altares, both literal and metaphorical, to survival, joy, success and those who share these occasions with us.”

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