A Glory for the Chinese Community: The Elderly Community College’s First Graduating Class
Average age: 77 Oldest graduate: 95 Youngest graduate: 67
Special report by Christine Yang
On the morning of December 21, 2003, SunnyDay’s senior participants dressed in their finest clothes and, accompanied by their children and grandchildren, arrived at the auditorium of the Chinese Cultural Center in El Monte for a once-in-a-lifetime college graduation ceremony. The honorees were not their grandchildren, but 43 older adults whose average age was 77. The oldest was Mr. Wu Yi-Chih, age 95, and the youngest was Tsui Shu-Yu, age 67. The Elderly Community College was founded by SunnyDay founders Jeffrey Tung and his wife to serve SunnyDay’s older adults. Dr. Yeh Kao-Fang was Honorary President, while Mr. Tung served as Executive Director. The 43 students completed 32 credits over two years, maintained attendance above 70 percent, studied tirelessly, and overcame physical discomfort. At last, they received their community-college bachelor’s degrees. The auditorium was filled to capacity as more than a thousand political, business, and community leaders joined in congratulating them and witnessing the college’s first graduation.
The dignitaries named in the report as attending the first commencement and presenting certificates included a representative of Ministry of Education Director Chang Man-Chun; Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich; a representative of Congresswoman Hilda Solis; a representative of the Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles; Chinese Cultural Center Director Wu Tzu-Ni; California Assemblywoman Judy Chu; San Gabriel mayoral representative Ma Chi-Hsiang; a representative of the mayor of El Monte; South El Monte Mayor Blanca Figueroa; Monterey Park Mayor Shirley; Monterey Park Vice Mayor Mike Eng; former Monterey Park Mayor Liu Ta-Chiang; former Arcadia Mayor Chang Sheng-Hsiung and his wife, Chang Ma Min-Mei; Principal Advisor Chang Nai-Pin of the Elderly Community College; and others.
The first commencement was held together with SunnyDay’s Thanksgiving celebration honoring older adults. SunnyDay participants and their children and grandchildren attended enthusiastically. The auditorium was full yet orderly, and the presence of news media made the occasion especially lively. Cheng Liang and Chen Yi-Ying served as co-hosts. They joked that every teacher and administrator at the community college was younger than the students—and when all the teachers stood to greet the audience, it was indeed true.
Daly Chin, SunnyDay’s Director, was dressed in a long black velvet qipao. Deeply loved by the older adults, she said that for two years the students had come through wind and rain, overcome physical discomfort, and worked hard at their studies. Their degrees were worthy of admiration. She expressed the hope that they would “live and learn throughout life, continue contributing throughout life, and live well throughout life.” In his remarks, Honorary President Dr. Yeh Kao-Fang said that white hair is the crown of old age. The commencement bore witness to older adults who “live and learn throughout life, continually learning and continually growing.” He congratulated SunnyDay for developing, in only two years, an Elderly Community College of exceptional scale and refinement.
Graduate representative Fu Li-Chen thanked the college on behalf of the entire class for enabling them to keep learning throughout life and for making their later years colorful and varied. She also thanked the United States government for its social-welfare programs and the care they provided to older adults, and thanked the president and his wife as well as every teacher for their tireless instruction.
The graduates received their diplomas from Executive Director Jeffrey Tung and each posed with him for a commemorative photograph. Dressed in black gowns and mortarboards with flowing tassels, they were joyful and proud. In a thoughtful touch, the college designed the tassels so they could be removed and hung in the graduates’ cars.
Judy Chu said she was astonished that one graduate was 95 years old. She praised SunnyDay for its excellent idea and creativity in founding a college for older adults and for offering such valuable courses. She presented the Elderly Community College with a certificate recognizing its substantial contribution to the community.
Judy Chu’s husband, Monterey Park Vice Mayor Mike Eng, joined Monterey Park Mayor Shirley and former mayor and then-councilmember Liu Ta-Chiang in paying tribute to the older adults. Mayor Shirley highly praised the curriculum and said that when she became eligible in future years, she too would like to take the courses. Mike Eng said that many Monterey Park older adults participated in the program, that the college was greatly needed by the community, and that it brought valuable benefits to city residents. Speaking in Mandarin, Liu Ta-Chiang said that life begins at 65; every community-college student was also a professor, because their life experience and talents qualified them to teach others. He wished every older adult still greater progress.
Former Arcadia Mayor and then-councilmember Chang Sheng-Hsiung and his wife, Chang Ma Min-Mei, also attended and presented a commendation. Dr. Chang humorously compared earning each degree to receiving another “vaccination” against dementia: the bachelor’s degree as the first shot, the master’s degree as the second, and the doctoral degree as the third. South El Monte Mayor Blanca Figueroa declared, “Today’s graduates, your children and grandchildren are proud of you.” Congresswoman Hilda Solis’s representative described it as a unique community college for older adults, commended its outstanding contribution to the community, and said it offered excellent benefits to seniors. Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich also attended, congratulating every graduate and wishing all the older adults a happy Thanksgiving.