Monrovia — Graduates of United Methodist University have been challenged to view education as a life-long bridge to global understanding during the institution's 21st Commencement Convocation held at the Liberty Christian Center in Johnsonville.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Deborah Rose, PhD, emphasized that education extends beyond personal advancement to fostering awareness of humanity as a whole.
Drawing inspiration from Thornton Wilder's novel The Eighth Day, she described education as: "The bridge from a self-enclosed life to a consciousness of the entire community of humankind."
Dr. Rose reflected on her early exposure to languages, noting how childhood lessons in French and later Spanish opened her to different worldviews. A formative trip to Puerto Rico sparked her passion for Spanish, which she later pursued academically.
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Her outlook deepened through participation in "The Experiment in International Living," a cultural immersion program aimed at fostering global peace.
She recounted her experience living in Constitución, where she encountered a lifestyle centered on simplicity, community, and resourcefulness.
A key influence during that period was her mother, Carmen, whose pursuit of higher education while raising a family left a lasting impression.
Carmen later became a professor at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), embodying resilience and lifelong learning.
Dr. Rose underscored the importance of interdisciplinary learning, recounting her academic journey from the University of Wisconsin to Yale University, where she studied during a period of historic transition that included the admission of women under then-president Kingman Brewster.
She also shared a formative lesson from her high school principal, Aaron Fink, who taught her that true education lies in learning how to learn.
Encouraging a broad-based education, Dr. Rose recommended in Defense of a Liberal Education by Fareed Zakaria, noting its relevance in today's fast-changing, technology-driven world.
She further highlighted the importance of experiential learning, recalling how she pioneered teaching computing and research methods using early personal computers.
Her approach, rooted in "learning by doing," equipped students with practical skills that enhanced their employability.
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Dr. Rose praised the student-centered philosophy of United Methodist University, which focuses on developing students holistically--socially, morally, intellectually, and physically.
She said, "Graduates need to embrace their roles as future leaders committed to serving both national and global communities."
Quoting ancient wisdom from the Talmud, Dr. Rose reminded graduates that the deepest learning comes through teaching others. She encouraged the Class of 2025 to remain curious, adaptable, and engaged throughout their lives.
As the end of the ceremony, her message resonated clearly: education is not an endpoint, but a continuous journey--one that empowers individuals to connect, contribute, and create a better world.
Also speaking the Valedictorian Mouana Kalilu Coneh told the gathering that to fail is to learn. "kick the obstacles away," he said.
Coneh added: "Fellow graduals from different disciplines, those who rise from noble beginnings share the same characteristics, they size opportunity and persist where other stay."
He furthered that whether it was the long lectures or deadlines during their years of study, the challenges he says carry a deep lesson something that comes with disappointment.
