'Follow any dream' CEREMONY: Graduates, parents upbeat despite today's tough job market.

Byline: Sue Doyle, Staff Writer

NORTHRIDGE - Tossing caps in the air, crowds of jubilant students graduated Tuesday from California State University, Northridge, where a record 10,110 scholars will take the stage in commencement ceremonies this week.

Thousands of beaming relatives and friends toting bouquets of roses, balloons and handwritten banners descended on the campus to cheer the future graphic designers, musicians and filmmakers graduating from the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication.

"Follow any dream you have," said Mike Curb, a CSUN student in the 1960s who later went on to be California lieutenant governor and found his own music company, Curb Records. He received an honorary doctorate on Tuesday.

"Follow it. Don't get discouraged," he said.

In 2006, Curb pledged $10 million to the university as a gift for a regional performing arts center and to endow the arts college.

The Tuesday morning graduation honored 1,510 students and was the first of eight ceremonies scheduled through Thursday. All ceremonies have been scheduled early in the day to avoid the San Fernando Valley's intense, midday heat.

Despite the joyous mood among the graduates, many parents worried about the harsh job market awaiting their hardworking children. California's unemployment rate now stands at 11.2 percent - the highest since 1941.

Kimberly Perkins of Los Angeles stood under a shady tree Tuesday watching for her son Barrington Christopher Bell, 22, and wondering when the economy will rebound. For now, it looks like her electronic media management graduate will not immediately be earning a paycheck.

"We'll all be supporting our graduates for a while, because there are no jobs now," she said. "But if you keep moving, you keep trying, something will happen."

Eilat Gutman of Reseda craned her neck to catch a glimpse of her son Nir, 24, on stage and said the graphic design major has looked for work since December.

"I can't get over how many interviews he's been on," Gutman said. "We'll wait patiently and hope for the best."

Still, many shrugged off the gloom and said they would worry about finances later - this day marked a milestone to celebrate.

Erik Gholson Williams of Canoga Park wore a Lakers jersey under his gown and grinned for the camera with elated family members gathered around his wheelchair. The 38-year-old man was paralyzed from the chest down a decade ago when he broke his neck in a car crash. Determined to play a resilient role model for his two daughters, Williams enrolled in CSUN and earned a bachelor's degree in TV production.

"I had a 1 percent chance of living 10 years ago," Williams said. "Today, I feel very blessed."

Kristina de Bree of Valencia graduates today with a degree in marketing, despite a lifelong struggle with cystic fibrosis - a life-threatening genetic disease that landed the 23-year-old in the hospital in all but one college semester.

"Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do something," she said. "You never know what you're capable of until you try it."

Others overcame different challenges, but were equally determined to complete school and take home diplomas.

Rashitta Brown of Northridge, the first in her family to graduate from college, was once an average student at Los Angeles Senior High School with no clue about the college system. But a special CSUN program enabling freshmen from low-income families to attend college plucked Brown from the high school crowd and gave her a shot.

Now graduating with a master's degree in education administration, Brown is next pursuing a doctorate degree at USC and plans to open a nonprofit to guide disadvantaged high school students into college.

"I could have easily been looked over, because I didn't have the high grade-point average," Brown said. "I want to make sure those students aren't left behind."

Frank Carr, 82, will finally hold his bachelor's degree degree in his hands today after leaving college more than 30 years ago to join the Army, raise a family and work in the machine shop for Boeing Aircraft.

But last year, after learning he only needed six classes to complete his business administration degree, the retired senior became a schoolbook-lugging student again. The Huntington Beach man studied from home and faxed his assignments to his instructor instead of making the grueling 120-mile, round-trip commute.

Carr said age should never be an obstacle to earning a college degree.

"If you want to do something interesting and you want to study, I would say, 'Go for it."'

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CAPTION(S):

Eric Valadez, left, hugs communications professor Don Brownlee durin g Tuesday's commencement ceremony.

Mariana Marron calls family members so they can spot her during Tuesday's commencement ceremony for CSUN's Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication. A record 10,110 will take part in CSUN commencement exercises this week.

Michael Owen Baker Staff Photographer