1,200 GRADS LAUDED HONORS MEDALS DISTRIBUTED TO ACHIEVERS.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

California State University, Northridge, honored more than 1,200 bachelor's and master's degree graduates Tuesday night at its honors convocation.

More than 3,500 people - including proud parents, siblings, spouses, and children - turned out for the event at the University Club on campus, bearing armloads of flowers, balloons and cameras.

Keynote speaker Yvonne Chan highlighted family support in her remarks, and many of the graduates agreed, saying their accomplishment was one they shared with the family members who were there for them during the long years of term papers and tests.

Leah Brown, 31, of Valley Village, was surrounded by her husband, Mitchell, 35, and their four children: Sossie, 10, twins Isaac and Yaakov, 4, and Pinny, 2, who came to see her be honored.

``I could not have done this without my husband,'' Brown said, adding that it was he who took the children to school when she had classes so she could earn a master's degree in education administration and still work as a kindergarten teacher. She has a 4.0 grade-point average.

Her accomplishment has generated a ripple effect: Mitchell now plans to go back to school to earn a bachelor's degree in business, and Sossie now clamors to type all her homework assignments on the computer, just like her mother.

Renee Festa, 32, of Reseda is another graduate whose degree has had an impact on her family. Proudly watching her receive recognition as one of four outstanding graduating seniors were her parents, Mayrvonne and Bruce Festa, both 58, Festa's fiance, Greg Jackson, 34, of Reseda, and Festa's son, Marce, 7.

Festa said she returned to college to earn her bachelor's degree in child development partly for Marce's sake.

``If I'm going to encourage him to go to college, what does it say to him if I haven't gone myself?'' said Festa, who graduated with a 3.85 GPA.

``My whole experience at CSUN has been tremendous,'' Festa said. ``I've had wonderful professors who provided me with the perfect opportunity.''

Chan, a CSUN alumna and principal at Vaughn Next Century Learning Center in Pacoima, urged the graduates to discover their passion and their professional goals, face their fears, recognize the support of their family, develop a sense of leadership, and to focus on positive aspects about themselves, even on bad days.

The honors convocation heralds the start of a series of commencement ceremonies. A record 8,676 students - 7,212 with bachelor's degrees and 1,464 master's degree candidates - will receive diplomas from CSUN this week.

The convocation honored undergraduate students who had achieved at least a 3.5 grade-point average, graduate students with at least a 3.885 GPA, and students with at least a 3.0 GPA who demonstrated artistic, creative, athletic or leadership excellence or community service. While the students did not receive their diplomas Tuesday, each was presented with a medal.

Lisa M. Sodders, [phone]

lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com

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3 photos, box

Photo:

(1) More than 1,200 CSUN students received medals for their high achievements on Tuesday at a special honors convocation.

(2) CSUN Vice President of Student Affairs Terry Piper, left, waits as senior Renee Festa waves to family and friends.

(3) Leah Brown of Valley Village receives congratulations for her 4.0 grade-point average in her master's degree program in education administration.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

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