USM Graduation 2006:
A Celebration of 25 Years
of Soul-Centered Education

An Historic Day

On Sunday, August 27, the University of Santa Monica passed an historic milestone. In addition to celebrating the remarkable accomplishment of completing their graduate USM education, this year’s new graduates received another unique blessing: they are members of the University’s 25th graduating class!

“I’m a little jealous!” joked USM Board member and Master of Ceremonies, Richard Powell (who graduated from USM in 1993), as he spoke to a capacity audience in the beautiful 1,850-seat Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. He continued, “This is a very appropriate, sanctified hall for this occasion.”

In the first USM Commencement 25 years ago, nine students graduated from the Master’s Degree Program in Applied Human Relationships that has since evolved into the Master’s Degree Program in Spiritual Psychology. This year’s graduating class was 187 strong.

The Blessings of Spirit

Drs. Ron and Mary Hulnick, President and Academic Vice President of the University, commented afterwards, “For us, USM Graduation is always such a joyful and expansive day of celebration and acknowledgment—of the students’ remarkable achievements, of those who support the University in many, many different ways, of all our graduates who have participated so fully in co-creating the educational experience we know today. And most importantly, this is a wonderful opportunity to express gratitude for Spirit’s many blessings that shower upon this University.”

A Founding Vision

The firm foundation of this ongoing growth and success has been anchored from the beginning in the vision of the University’s Founder and Chancellor, John-Roger. We are so very grateful for the remarkable opportunity that he offered us a quarter-century ago. It is a vision that has touched thousands of students over the years, and the ripple effect of what is experienced and learned at USM also reaches to many around them.”

In addition to the 187 members of the graduating classes, more than 1,650 family and friends, members of the University faculty and Board of Trustees, current students, and generations of graduates filled the magnificent auditorium to capacity.

The day’s heartfelt celebration gave all those present a wonderful experience of the joy, enthusiasm, and loving that are hallmarks of USM’s graduate programs. And this year’s commencement speaker, David Whyte, a long-time friend and supporter of the University, delivered an inspirational address challenging those graduating to dare to “step out of the boat,” which is his way of daring them to step into the authenticity of who they truly are.

An “Impossible” Task

After a beautiful opening song from USM Graduate Candace Wheeler (’94), the afternoon’s celebration continued as Board Member and USM Graduate Richard Powell (’93) introduced USM’s President, Dr. Ron Hulnick.

“This is a man who went from New York to New Mexico following his heart and his Spirit; going on to meet and work with John-Roger in Los Angeles; and stepping forward to hold the mantle for this University.

In a heartfelt closing to his introduction, Richard shared a sentiment experienced by many of those whose lives have been touched by the University President’s dynamic, inspiring teaching style, compassion, insight, leadership, integrity, wisdom and humor: “Ron, I don’t know what else to say except that I love you, I honor you, and I cherish you.”

After enthusiastic applause from the audience, Dr. Hulnick began by acknowledging USM’s Staff, Faculty, and the Board of Trustees. On this milestone day, he continued, “I especially want to acknowledge the man who has made all of this possible, our Chancellor and Founder, John-Roger. Thank you!”

A World of Opportunity

With so much intense activity dominating the news at this time, Dr. Hulnick focused his powerful address by speaking to current world events. “We are living in what some might call ‘troubled times.’ We see upsurges in violence all over the planet; we have many people who seemed to have misplaced value systems that seem centered on materialistic gain, first and foremost; we have a rampant secularism that does not seem to be able to distinguish clearly between religion and spirituality; and we also have a news media that seems completely devoted to political ideology, one way or the other.

“Other than that, or perhaps in spite of it, it’s a fine day here at Royce Hall! And actually, my message is one of extreme optimism,” he continued. Voicing a question that no doubt was on the minds of many of the 1,800 audience, Dr. Hulnick posed, “Based on what you have just said, how could you possibly hold that point of view?!”

Answering that question, and alluding to the skills that students learn during the two-year Spiritual Psychology Program, he offered a bold answer: “Because at USM, we have truly discovered the key to world peace.”

He continued with a quote from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn:

If it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?

“USM Grads are people who see opportunity everywhere to transform imitation into abundance, negative into positive, the illusion of evil into good. From this perspective, current world reality is actually good news. If you have this perspective, everywhere you look, all you will see is opportunity.

“The planet is ripe with opportunity. This also means that every one of us has the potential to play an important role in our global quest for peace. USM’s Chancellor, John-Roger, has said, ‘Peace and harmony are mankind’s destiny.’ I don’t believe that statement to be true, because, finally, thank God, I know it’s true. How?”

The Essence of Love

Referring not only to his own experience but also to that of witnessing the work that the graduating students had just completed in a final, week-long Practicum retreat, he continued: “When people are willing to let go of their ‘story’ and the limitation to let go of all the negative messages they have been telling themselves, an amazing thing happens.

“I have witnessed this over and over again. All of a sudden they stand forward in the essence of who they truly are. And we can define that essence. We can call it love. Not romantic love, but a kind of love that transcends all of that. And we saw that we are made not in the image of God, but of exactly the same ‘stuff’ as God! And we call that love. And in that moment, all they could really say was, ‘Oh, my God! I had no idea. No idea this was in me. No idea this was available. No idea that this even existed.’

“It’s one thing to talk about and study such an idea. And we have done plenty of that, too, during the two years of the Program. It’s quite another thing when you actually have the experience of what you have been talking about.”

Clarifying some of why the Program is two years in length, Dr. Hulnick shared, “It’s not an easy thing to learn to live your life more from the perspective of being a divine being having a human experience. That realization and experience changes everything.”

Peace in Our World—From the Inside Out

“We need to realize, that peace is never going to come about through any kind of legislation or diplomatic effort. It can only come about by one way and one way only: by more and more people becoming more peaceful inside themselves and then daring to step forward into the quality of life that they would like to have for themselves.”

Inspired by Howard Thurman, Dr. Hulnick offered up a challenge: “Don’t try to do what you think the world needs; do what brings you alive. Because, really, what the world needs is more people who are alive. More people who are willing to stand in integrity, that understand the values of life that come from an inner awareness of who they are.”

He closed, “I love it when graduation comes around, because what I see are some 200 people who are going out into the world sharing that message in the world. Sooner or later it will have an impact. If you really want to be a force for peace, your choice is simple. Look inside yourself for the places where you are judging anyone for anything, and be willing to let that go. The instant you do that, you do more for peace on this planet than any battalion of infantry. You take from the sum total of hostility, and you add to the some total of peace.”

The Degrees Are Granted

Following this stirring address, USM’s Academic Vice President, Dr. Mary Hulnick, then set the granting of degrees in motion. She shared enthusiastically, “It is such a privilege and blessing to be a part of this University. For those of you who are here as friends and family of this graduating class, I tell you, they are awesome! They have truly earned their degree.”

Looking at the graduates through eyes filled with Loving, she continued, “This is a celebration of you and your Soul-Centered education at the University of Santa Monica. The Founder, John-Roger, said, ‘When you get a degree from the University of Santa Monica, it won’t be that you just passed a prescribed line of curriculum, it will be because you can do what the degree says you can do,’ and you have all demonstrated that! You truly know what that means and it has application in ever area of your life!”

Master of Arts Degrees in Spiritual Psychology were conferred upon 141 students, with 28 more receiving Certificates of Completion in Spiritual Psychology. USM’s latest group of Soul-Centered counselors stepped forward, with 18 students receiving Master of Arts degrees in Counseling Psychology.

After the 187 remarkable individuals who make up the graduating class of 2006 received their certificates and degrees, they were treated to an inspiring, often humorous, and soulful commencement address from internationally renowned author, lecturer, and poet David Whyte.

A Cradle of Support

David began by acknowledging USM’s Chancellor and Founding Faculty, the students for their successful completion, as well as the “cradle of support,” in reference to the family and friends who offer so much support as students journey through the two-year Program.

His image-rich address centered upon the relationships and inner conversations that each one of us has with our primary relationship, our work, and that “tricky, moveable frontier, called ‘yourself,’ one that continues to change and transform, until sometimes unrecognizable. Continually in life you have to get to know yourself again.”

Working with three poems during his address, David also shared the courage that it took for him to step into his life as a full-time poet. He joked about the effect this choice had on several people. “You’ll meet a lot of silences in your life. But the silence of the father-in-law is beyond all silences you’ll ever meet! There’s a certain Buddhistic quality to it.”

A Courageous Step

Turning from humor to a profound exploration of the human spirit as only David Whyte can, he continued, “This silence is also a very profound silence, because it throws you back in conversation with yourself. Back to the foundation that you must hold onto to keep in your integrity. When you take a courageous step, there’s an elemental return to what you are about. A further depth of commitment.”

In a speech that brought together Breshnev-era Russia, contemporary South Africa, his work with nuns in a Catholic Healthcare organization, and insights into his own personal journey, David brought the nearly two thousand individuals in the expansive hall to a hushed silence with his vivid poetry and rich, engaging, and poignant thoughts on the journey of the human heart.

The magnificent Mortonette Jenkins closed the ceremony with a powerful and uplifting rendition of the song, “What a Wonderful World.”

The End of a Perfect Day

After this, everyone moved onto a beautiful sunlit patio overlooking the UCLA campus, and many new grads took the opportunity to introduce their family and friends to Drs. Ron and Mary Hulnick, as well as to the other members of USM’s much-loved faculty. And, of course, there was plenty of time for delicious refreshments!

The class of 2006 now embarks on the next stage of their co-creative journeys with Spirit. Many of them have already secured a space in USM’s Continuing Education Program, Service: A Path with Heart, and will be serving as Readers and Assistants in the upcoming year to support the students who are following in their footsteps.

One thing is assured, the presence of almost 200 additional graduates from the University of Santa Monica will be making a powerful difference—loving, divine beings committed to the establishment of peace, first and foremost within themselves. And then to carrying that into the world.

Congratulations Class of 2006—YOU ARE THIS UNIVERSITY OF SANTA MONICA! We love, honor, and appreciate you!