Nearly 30 graduates of American Career College’s physical therapy assistant program and their friends and families packed into the Bombay Hall in Anaheim to celebrate the group’s transition from student to professional this October.
Most pinning ceremonies are happy celebrations. For ACC-Orange County’s PTA Cohort 4, the event was more like a family reunion.
“Twenty months ago, I was a new program director and I couldn't have asked for a better group to start with,” ACC-OC PTA program director Janice Lwin said. “From the start, they bonded like family. You could just see the love and support from everybody."
After brief introductions from staff and student leaders, PTA valedictorian Michael Magie marveled during his speech on how much the cohort encouraged each other, supported each other and how well they worked together.
"We even fed each other at potluck meals," he added.
Lwin said she was very impressed by how well the cohort cooperated and attributed it to the group’s shared passion.
"If someone didn't understand something, their classmate was right there to help try and explain it. In the middle of practicals, there was always another person saying, 'It's OK, you got this. We practiced this.' You would motivate each other and push each other to achieve,” she said. "This program may not be the most difficult thing you do in your whole life, but I think you all agree that it was pretty darn hard. So, if you can do this, you can accomplish anything.”
Back to News
