FRESNO, Calif. (KMPH) -
It's no easy feat, especially during these tough times. But about 5,000 graduates can now say, they did it.
For the 101st year in a row, Fresno State read the names of students who've earned their college degrees at Saturday's commencement ceremony.
Save Mart Center was packed with people who've supported the graduates as they studied and worked hard for this moment.
"I think my satisfaction comes more from seeing my parents and all the people that supported me, and their excitement with me," said Andrea Vega, who graduated from the nursing program at Fresno State.
For some, graduation day marks the end of a tough journey.
It took many in the nursing program about six years to get here.
"It was hard but definitely worth it. It was a roller coaster," said Cynthia Figueroa, a nursing program graduate.
The class of 2012 is graduating into an uncertain economy, although their job outlook is slightly better than last year's graduates.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers reported that employers nationwide expect to hire 10.2 percent more college graduates from this year's class, slightly higher than the 9.5 percent increase projected in the fall.
With this day, a chapter in the lives of the graduates comes to a close, and another one begins.
"It's a bittersweet moment, and I'm going to miss Fresno State; I'm a Bulldog for life," said Vega.
One other thing many graduates will take with them after they leave Fresno State - student loan debt.
Education experts estimate the average graduate will owe between $25,000 and $29,000 in student loans.
