Graduation Ceremony 2009
On Saturday, May 16th, 2009, Saint Petersburg Christian University held its graduation ceremony.
Now the 2008-2009 academic year has ended. Students have successful passed their spring session of exams and have come closer to summer holidays. But the graduates will soon have to leave the dear buildings of the university and enter their independent life filled with many talented heights, relationships, victories and adventures, work and decisions to make.
For SPbCU, the graduation ceremony is probably the most important event of the academic year. This is only a time to draw conclusions, but also a time of thanks for the time passed, a time of joyous maturation.
In due time, the graduates will become pastors, leaders, teachers, missionaries, or work at rehabilitation centers. Someone else will take the word of the Lord to the ends of the earth.
This year, there were four master's graduates - Vyacheslav Zaharenko, Nikolai Sinkov, Alexander Shmidt, and Oleg Yakimenko.
Nine bachelor's degrees were presented; four bachelor's of theology - Ekaterina Kalina, Olga Spiridonova, Maxim Chepel, and Alexander Epp; and five bachelor's of pastoral-youth ministry - Maria Zabelina, Svetlana Markina, Ksenia Rybakova, Daria Smirnova, and Zhanna Hadipash.
Evgeniy Birukov received a dipoloma of higher education and Maria Luchanskaya received a certificate.
The following received a diploma upon completion of Bible School: Alexander Alexandrov, Nadezhda Vardanyan, Dmitriy Gorodinskiy, Irina Denisova, Dmitriy Efremov, Vitaliy Ivanov, Tatyana Mesheryakova, Elena and Natalya Nizoviy, Timur Novochinski, Maxim and Yuriy Sahataroviy, Georgiy Stepanov, and Yulia Ushakova.
The School of Spiritual Mentorship at SPbCU had eleven graduates this year. The following received diplomas: Ludmila Avduevskaya, Oleg Volkov, Ivan Goroshanskiy, Aleksei Korchagan, Igor and Natalya Kuznetsoviy, Alexander Kurmaev, Olga Ovchinnikova, Denis Surkov, Ludmila Tihonova, and Igor Fomichev.
This year, the graduation ceremony was led by interim Rector of SPbCU Ivan Makarenko. Opening message was presented by Mikhail Britsin, chairman of the Board of Directors. 
Maxim Chepel, Alexander Schmidt, and Elena Nizova were given the honor of presenting their graduating speeches.
Many warm and delightful words were addressed to the faculty of SPbCU, highlighting the unique atmosphere of the community, one of a good-willing administration. Time spent within SPbCU is always time spent worthwhile. May God bless that what has been sown will reap abundantly and that what the graduates have gained in knowledge will become reality. The graduates thanked their family and dear ones who supported and inspired them during their studies.
Maxim Chepel called his fellow graduates not to lose contact with each other. Now, with easy access to the internet there are many social sites like "Vkontatke", "Classmates", as well as an Alumni Blog of SPbCU, so it is very important to be "online" and maintain contact with the school.
The festivities continued with the joint University Choir under the talented director Lina Zhigulina. They performed three brilliant pieces and were joined by the student vocal group. 
Alexei Dadochkin, academic dean of SPbCU, proclaimed all the names receiving diplomas. The graduates were presented with flowers while Ivan Makarenko, interim rector, shook their hands and congratulated them.
In closing of the ceremony, the Board of Directors prayed a blessing over the graduated of 2009.
Many blessings to the graduates of 2009. Treasure the knowledge you have gained at SPbCU and may the Lord bless you and support you in all your faithful doings!
May your hearts be on fire! "Walk in the light, while there is still light!"