It's not every day that a rubber chicken, the District Attorney, and a veteran share the stage at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. But that is exactly what occurred on Monday evening at the Empire College School of Business commencement exercises.

Congratulations to the Class of 2012 of Empire College School of Law! I was honored to share in your special day and inspired by your personal achievements.

"Although they just graduated from Empire College law school on Sunday, the list of accomplishments of the 23 graduates already reads like a list of movers and shakers." So reads Press Democrat writer Lori Carter's lead sentence in her article about the Class of 2010's commencement exercises. It was definitely an inspiring day.

The full transcript of speeches are availabe as well:

"Throughout the next few years you’ll have lots of opportunities appear before you. Many of those opportunities you will create yourselves while others will just appear out of nowhere. You’ll find yourself presented with personal and professional opportunities that will change your lives. Your education has given you the foundation to make the most of those opportunities."

In her commencement address for Empire College School of Business on July 27, Santa Rosa Mayor Susan Gorin told grads the most important skills she acquired in high school and college were critical thinking and writing.

Evening school dean Lynda Bascom and graduate speaker Debra Mangum also shared stories/fairy tales, advice, and humor in their speeches.

Complete transcripts are available and well worth the read:

In her commencement address to Empire College School of Law's Class of 2009, the Hon. Jeanne Buckley told the inspirational story of "Jeremy," the teen gangbanger who robbed and beat people in Sonoma County not many years ago.

Professor Brad DeMeo and Valedictorian Beverly Bartels also shared stories, advice, and humor in their speeches.

Complete transcripts are available and well worth the read:

Hon. Jeanne Buckley's Commencement Address

My journey to this special day began a few years ago…

In August of 2005, I ended my cake decoratingcareer with Safeway due to an injury. My landlordof 8 years was selling the house. My three children and I were one day away from being homeless when I finally found a place for us to live. Fivemonthslater,my house was red-tagged due to the winter flooding of the Russian River. I managed to relocate withmy children, but had disappointed them and lost momentum and self-esteem in the process.