Fresno Pacific University sends off graduating Class of 2017

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno Pacific sent the class of 2017 onwards to the next step in their lives Saturday.

Almost 500 students filled up the Selland Arena for the Sunbirds' graduation. For most of them, it marks the end of a long journey and the beginning of a new one.

"It's a really big deal," graduate Kaitlin Friedrichs said. "It's a lot of hard work. It's good. It's one step closer."

Kaitlin is headed to law school next, and a lot of the other graduates will be moving into their careers -- especially in education.

Their commencement speaker today was U.S. senate chaplain Barry C. Black.