New London - There was no play or symphony performed at the Garde Arts Center Saturday afternoon, but there was plenty of applause for the show that was put on.

The packed house was filled with friends and family who came to see the nearly 400 students of the Three Rivers Community College Class of 2011 graduate at the school's 19th annual commencement ceremony.

With six taps of the ceremonial mace by Grand Marshal James Copeland, the graduation for the Norwich-based school began.

School President Grace S. Jones said the mace was a gift received moments before the ceremony began. Before this year, she said, a mace left from before the merger in 1992 of Mohegan Community College and Thames Valley State Technical College had been used.

As she addressed the graduates, who earned associate degrees in applied science, arts and science, and a variety of certificates, Jones spoke of "the passion of learning" students gained during their time at Three Rivers.

"The true grit you've brought to this experience now rewards you," Jones said.

Valedictorian Jared Harrelson, who graduated with a 4.0 grade-point average and with an associate of science degree in nuclear engineering, asked fellow graduates to consider the question of why they had attended Three Rivers.

"I thought I had the answer when I first started, but I didn't," Harrelson said. "How much sweat and blood did you pour into your hardest class? That's what has meaning, not the grade. The real worth is that you earned that diploma."

Also honored was U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, who was the 2011 Board of Trustees Merit Award recipient, and Norma Parish, who received the 2011 Honorary Degree.

Board of trustees member Wallace Irish described Courtney's hard work on behalf of southeastern Connecticut and his advocacy for community colleges in the area.

Lori Granato, another trustee, introduced Parish, a lifelong learner who "takes classes that please her" and "learns by doing."

Parish, 87, was described in the event's program as a "renaissance woman" and worldwide traveler, as well as an elder in the Eastern Pequot Tribe.

Both professor Kent Hardy, who spoke on behalf of the faculty, and commencement speaker Kevin Poitras, vice president of engineering design and business development at Electric Boat, mentioned the fast-moving pace of the current world.

With technology changing rapidly and the economy moving from "muscle-based to mind-based," both Hardy and Poitras invoked the phrase, "For those who are given much, much is expected."

"Fasten your seat belts and get ready for the ride of your life," Poitras said.

For graduate Hillary Masalin, the ride began immediately after commencement. Masalin, of Ledyard, hustled off from graduation to her cousin's wedding in North Stonington, where she was to be a bridesmaid.

She said now she'll try to find a job locally in her field of early childhood education and wait until her fiance, Matthew Odom, graduates from the Coast Guard Academy. After that, they'll get married and head off to wherever Odom's posted, Masalin said.

"It's hard to soak it all in," Masalin said. "It's thrilling, exciting and so great to be done."

s.goldstein@theday.com