Colleges Award Nearly 10000 Degrees

Riverside Community College District’s colleges awarded degrees and certificates to more than 6,000 graduates during the colleges’ commencement ceremonies on Friday, June 7. This year, the three colleges awarded 9,881 degrees and certificates collectively, an increase of 2,882 awards from last year.  MVC’s class consists of 1,506 students who earned 2,158 associate degrees and 430 certificates. Within the class, 110 students completed their studies with a 4.0 grade point average. Six foster youth earned 15 degrees and 55 graduates are Veterans. The Promise Program will graduate 56 students who earned 115 associate degrees. The Middle College High School graduating class consists of 35 students who amassed 98 associate degrees. Norco College’s class count is 1,246 graduates who earned 1,911 associate degrees and 188 certificates. The class includes 42 students with a 4.0 grade point average and 41 graduates are Veterans. There are also 23 seniors from John F. Kennedy Middle College High School who will graduate with 64 associate degrees to go along with their high school diplomas.  RCC’s graduating class of 3,253 students earned 4,518 associate degrees, a 70 percent increase over last year, and 676 certificates. The class is made up of 75 Veterans, 35 foster youth and 150 are graduating with great distinction earning a grade point average higher than 3.75, while 464 earned distinction honors, a GPA of 3.3 to 3.7. RCCD Chancellor Wolde-Ab Isaac, Ph.D., gave the keynote address at MVC’s commencement and was joined by faculty speaker James Banks, professor of Human Services, and student speaker Ayanna Robinson. Faculty speaker Quinton P. Bemiller, Ed.D., associate professor of Arts and the District’s 59th Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, and student speaker Angelica Janeth Gutierrez Fuentes addressed graduates at Norco College. Gustavo Arellano, former publisher and editor of Orange County’s alternative weekly OC Weekly and author of the column — “Ask a Mexican!” and student speaker Hanna Shinn offered remarks to the class at RCC.