Allan Hancock University celebrated its document-breaking 1,490-person Class of 2022 with a ceremony Friday at the Santa Maria campus.
This year’s graduating course has the most individuals of any graduating course in the school’s history. It is made up mainly of community citizens, of all ages, who collectively acquired hundreds of associate’s degrees and certificates of achievement throughout their time at the school.
“You graduate these days many thanks to the assistance you been given from your pals, loved ones, faculty and employees. They built a private expenditure in your upcoming, and currently I obstacle you to pay back that expenditure forward by working to transform the odds for your local community,” college President Kevin Walthers reported to the group.
“You’ve endured so a lot, and you are now completely ready to confront whatever comes in the foreseeable future,” he said, presenting his “heartfelt congratulations” to the graduates.
“You did it!” graduate Marcela Viveros, president of Allan Hancock College’s Affiliated Scholar Entire body Govt, informed the relaxation of the Course of 2022 in the course of her speech. “Life is a journey, and all accomplishments you reach should really be taken as starting up details for even further achievement. Your graduation really should serve as a launching stage projecting you to wherever your potential usually takes you.”
Allan Hancock Faculty President Kevin Walthers poses with common bearers right before Friday morning’s graduation ceremony. (Kevin Walthers image)
John Colson, the college’s vice president of pupil providers, claimed this year’s graduating course incorporates folks earning several degrees, and an age range of 18 to 87.
The most well-liked degrees were being in social and behavioral sciences and small business administration, he explained.
About 88% of the graduates are area people and 32% of graduate are Hancock Promise students, indicating they acquired their 1st 12 months free of charge at Hancock, he stated.
The Hancock Promise program offers a tuition-absolutely free education and learning for the 1st 12 months for recent high college graduates within just the neighborhood school district, such as the Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Ynez and Cuyama valleys of Santa Barbara County.
“This year’s course ongoing our streak of possessing the best transfer acceptance level in the state to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo: 68% of pupils who used ended up approved, and that’s additional than double the point out typical,” Colson mentioned. “Congratulations to the 186 Bulldogs who program to be Mustangs!”
American history professor Roger Hall counseled learners for persevering in their education and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Class of 2022 graduate Marcela Viveros gives a speech during Friday’s commencement ceremony. (Courtesy image)
“The Class of 2022 was handed the most unplanned and unfair established of obstructions to your instruction, to all those hopes and anticipations, but below you are. I suggestion my sq. hat to you in admiration,” he said.
Each and every graduate’s title was termed, and they walked throughout the stage to cheers from the group.
Earlier this week, the Allan Hancock Foundation presented the yearly scholarship banquet and awarded $570,000 to 301 Allan Hancock School learners, which include some 2022 graduates who are continuing their education at 4-calendar year universities.
College students who are the to start with in their family members to graduate from college or university, or who worked for the duration of their school encounter, stand and are recognized in the course of Friday’s commencement ceremony. (Courtesy photo)
Graduate Fabiola Vazquez received the Marian Hancock Scholarship, worthy of $10,000, which is awarded to an remarkable student who exemplifies college service, scholastic accomplishment and own carry out, in accordance to the foundation.
She graduated with a degree in English and — impressed by one of her Hancock instructors, the late Kate Adams — strategies to turn out to be an educator.
“I aspire to contact as quite a few life as Professor Adams did,” Vazquez reported in a statement. “We need a lot more professors like her who inspire their pupils and drive them to attempt for accomplishment.”
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