The 4th annual commencement ceremony will be held on Friday, May 24 at 6:30 p.m. at CrossCity Church (2777 East Nees Avenue, Fresno, CA 93720) with over 200 students participating in the ceremony. About 843 students may be eligible for degree/certificate conferral by President Lori Bennett. In many cases, graduating students earn more than one degree, which amounts to 1,712 applications for degrees and certificates submitted for the 2018-2019 academic year.
Students included in this group are:
45 Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA)
200 Magna Cum Laude (3.50-3.99 GPA)
298 Cum Laude (3.00-3.49 GPA)
43 Leon S. Peters Honors Program
10 veteran students
38% Hispanic/Latinx graduates
“I am extremely proud of our “Crush” graduates! Their hard work and perseverance is admired and I know our students will be successful as they venture out to careers or earn higher degrees,” said President Dr. Lori Bennett.
Clovis Community College was recognized as a “2018 Champion” for higher education for exemplary work in awarding associate degrees for transfer. Clovis Community College is #1 in completion rates for the Central Valley region and #1 in completion rates compared to similarly sized California Community Colleges.
City of Clovis Councilmember Vong Mouanoutoua will serve as the commencement speaker.
Special recognition includes the 2019 President’s Award and Dean’s Medal of Distinction:
DAMON RAPADA EARNS THE 2019 PRESIDENT’S AWARD
Mr. Rapada is a first generation Latinx college student. He is an amazing student who has done so much for the college. He served as the Associate Student Government (ASG) Student Representative to the Board of Trustees and later as ASG President.
He worked as a student assistant and played a major role in helping open the Valley Community Small Business Development Center (SBDC).Mr. Rapada delivered a wonderful speech at the inaugural president’s breakfast last September. He is always willing to help, volunteer, and serves as a great role model for students.
Last fall, he endured a challenge when his mother, a single parent, lost her job. He made a very mature decision and resigned as ASG president to get a job to financially help his family. During this time, he always stayed positive and knew the right thing to do was to support his family.
Damon earned an associate degree for transfer in social science and political science and will transfer to University of California, Davis this fall. Eventually, he plans to attend law school and become an attorney. We know Damon will represent the “Crush” well in his future endeavors.
DEAN’S MEDAL OF DISTINCTION
The Dean’s Medal of Distinction is given to one graduating student from each division who has distinguished themselves by their perseverance, the quality of their work, and their positive impact on the campus.
Ms. Anna-Marie Miller, Student Services
Anna-Marie Miller has overcome many challenges including raising a child as a single parent while studying and working her way through college. Since the CalWORKs program gave her the opportunity to go to school, she has worked extremely hard and will graduate with honors. She will transfer to Fresno State University to study history, after which she plans to become a history professor and a writer.
Ms. Jaqueline Janay Sanders, Student Services
Jaqueline Janay Sanders has been a student assistant in the Career Resource Center for the past year, quickly becoming a lead student assistant while providing valuable support to students and staff. She is graduating with an associate degree in sociology for transfer and plans to pursue a bachelor’s in social work at Fresno Pacific University. She plans to work as a social worker with a focus on public policy.
Mr. Arturo Sanchez, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Athletics
Arturo Sanchez is a first-generation Latinx returning student who, despite overcoming many adversities, including homelessness, has earned three associate degrees in art 2-dimensional, AAT studio arts, and liberal studies; all while maintaining a 3.95 GPA and managing a local pizza restaurant. He plans to transfer to Fresno State or Fresno Pacific University to pursue Art.
