Karla Sorto
The 60th annual Pierce College graduation will take place June 4 at 6 p.m., at Swisher Park, across from the cafeteria.
Graduates are scheduled to arrive by 5:15 p.m. in order to register and receive instructions.
Thirteen-hundred students submitted a petition for graduation, but only 500 are expected to attend the ceremony.
“Students will not be seated in alphabetical order,” said David Follosco, dean of Student Services. “Instead, they will receive name cards, since we don’t know who will show up to the ceremony.”
Graduates will not actually receive their diplomas on stage. The diplomas are expected to be ready mid-October in the graduation office.
“Grades don’t come in until after graduation,” Follosco said. “Therefore, we can’t give the diplomas to the graduates until we know that they have completed all their required courses.”
Faculty and staff have contributed to the planning of the ceremony, which started in the fall semester.
“Everything has gone very smooth,” said Mona Altounji, senior assistant of the Extended Opportunity Program office. “The challenge will be to coordinate the faculty’s busy schedules to that of the ceremony.”
Omar Hashim, Associated Students Organization Club Council president, is expecting the ceremony to be an emotional event for him and his family members.
Follosco, as well as Master of Ceremony Richard Follett and ASO adviser Brad Saenz, are in charge of the graduation planning committee.
“Plant Facilities plays a key role in getting the campus ready,” Follosco said. “The bookstore is in charge of caps and gowns.”
Caps and gowns are available for $25.85 at the bookstore, and all students who are planning to attend the ceremony must wear them.
One of the main speakers will be former Pierce President Herbert Ravetch. Representing district Chancellor Marshall Drummond will be Camille Goulet, general council of the district. Board member Miguel Santiago will represent the Los Angeles Community College District board of trustees.
Follosco said officials are in the process of selecting the student speaker.
Chappell Studio will be taking pictures of each graduate with Pierce President Robert Garber. There is no obligation to purchase the pictures, and graduates along with family members will be able to view the samples online.
A reception will follow after the ceremony.
Graduates are already beginning to miss faculty and staff they have met at Pierce.
“I’m having mixed feelings about the ceremony,” Hashim said. “I will miss all the people I have met through my years at Pierce.”
ASO Treasurer Adrian Garcia agrees.
“I’m both happy and sad. I will miss campus life,” Garcia said. “Overall, I will miss the friendly administrators who were willing to help me with my work.”
Follosco hopes everything goes according to plan.
“This graduation is very significant,” he said. “After 60 years, we are still going strong. It’s a time of celebration for everyone’s accomplishments.”
More information on the graduation is available on the Pierce Web site.