Hundreds of STEM students from the College of the Canyons (COC) walked the stage and graduated on Friday morning. 

Honouring graduates from the School of Allied Health, School of Business, School of Math, Sciences Engineering, and the School of Public Safety, the morning ceremony started with the processional as faculty, staff and graduating students walked onto the field wearing their cap and gowns. 

After the processional, Associated Student Government president Collin Shneour, led the salute to the flag and the Star Spangled Banner led by Jacob West. 

After the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, the chancellor’s address was given by Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook. 

Van Hook honored the graduates and even mentioned some of them personally, identifying students who attended graduation in person, and went on to talk about how they need to be the change they want to see in the world in their futures.

“You are graduating from college which is the end of something but we call it commencement which is moving forward into the beginning of something,” said Van Hook. 

David Andrus who is president of Academic Senate, honoured some of the faculty who were retiring this year. 

Samantha Jarencio who was the Valedictorian gave her speech and talked about her time at the college and the moment she had decided she wanted to go to COC after high school. 

“As I reflect on my college journey I come to understand a reason for how I achieved this accomplishment, humor. When I came to College of the Canyons, a faculty member complimented my zoom profile picture during my senior year of high school. She came to talk about the canyon’s promise program. It’s a silly reason for deciding where to go to college but it was an exceptionally, rational and hilarious decision for me,” said Jarencio. 

Van Hook and Dr. Edel Alonso, who is president of the board of trustees, presented each stem graduate with their diploma as they walked across the stage and back to their seats as the students stood and turned their tassels.

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