May is a time of celebration at Orange Coast College as we come together to recognize the achievements of our students at the close of the academic year. Over the past two weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of joining our campus community—alongside students, families, and friends—for a series of events that reflect the heart and spirit of OCC.
Last week concluded with our EOPS Graduation Celebration, and this week has been filled with opportunities to honor student excellence and leadership. We celebrated at the 2nd Annual Lavender Graduation, the 3rd Annual Umoja Black Student Graduation Celebration, and the 2025 Garrison Fellows Lecture featuring Professor Emerita Dr. Irini Rickerson. We also gathered for the Service & Leadership Awards and the time-honored tradition of Honors Night. Today, ASOCC will host its annual banquet and leadership transition.
Next week begins with the Puente Graduation Celebration and culminates with our
77th Commencement Ceremony at the Pacific Amphitheater on Friday, May 23.
I would be remiss not to take a moment to reflect on our 67th Honors Night Awards Ceremony —the largest celebration yet! My heartfelt thanks to the Honors Night Committee and the OCC Foundation for making this meaningful evening possible. This year, the OCC Foundation awarded more than $900,000 in scholarships to over 400 students—surpassing last year’s record and exemplifying the power of our community’s commitment to student success. Bravo!
Angelica L. Suarez, Ph.D.
