Orange Coast College will confer more than 3,800 associate degrees and certificates of achievement to some 1,800 graduates at the 75th commencement ceremony, scheduled for Friday, May 26, at 5:30 p.m. OCC plans to welcome several thousand people, including graduates and their loved ones, who are expected to attend the program at the OC Fairgrounds Pacific Amphitheatre (88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa).
Student speaker Nancy Estrada, Associate Degree for Transfer in Spanish, is set to share her inspiring story that culminates her OCC career in walking with her son Adam as they graduate together.
"I will be a first-generation graduate, and it has not been an easy journey. My parents migrated from Mexico in the 70s. Being the second oldest still meant many responsibilities. I was always their teacher," Estrada said. As a mother of four, she also adopted five siblings after a family tragedy left them needing a home that would keep them together.
"In 2016, when all my children were getting older, I started taking introductory courses at OCC," she said. "It has always been my dream to be an educator and to be able to serve the community."
Actor Patrick Warburton is OCC's 2023 Alumni Hall of Fame inductee and will deliver a keynote speech.
OCC will provide live streaming of the ceremony at www.orangecoastcollege.edu/gradvideo.