OCC Will Award More Than 5,000 Degrees, Certificates at 76th Commencement Ceremony May 24

OCC Marketing & Public Relations

May 23, 2024

Media Alert

Smiling graduates dressed in caps and gowns

Orange Coast College will confer 5,505 associate degrees and certificates of achievement to some 2,666 graduates at the 76th commencement ceremony, scheduled for Friday, May 24, at 5:30 p.m.

Several thousand are expected to attend the program at the Pacific Amphitheatre in the OC Fair and Event Center.

Graduating with an associate degree in liberal arts, student speaker Haley Mauser will share her inspiring journey with the graduating class. As a single mom with two children, she managed a full-time job and numerous volunteer commitments while pursuing her education at OCC, primarily online. In August, Haley will be transferring to Cal Poly Humboldt to complete her bachelor’s degree in leadership studies, which she will also complete online.

This year, OCC is proud to induct civil rights activist Sylvia Mendez into our esteemed Alumni Hall of Fame. Sylvia Mendez's pivotal role in the groundbreaking Mendez v. Westminster case, a triumph against racial segregation in California schools, is a testament to her unwavering commitment to civil rights. Her success in this case led California to become the first state in the nation to end segregation in schools, paving the way for the historic Brown v. Board of Education ruling that declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional.

Laurie Barton, the faculty of the year, will also address the graduating class. Barton, an English as a Second Language instructor, is committed to her students and has created and implemented a culturally responsive curriculum that meets her ESL students where they are.

OCC’s Class of 2024 is diverse, spanning a wide age range, from our youngest graduate, 18, to our oldest, 72. Additionally, OCC has 191 international student graduates from 29 countries. OCC will provide a live streaming of the ceremony on OCC’s Commencement website.

What: 76th Commencement Ceremony

When: May 24, 2024 – 5:30 p.m.

Where: Pacific Amphitheatre – OC Fair & Event Center
(100 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa, CA 92626)

Parking: Parking is available at Lots B and C. Enter Gate #1/Main Gate or Gate #2 on Fair Dr. and Vanguard.

Contact: Juan Gutierrez, Marketing and Public Relations, (714) 432-5725