More than 300 students and guests gathered on the Walla Walla Campus Thursday evening, June 8, to celebrate the accomplishments of 53 Latino/Hispanic graduates from Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) this spring.
Latino/Hispanic students represent a quarter of WWCC’s student population, and they are an incredibly diverse group. This year’s graduates included first-generation students, immigrants, traditional students and adult learners. It even included a family who graduated together: Adan Maciel with his Associate of Arts, his wife Carolina Maciel with her Bachelor of Applied Science, and their son Gerardo Hr. Cordova, who completed an Associate of Arts as a Running Start student.
WWCC President Chad Hickox welcomed graduates and their families to the celebration. Graduating student ambassador Victor Manuel Angel, who earned his Associate of Applied Science in Human and Social Services, spoke about the challenges of returning to school after a 16-year hiatus while at the same time working, volunteering and making time for his children.
“Fue mucho esfuerzo para estar aquí parado enfrente de ustedes platicando un poco de mi historia de todas esas horas de estudiar y prepararme para poder obtener buenos grados en mis materias. Pero no todos los esfuerzos son para mí,” he said. “También quiero agradecer a mis maestros que me ayudaron mucho, a mis tutores de TRIO, y al centro de ayuda que tiene el colegio. Todos ellos me ayudaron a pasar todas mis clases…. También quiero agradecer a mis compañeras de trabajo del centro de bienvenida que ellas siempre me motivaron a seguir echándole ganas.”
(“It was a lot of effort to be standing here in front of you talking a little about my history of all those hours of studying and preparing myself to get good grades in my subjects. But not all the efforts are for me,” he said. “I also want to thank my teachers who helped me a lot, my TRIO tutors and the Help Center that the school has. All of them helped me pass all my classes.… I also want to thank my co-workers at the Welcome Center who always motivated me to keep trying.”)
Angel plans to continue his education with online classes from Central Washington University as he works toward his bachelor’s degree. And he hopes to graduate with a master’s by the time he’s 40.
Alumni Andrea Ruiz, Welcome Center Program Coordinator at WWCC, had special words for those who, like her, were first-generation graduates: “Quizás no te des cuenta de esto, pero al ser el primero en tu familia en graduarse, eres un ejemplo porque has sembrado una semilla, para tí y para tu familia, y esta es la base fundamental para seguir construyendo el camino de las futuras generaciones.” (“You may not realize this, but by being the first in your family to graduate, you are an example because you have planted a seed, a seed for yourself and your family, and this is the fundamental foundation to continue building the path of future generations.”)
The event was conducted mostly in Spanish with interpretation available via headsets. Attendees enjoyed music by DJ Veebra and DJ Buzz of Stop and Rewind Entertainment and a dinner catered by Imelda Robles of Ime’s Kitchen.
¡Muchas felicidades a la clase de 2023!