OCC’s 58th graduation a record-breaker

A record 2,222 students will be honored Thursday evening at Orange Coast College’s 58th commencement ceremony at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa.

The ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m., and a crowd in excess of 7,000 is expected to attend. The Pacific Amphitheater at the Orange County Fairgrounds & Exposition Center is on Fairview Road across the street from the college.

A record total 1,719 students will receive associate of arts degrees, and 503 will be granted certificates of completion.

Commencement speaker will be Faculty Member of the Year Leon Skeie. Skeie, a Newport Beach resident, is an Orange Coast College professor of physical education and athletics. He’s been a member of the college’s faculty for 33 years. His speech is titled “Make a Life, Not a Living.”

Student speaker will be Katherine Wyman, an astronomy major from Costa Mesa. Wyman, who’ll transfer to Sonoma State University next fall, has titled her speech “What’s Past is Prologue.” Her career ambition is to earn a doctorate degree and teach astronomy at a college or university.

Orange Coast College will present its annual Outstanding Citizen Award to state Sen. Jack Scott (D-Pasadena). Scott served as OCC’s dean of instruction from 1973 to 1978. He was president of Cypress College from 1978 to 1987 and Pasadena City College from 1987 to 1995. Scott was in the state Assembly from 1996 to 2000 and was elected to the senate in 2000 and again in 2004.

He’s one of the state’s foremost advocates for education. He serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Education, which considers all legislative issues dealing with kindergarten through 12th grade through the state’s colleges and universities. He also chairs the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education, which oversees approximately 48% of California’s state budget.

An honorary associate of arts degree will be awarded to Del J. Heintz, past chairman of OCC’s Foundation Board of Directors. Heintz is director of government affairs for Comcast Cable Communications, Southern California Region.

A gala reception for all graduates and certificate recipients, and their friends and family members, will be held at the amphitheater following the ceremony.