El Camino’s commencement speaker will take center stage at this year’s graduation as the proud, confident and vibrant student completes her El Camino academic career.

Charletta Royster-McNeish, a returning student, will speak to students during the 76th Annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, June 9, at Murdock Stadium.

McNeish, popularly known as “Chachie,” returned to El Camino to seek a profession as a counselor. After she was laid off from a 20-year career in business management, McNeish will be the first in her family to graduate from college.

During her tenure at the college, McNeish was a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society, the Student Leadership Institute and the Associated Students Organization Commissioner of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

As the semester comes to a close, and after three years at El Camino, McNeish will share her experience with graduates.

​​“It’s an honor to definitely speak for the class, and I’m excited to share my story. It feels like all the hard work was definitely worth it,” McNeish said. “It’s weird, though, because when I started at ECC, I saw an ad to be a commencement speaker, and I told myself then I was going to do that.”