Welcomed by the blare of trumpets and the cheers of proud supporters, El Camino College celebrated the Class of 2024 during the 77th Annual Commencement Ceremony at Murdock Stadium on Friday, June 7.
As faculty and administration members lined the rows of a white chain-linked walkway, students joyfully went through to the customary graduation song, “Pomp and Circumstance.”
Once the hundreds of graduates took to their seats, El Camino President Brenda Thames welcomed the students and supporters announcing the college conferred nearly 1,700 degrees and certificates.
Thames warmly acknowledged the dedication and perseverance exhibited by every student who reached the milestone of this year’s commencement, underscoring the significance of their journey.
Associated Students Organization President Jose Merino, 19, addressed the graduating class highlighting the 15 student speakers who applied to speak at the commencement but had their speeches canceled by the college.
“It was an honor to get to speak to the graduating class,” Merino said. “I know it wasn’t what the 15 students who applied [to speak] were expecting but I am hoping that myself and Connor [Lai] did right by them.”
The UCLA-bound Merino expressed heartfelt gratitude to his mother and family for their support of his academic endeavors, highlighting their crucial role in his journey to graduation.
“I’m overall thankful for this opportunity to not only be in the position that I was but also to be here and attend El Camino,” he said. “For as imperfect as the community college system is, I think this institution gave us all an opportunity to have a chance for success, move up and achieve our dreams.”
Meanwhile, Naoki Gima, 24, a former Union photographer and recent California State University Long Beach graduate, came to the ceremony to capture the moment his mother received her associate’s degree.
Gima, a first-generation college graduate, shared that his mother had him at 19, sacrificing her education to raise him.
He said it had always been a dream of hers to return to school and earn her degree once he was old enough.
“Me being the age that I am now, it allowed her to pursue that goal of getting her education after all these years,” Gima said. “It’s a good step in the right direction and I am very proud of her.”
Retiring El Camino Police Chief Michael Trevis reflected on his 16-year career at the college, culminating with the graduating class of 2024. He expressed mixed emotions, stating he felt both “happy, but sad at the same time” to be leaving the community.
“Graduation is a celebration,” Trevis said. “For the faculty, staff, the campus police department, we all participated in getting all these students to graduate in some way, shape or form. I think all of our employees here deserve an applause.”
As the final graduate’s name was called and students began to trickle out of the ceremony, Thames offered her heartfelt congratulations to the class which was met with a thunderous cheer from the crowd.
The El Camino Trustee Brett Roberts echoed those congratulations emphasizing his “loss for words.”
“I am inspired by [the students] and their journeys,” Roberts said. “We were just talking about a graduate, whose journey was 35 years in the making. I know so many people that decided to come back to school… and it’s just been amazing.”
Roberts expressed his excitement for the future of El Camino, looking forward to the opportunities ahead and the privilege of working with such amazing people.
“For [these graduates] to be a part of this El Camino story, and for even me to be a part of their story…it’s just a really edifying and fulfilling feeling,” Roberts said.
