Two ceremonies held to accommodate large class of nearly 900 students
The sounds of Pomp and Circumstance have arrived in Folsom as Folsom Lake College kicked off the series of 2023 graduation ceremonies taking place in the city with the commencement of its class of 2023. Due to the size of the most recent class, commencement was divded up into two different ceremonies inside Stage 1 of the Harris Center for the Arts on the college campus.
After the processional of graduates arrived and filled the lower floor of the Stage 1 auditoriam, the duel ceremonies began with introductions and welcome messages by Dr. Art Pimentel, President of Folsom Lake College following by the President of the Academic Senate Dr. Eric Wada, President of the Classified Senate Karla Lozano, and Student Senate President of Associated Students Jacob Yang.
Dr. Brian King, Chancellor of the Los Rios Community College District and Trustee Kelly Wilkerson spoke on behalf of the Los Rios Community College District in the first ceremony. Graduate Hailie Castaneda delivered the student speaker address.
In the final ceremony of the night, Los Rios Board Trustee Deborah Ortiz delivered the message on behalf of the Board of Trustees. Austin Gorman delivered the Student Speaker address.
Pimentel returned to the podium to lead the presentation of the 2023 graduates. The class of 2023 included 875 total graduates. Among those graduating, 1,353 associate degrees were earned 148 students earned certificates.
Since 2004, Folsom Lake College has provided exceptional educational opportunities to the diverse communities of eastern Sacramento and western El Dorado counties. The college serves approximately 9,000 combined students at the Main Folsom campus, the El Dorado Center in Placerville, the Rancho Cordova Center, and online.
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Photography by Matthew Battershell
Photography by Matthew Battershell