May 26, 2023
San Diego Mesa College to award nearly 2,000 degrees and certificates, including 22
Bachelor’s Degrees at 2023 Commencement Ceremony
Mesa 58th graduating class includes 110 valedictorians and over 700 honors students
By Office of Communications
San Diego, CA. — Today, Friday, May 26 at 2:00 p.m., San Diego Mesa College will host
their 58th Commencement Ceremony, where nearly 700 of the 2,000 academic degrees and certificates
earned this year will be conferred. Among them are the sixth set of students receiving
Bachelor of Science degrees in Health Information Management (HIM), scores of first-generation
students, and over 100 each of student-athletes and Promise students. Nearly 650 students
are graduating with more than one degree, and the Class of 2023 boasts 110 valedictorians
and over 700 students who are graduating with honors. Mesa’s youngest graduate is
17, and the oldest is 72.
“This is a joyous occasion for Mesa College,” stated San Diego Mesa College President
Dr. Ashanti T. Hands, who is presiding over her first Commencement Ceremony as President.
“On this day, we gather to celebrate the culmination of years of hard work, dedication,
and intellectual growth on the part of our students. Our ceremony will remind our
scholars of what they have accomplished and empower them to continue their journey
of being catalysts for change.”
One such catalyst for change is George Buchanan, the 2023 Mesa College Commencement
student speaker and psychology major. George is a student veteran who was involved
the Honors Club, and the Psi Beta National Honor Society in Psychology. In April 2023,
he received the President’s Award for Academic Excellence; the most prestigious scholarship
award that recognizes a student who has achieved academic excellence and performed
exemplary service to the college and community. In the fall, George will be attending
San Diego State University to further his psychology studies, with the goal of helping
others.
In conjunction with Commencement and in honor of the 2023 graduating class, the Mesa
College Foundation is also holding #MesaGivingDay 2023. All donations made before midnight on Saturday, May 27th will be doubled with a generous match, until donations reach $20,000. Donations may
be made to any one of the hundreds of programs and scholarships that the San Diego
Mesa College Foundation supports.
Mesa College will be live-streaming the Commencement Ceremony on the San Diego Mesa
College website at www.sdmesa.edu so that family and friends who cannot otherwise attend, can enjoy from afar. The
Commencement Ceremony Program is also available on-line at www.sdmesa.edu/commencement.
Date/Time: Friday, May 26, 2:00 p.m.
Location: San Diego Mesa College
Merrill Douglas Stadium
7250 Mesa College Dr., San Diego, CA 92111
Please see the Mesa College Campus Map
Visuals:
- Processional
- Students receiving diplomas
- Administrators, faculty, staff, students participating in the event
- Speeches given by administrators and students
- 1:1’s with students, administrators, faculty, staff
Photos: 2022 Mesa College Commencement Ceremony
Video: Livestream of the 2022 Mesa College Commencement Ceremony
Video: District Feature of the 2022 Mesa College Commencement Ceremony
About San Diego Mesa College
San Diego Mesa College is a fully accredited, comprehensive community college committed
to access, success, and equity. We honor those commitments as a diverse community
of students, faculty, professional staff, and administrators who collaborate to foster
scholarship, leadership, innovation, and excellence in an inclusive learning environment.
By promoting student learning and achievement that leads to degrees and certificates,
transfer, workforce training, and lifelong learning, we empower our students to reach
their educational goals and shape their future. Among the largest community colleges
in California, Mesa College serves 30,000 students per year, 25% of whom are full-time.
Mesa offers nearly 200 associate degree and certificate programs and is one of 15
California community colleges offering a four-year baccalaureate degree. Mesa ranks
as San Diego’s top transfer institution, is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution and
a Military Friendly School, serving more than 3,500 veterans and their families. www.sdmesa.edu.
Find San Diego Mesa College on Social Media:
Facebook.com: sandiegomesacollege
Twitter.com: sdmesacollege
Instagram.com: sdmesacollege
Youtube: youtube.com: sdmesacollege
Snapchat: sdmesacollege
LinkedIn: San Diego Mesa College
Tags: Graduating Olympians, #SDMesaGrads, #WeAreMesa
