Psychology major Emerald Moreno is inspired by a passion for understanding and interpreting others, along with a deep faith that psychology is her calling. She plans to transfer to a university to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology, minor in Spanish, and continue exploring a future in law.
After a major surgery and months of recovery, Tracey Kushner faced a decision that would reshape her future. In 2024, she returned to San Diego Mesa College determined to finish the degree she had started years earlier.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — San Diego Mesa College proudly celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2026 during its annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2026, honoring 1,958 graduates who earned more than 2,017 academic degrees and 414 certificates. A total of 727 graduates participated in the ceremony, joined by family, friends, faculty, staff, and community supporters.
June 4, 2026
After a major surgery and months of recovery, Tracey Kushner faced a decision that would reshape her future. In 2024, she returned to San Diego Mesa College determined to finish the degree she had started years earlier.
Like many returning students, Kushner was not entirely sure what academic path she wanted to pursue. Drawing from her lifelong interest in fashion and her professional experience in retail and event management, she initially enrolled as a Fashion Merchandising major. But a single course changed everything.
While taking Fashion History and Trends with Professor Lindsey Johnson, Kushner rediscovered a passion she had carried for years: art history. The class inspired her to enroll in Modern Art, and before long she changed her major to Art History and began working toward an Associate in Arts in Art History for Transfer.
What followed was more than a change in coursework. Kushner found a community of students and faculty who shared her curiosity about history, culture, and artistic expression. Through classroom discussions and academic exploration, she discovered a field of study that felt both intellectually challenging and personally meaningful.
This fall, Kushner will continue her educational journey at San Diego State University, where she plans to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Art History.
Along the way, she found support from Mesa College faculty and staff who helped her navigate the transfer process and build confidence as a returning student. She credits retired counselor Judy Sundayo for helping her develop an academic plan and guiding her through important milestones. She also points to Professor Cara Smulevitz, whose art history courses left a lasting impression and deepened her appreciation for the discipline.
As a student returning to college later in life, Kushner hopes her experience serves as a reminder that educational journeys do not follow a single timeline.
"Taking a new path doesn't mean your past was wrong, it just means your timeline is your own," Kushner said.
For Kushner, returning to Mesa was more than a chance to complete a degree. It was an opportunity to discover a passion, build community, and embrace a future she had not imagined for herself.
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Psychology major Emerald Moreno is inspired by a passion for understanding and interpreting others, along with a deep faith that psychology is her calling. She plans to transfer to a university to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology, minor in Spanish, and continue exploring a future in law.
After a major surgery and months of recovery, Tracey Kushner faced a decision that would reshape her future. In 2024, she returned to San Diego Mesa College determined to finish the degree she had started years earlier.
For Stephen Hidalgo, the path to higher education was anything but straightforward. Born in Chicago and raised in Mexico during the first years of his life, Hidalgo returned to Chicago where he faced years of hardship, trauma, and isolation growing up as a gay student. At 25, he and his mother made a life changing decision to move to San Diego in search of safety, stability, and a new beginning.
