After over 30 years of attending my students' graduations, I recently had the profound honor of witnessing a commencement ceremony like no other. As my term as FACCC President was coming to an end, I was thrilled when the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office extended an invitation to attend the Rising Scholars graduation at the California Rehabilitation Center, celebrating the achievements of incarcerated students from Norco College and other community colleges across the state.
On the day of the ceremony, we arrived hours early, leaving our phones behind in our cars. As I waited to enter the enclosed yard where the outdoor event would be held, I met dedicated faculty who had made the long drive from colleges like Palo Verde to support their Rising Scholar students.