Contact: Ann Hatch
214-378-1819;
ahatch@dcccd.edu
For immediate release — May 1, 2013
(DALLAS) — The strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” stir memories of graduation that include the swish of silk robes and the toss of tasseled mortarboards. This spring, hundreds of students are graduating from the seven colleges of the Dallas County Community College District, with family members and friends on hand to celebrate their accomplishments. They attend one of the early college high schools at Brookhaven, Cedar Valley or Mountain View colleges; the Middle College at El Centro College; or Richland Collegiate High School — as well as the other students who will graduate with an associate degree or certificate from one of the individually accredited colleges that comprise the DCCCD system.
Dr. Wright Lassiter Jr., DCCCD’s chancellor, is the keynote speaker at Mountain View College. Lassiter, who was president of El Centro College for 20 years before he became the district’s CEO in 2006, has announced his intentions to retire at the end of this year. An educator, veteran of the Korean War, speaker, author, member of the board of trustees at Dallas Baptist University (where he teaches graduate-level courses in leadership and business) and active community member, Lassiter is an advocate for servant leadership and student success.
Roland S. Martin, journalist and syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate, will deliver the keynote address at Cedar Valley College. Martin also is a commentator for “TV One,” host of “Washington Week with Roland Martin,” a senior analyst on the “Tom Joyner Morning Show” and a former contributor at CNN. A business entrepreneur, he spent a number of years reporting in the Dallas/Fort Worth market for the Dallas Weekly, Dallas-Fort Worth Heritage, KRLD Radio, KKDA-AM, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and also in the Houston and Austin markets.
A full list of graduation ceremonies and speakers is provided below.
Thursday, May 9:
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Richland College — 7:30 p.m. at the Curtis Culwell Center, 4999 Naaman Forest Blvd. in Garland; keynote speaker: Dr. Sam Tinsley, professor of developmental mathematics, who is Richland’s 2013 Full-Time Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award recipient.
Saturday, May 11:
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North Lake College — 10 a.m. at the Irving Convention Center, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving; keynote speaker: Dr. Darryl E. Howard, visiting scholar in religion, department of liberal arts; student speaker: Diana Noka.
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Eastfield College — 4:30 p.m. at the Curtis Culwell Center, 4999 Naaman Forest Blvd. in Garland; keynote speaker: Dr. Gerald Hudson, Lakeview Centennial High School principal, Garland Independent School District, and former Eastfield College student.
Thursday, May 16:
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Brookhaven College — 7 p.m. at the Alfred J. Loos Field House, 3815 Spring Valley Road in Addison; commencement speaker: Dr. Claire Bambrough, Brookhaven chemistry professor and DCCCD Citi STEM Faculty Fellow.
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Cedar Valley College — 7 p.m. at the Inspiring Body of Christ Church, 7701 S. Westmoreland Road, Dallas; commencement speaker: Roland S. Martin, journalist, syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate, commentator for “TV One” and host of “Washington Week with Roland Martin.”
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Mountain View College — 7 p.m. at the Jesse Owens Complex/Ellis Field House, 9191 S. Polk St. in Dallas; commencement speaker: Dr. Wright Lassiter Jr., chancellor, Dallas County Community College District.
Sunday, May 19
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El Centro College — 3 p.m. at the Jesse Owens Complex/Ellis Field House, 9191 S. Polk St. in Dallas; commencement speaker: Joan Becker, El Centro College dean of nursing; student speaker: Rhyzl Guimbatan, 2013 graduate and president of the ECC Sigma Tau chapter of Phi Theta Kappa academic honorary for two-year colleges.
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