Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
CLOVIS - Commencement ceremonies are finally happening at Clovis Community College.
Statewide COVID-19 restrictions prevented students from walking and being honored since fall 2019, but on Friday, the long wait should be over.
The college will present 175 degrees to graduates at 6 p.m. in the Curry County Events Center, and Col. Robert Masaitis, commander of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, will be the guest of honor at the ceremony.
"We are grateful to be able to have an in-person commencement ceremony to recognize the resiliency of our students," said Robin Kuykendall, CCC's associate vice president of enrollment management and student services. "They have worked hard to overcome many obstacles, and it is a privilege to be able to celebrate their accomplishments."
The ceremony will honor graduates from previous classes of fall 2019 through fall 2020, the current spring graduates and those on track to finish their degrees during the upcoming summer sessions.
"I am so proud of our graduates in this commencement ceremony. In a normal situation, CCC graduates rise above the usual life issues - family and children, employment, and the rigor of our programs," CCC Executive VP of Academic Affairs Robin Jones said. "This graduating class was forced to add a different set of circumstances to life's stressors in the form of COVID, which included homeschooling children, alternate learning modalities, and lockdown requirements.
"In this time of the great unknowns, these graduates persevered and accomplished their goals - what a feat for each and every one participating in this ceremony. I applaud each graduate and the personal dedication it took to get to this point."
To keep with COVID-safe protocols at the indoor events center, graduates are each permitted up to four guests.