Sounds of pomp and circumstance filled the air as Fresno City College’s 2023 commencement ceremony on Friday (May 19) at Ratcliffe Stadium featured some firsts and a record number of graduates.
This was the first time FCC Chairman Robert Pimentel presided over the commencement ceremony since becoming chairman in July 2022.
“Graduates, we know you didn’t get here on your own,” Pimentel said in welcoming the graduates. “I would like you to recognize the people in the crowd who helped you get here.”
The Class of 2023 broke another record for Fresno City College: 2,687 students were eligible to participate in the ceremony earning 2,849 degrees. Fresno City College commencement ceremony, Friday, May 19, at Ratcliffe Stadium.
According to community college officials, this is the first time that Fresno City’s convocation has been held at Ratcliffe Stadium.
“This is a very special occasion because this may be the first time that we have held our convocation at this historic site and you may be the generation celebrating with us,” Pimentel said.
Fresno City commencement ceremonies were held at Saroyan Courtyard in the 1970s, moved to Selland Arena in 1985, and have been held at Chuchancy Park in the past two years, said university spokeswoman Cathy Bonilla.
With a capacity of 13,000 people in the stands, Bonilla estimated that around 11,000 people attended, including family and friends.
With a seating capacity of 13,000, nearly 11,000 people — family and friends — turned out at Ratcliffe Stadium on Friday, May 19, for Fresno City College’s commencement ceremony to watch its graduates receive associate degrees.
The Class of 2023 broke another record: 2,687 students were able to attend the ceremony and 2,849 received degrees. The number of graduates has increased every year since 2016.
Bonilla said 1,200 of them attended and walked the stage.
“Congratulations on getting here and we are cheering you on for getting to this point,” Pimentel said.
For some, their associate’s degree is the stepping stone to achieving their goals and starting to work.
Angela Ray Grantham graduated from Fresno City College with an associate’s degree in heating, ventilating and air conditioning as the recipient of the President’s Tony Cantu Medal. Grantham, 40, hopes to open his own business. He was also Dean Medal of the FCC Applied Technology Division.
Like Angela Ray Grantham—who graduated with the President’s Tony Cantu Medal and earned an associate’s degree in heating, ventilating and air conditioning. Grantham, 40, hopes to open his own business.
Others will continue on to a four-year university and pursue higher education.
“No matter what your destination, I hope you will always remember sitting in this stadium as a proud Fresno City College Ram,” Pimentel said.
This year’s recipients of the 2023 FCC Dean’s Medal of Excellence Award for each division are: left to right, Anthony Ramirez, Fresno, Department of Professional Education; Maria Rivera, from San Francisco, Counseling and Guidance Division; Melinda Radilla from Fresno, Humanities Division; Angela Grantham, Fresno, Division of Applied Technology; Amarissa Gonzalez from Sanger, Department of Mathematics, Science and Engineering, and Dominic Callahan from Clovis, Department of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts. Not pictured: Sunshine Derek from Fresno, Department of Allied Health, Physical Education and Sports, and Patricia Gonzales from Visalia, Department of Social Sciences.
The recipients of this year’s Dean’s Medal of Excellence Award for each division are:
Angela Grantham, Fresno, Division of Applied Technology;
Sunshine Derek from Fresno, Department of Allied Health, Physical Education and Sports;
Anthony Ramirez, Fresno, Entrepreneurship Education Department;
Maria Rivera, Counseling and Guidance Division, from San Francisco;
Dominic Callahan, from Clovis, Division of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts;
Melinda Radilla from Fresno, Division of the Humanities;
Amarissa Gonzalez, from Sanger, Department of Mathematics, Science and Engineering; And
Patricia Gonzalez from Visalia, Department of Social Sciences.
FCC Chairman Dr. Robert Pimentel presided over the FCC commencement ceremony for the first time since becoming President in July 2022. The Fresno City College commencement ceremony took place on Friday, May 19 at Ratcliffe Stadium.
The Class of 2023 broke another record for Fresno City College: 2,687 students were eligible to participate in the ceremony earning 2,849 degrees. Fresno City College commencement ceremony, Friday, May 19, at Ratcliffe Stadium.
The Class of 2023 broke another record for Fresno City College: 2,687 students were eligible to participate in the ceremony earning 2,849 degrees. Fresno City College commencement ceremony, Friday, May 19, at Ratcliffe Stadium.
The Class of 2023 broke another record for Fresno City College: 2,687 students were eligible to participate in the ceremony earning 2,849 degrees. Fresno City College commencement ceremony, Friday, May 19, at Ratcliffe Stadium.
Maria Rivera, of San Francisco, graduated as a 2023 Dean’s Medal from the City of Fresno’s Counseling and Guidance Division at a May 19 ceremony at Ratcliffe Stadium.
The Class of 2023 broke another record for Fresno City College: 2,687 students were eligible to participate in the ceremony earning 2,849 degrees. Fresno City College commencement ceremony, Friday, May 19, at Ratcliffe Stadium.
The Class of 2023 broke another record for Fresno City College: 2,687 students were eligible to participate in the ceremony earning 2,849 degrees. Fresno City College commencement ceremony, Friday, May 19, at Ratcliffe Stadium.
The Class of 2023 broke another record for Fresno City College: 2,687 students were eligible to participate in the ceremony earning 2,849 degrees. Fresno City College commencement ceremony, Friday, May 19, at Ratcliffe Stadium.
