EUGENE, Ore. — Lane Community College will celebrate its 56th Annual Commencement on Saturday, June 12, at 10 a.m. during a virtual ceremony viewable from the college’s main webpage. As part of the ceremony, the college will confer nearly 1,900 associate degrees and certificates to approximately 1,105 students.
U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., is the keynote speaker and recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Alumni award for her advocacy and support of equity and public education, particularly community colleges.
Other speakers include LCC President Dr. Margaret Hamilton, LCC Provost Dr. Paul Jarrell, outgoing, long-time board member Matt Keating, Student Government Association President Amber Coleman, and Faculty Council Co-Chair, Jennifer Kepka.
“We are honored to welcome Congresswoman Bonamici as our keynote speaker to inspire our graduates as they start their own journeys of success,” said LCC President Margaret Hamilton. “Our graduates have endured a challenging year and we encourage the community to join us in celebrating their accomplishments.”
Bonamici, a long-time advocate for equity in education policy and funding, worked her way through school as a student at LCC, where she earned an associate degree before transferring to the University of Oregon to earn her bachelor’s and law degrees. In Congress, she is a leader on the Education and Labor Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services. She played a lead role in the passage of the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (replaced No Child Left Behind) and continues to advocate for affordable higher education, including legislation that would make two years of community college free.
This year, roughly 45 percent of Lane’s graduating class are career technical students and 55 percent are transfer students. About 55 percent are first-generation college students and 54 percent of the graduates will have more than one award conferred.
LCC Commencement By the Numbers:
- 117: Number of students graduating with a 4.0 or higher GPA
- 55: Number of international student graduates
- 55: Percentage of first-generation college graduates
- 53: Percentage of graduates who received Pell grants
- 24: Percentage of graduates who self-identified as BIPOC
- 20: Percentage of graduates who received Oregon Promise grants
Lane Community College educates over 25,000 students annually at six locations across Lane County and online. Students and alumni from all 50 states and 79 countries create more than an $850 million dollar impact on the local economy, helping to support more than 13,000 local jobs. Lane provides affordable, quality, professional technical and college transfer programs; business development and employee training; academic, language and life skills development; and lifelong personal development and enrichment courses.