More than 1,500 students graduate from Cuesta College. See the photos
More than 1,500 graduates walked across the stage at Cuesta College’s commencement ceremony on Friday, marking the college’s 61st annual graduation.
The ceremony celebrated graduates across the fall, spring and summer terms, spanning a myriad of educational pathways, according to a news release.
“This year’s graduating class represents resilience, determination and the transformative power of education,” Cuesta President Jill Stearns said in the release. “Each student has taken a unique path to reach this moment, and we are proud to celebrate their accomplishments and the impact they will have in our communities.”
More than 1,500 graduate from Cuesta College
Nour Makhoul was highlighted in the release as one of the college’s “standout” graduates.
Makhoul originally moved to the United States from a war-torn region of Syria — and three years later, she graduated with degrees in computer science and mathematics from Cuesta and plans to transfer to UC Davis to complete her bachelor’s degree in computer science.
During her time at Cuesta, she served as a math tutor and president of the honor’s society, the college said.
“Education has always been my way of looking forward,” Makhoul said in the release. “Cuesta College gave me the support, encouragement and community I needed to keep going and believe in what was possible.”
Of the more than 1,500 graduates — an increase from last year’s more than 1,200 — about 1,229 students earned their associate of arts degrees, while another 302 received an associate of science degree, the release said.
Another 691 students received an associate degree for transfer — a two-year degree that transfers directly to the California State University system.
A large chunk of the graduates hailed from local high schools on the Central Coast, the release said.
More than 590 graduates earned honors distinctions, with 273 receiving high honors and 32 graduating with 4.0 GPAs, according to the release.
The cohort of graduates ranged in age from 18 to 76 years old, the release said.
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