The Gavilan College Board of Trustees will confer a record
number of degrees and certificates at the Commencement Ceremony,
this evening at 6 p.m. Nearly 500 students will be honored. The
ceremony will be in the Bud Ottmar Memorial Gymnasium at the Gilroy
campus, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd.
Hollister resident and trustee Elvirar Zaragoza Robinson will
receive an honorary award.
The Gavilan College Board of Trustees will confer a record number of degrees and certificates at the Commencement Ceremony, this evening at 6 p.m. Nearly 500 students will be honored. The ceremony will be in the Bud Ottmar Memorial Gymnasium at the Gilroy campus, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd.
Hollister resident and trustee Elvirar Zaragoza Robinson will receive an honorary award.
Robinson served on the Gavilan College Board of Trustees from 1990 to 2010. She also served as chairperson of the College’s Latino Advisory Committee from 1989 to 2010.
Recognized for her service and community involvement numerous times, she was honored with Woman of the Year Awards from the 28th Assembly District (2011), the San Benito County LULAC (2000) and the Santa Clara County Human Relations Commission (1994). Active at the national level, Elvira has served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention on many occasions. She served for 11 years as the first Latina Deputy District Attorney in Santa Clara County. Her community involvement has included serving as the Director for the Women’s Legal Clinic in Gilroy, coordinator of the Bethany Youth Empowerment Center in Gilroy and on the Board of Directors for El Teatro Campesino. Elvira is a 1975 graduate of the Santa Clara University Law School. An attorney for 35 years, she currently is in criminal private practice.
Gavilan College graduation, by the numbers:
548 – total number of degrees and certificates to be conferred by the Board of Trustees
285 – Associate of Arts degrees to be awarded
151 – Certificates of Achievement to be awarded
96 – Associate of Science degrees to be awarded
91 – This will be the 91st graduating class for Gavilan College!
81 – Students graduating with honors
13 – Certificates of Proficiency to be awarded
11 – GECA seniors who will receive a degree or certificate from Gavilan College, earned while in high school.
8 – new members of the Rho Alpha Mu honor society
4 – number of tickets to graduation issued to each graduate
Gavilan College graduation, by the names:
Keynote / Alumni speaker: San Benito County Sheriff Darren Thompson, Born in Santa Cruz, Darren Thompson attended community colleges began his higher education at Cabrillo College and transferred to Gavilan College to study Criminal Justice. At the age of 23, Darren was hired by the Watsonville Police Department. For
23 years, Darren filled a number of positions, where ultimately in 2007, he achieved the rank of Lieutenant. Darren served as Lieutenant for three years where he oversaw the Operations Support Division within the Watsonville Police Department. During the Spring of 2010, Darren campaigned for the office of San Benito County Sheriff, and was elected Sheriff in November 2010. Sheriff Thompson has completed 2,400 hours of California Peace Officer
Standards and Training (POST) which has earned him his Management Certification. Sheriff Thompson is married and a father of 3 children – 2 of which are current Gavilan College Students.
GECA graduates: Kimberly Andrade, Fernando Chavez, Jeannine Gonzalez, Taylor Hadnot, Fabiola Hinostroza Martinez, Estefany Llamas, Oscar F. Leon, Angela S. Mannino, Jeanette Martinez, Sara Ochoa Pineda, Haley Larynn Bass
Rho Alpha Mu inductees: Eva Arizmendi, Jessica Castello, Jamie Chambers, David DiDenti, Sara Frias, Courtney Hoyland, Terrence Meighen, Jesus DeHaro
