Yuba College honors its 2023 graduates
May 30—Yuba College said farewell to the graduating class of 2023 during its 95th commencement ceremony on Friday.
Friends and family members of the graduates packed Yuba College's athletic stadium as nearly 500 students took their places on the football field to receive their degrees or certificates.
With over 800 graduates in the class of 2023, Yuba College President Dr. Tawny Dotson said that this year's class holds 400 first-generation students, over 200 women and 55 veterans.
Vice President of Instruction Dr. Jeremy Brown welcomed those in attendance including members of the Yuba Community College District Board of Trustees along with board and staff members of the Yuba City Unified School District. Among the college graduates were Yuba City Unified's first graduates of the Early College Access program, wherein students of Yuba City High School and River Valley High School completed 60 units of college credit alongside their standard high school courses.
These students will graduate with both a high school diploma and associate degree.
"We are so proud of our first graduating class for the Early College High School program. They started their journey four years ago and had to overcome many challenges to make it across the finish line," Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Pamela Aurangzeb said. "After four years in the program, they received so much more than a diploma. They learned the value of perseverance and developed so much confidence."
Winifred Taliaferro served as a student speaker during the commencement ceremony. Taliaferro graduated with an associate degree in psychology, sociology, English, communications and social and behavioral Science. She plans to attend California State University, Chico in the fall semester where she will major in social work and eventually obtain her master's degree.
During her time at Yuba College, Taliaferro served as president for the Associated Students of Yuba College, a student representative on the Leadership for Equity, Achievement and Diversity committee, a tutor and a founding member of the college's sociology club.
Taliaferro spoke to her fellow graduates about the challenges and opportunities she faced during her educational career, referring to them as dream killers and dream fulfillers respectively. She told her classmates that she was 6 years old when she watched Dr. Martin Luther King give his "I have a dream" speech, which inspired her own commencement speech.
For Taliaferro, one of her dreams was to finish college with a 4.0 GPA, but the COVID-19 pandemic and deaths in her family nearly prevented her, she said. It was her connection to others, positive thinking and belief in herself that helped her achieve her goal.
"There are dream fulfillers: find solutions to obstacles, get involved with like minded individuals who encourage you to shoot for the moon and believe in yourself. All of us did," Taliaferro said.
Monica Foster was this year's Yuba College Medal of Honor recipient, which recognizes students for their academic excellence and contributions to Yuba College. Academic Senate President Dr. Meridith Selden said that Foster was selected to receive the medal due to her commitment to helping others achieve their academic goals while raising three children.
"This gets better everytime we do this," Dotson said. "This moment is yours forever. This moment is about your accomplishments, and now you're ready for more. ... This is the future of our nation."
