San Bernardino Valley College awards over 7,500 degrees and certificates at 2022 commencement

On May 25th, San Bernardino Valley College awarded over 7,500 degrees and certificates to 4,500 brand new graduates from the class of 2020, 2021, and 2022. 

While the temperature was blazing that morning, thousands of family, friends and loved ones attended the outdoor commencement ceremony at the SBVC Football Stadium to celebrate, including those students who received a virtual commencement in 2020 and 2021 amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

“We’re here to honor the graduating class of 2022 and the class of 2020 and 2021 who graduated virtually and are now able to join us in person; congratulations you did it. Many of you will be continuing your education at universities in California and across the country. While some of you are ready to enter the most competitive career fields in the nation, where you will directly impact the quality of your life – your knowledge comes with power, your education gives you power, and each of you has the power to impact your community and the world beyond,” said Interim President Dr. Scott W. Thayer.

Leading the ceremony into the Pledge of Allegiance, Associated Student Governor Bridget Pierce shared sentiment on her 40-year journey to graduation. 

“I started my journey at SBVC right out of high school, but at the age of 20 I was frustrated with myself and I purposely left my backpack in the parking lot one night after class. I returned to SBVC in 2019 to finish what I started over 40 years ago. I am here to show you that you can turn a pickle back into a cucumber, you just have to keep getting up no matter what happens,” said Pierce. 

One of the recurring sentiments amongst the commencement speakers was the importance family, friends, and loved ones play in the academic success of a student. 

“On behalf of the San Bernardino Community College Board of Trustees, congratulations to graduates and congratulations to the loved ones that are here today to support them and join in on the celebration of their triumph as they take this next step in their educational career. Our community and world will be a better place because of people like you. You are smart, hard-working, and driven to make tomorrow a better place than today. To the class of 2020, 2021, and 2022, congratulations, Felicidades,” said Gloria Macias Harrison, board of trustees chair. 

At the commencement ceremony Film Student and Graduate Odin Contreras, detailed how his time at SBVC allowed him to be his authentic self via clubs on campus.

“I moved from Texarkana, Texas to San Bernardino in 2017 to graduate in film production and I’m here graduating today. It was the first time in my life that I truly didn’t have any friends during my educational career and I was scared, yet this allowed me to be my true authentic self,” said Contreras. 

Specifically, he attributes the college’s Dreamers Club as a source of security during his transition from Texas to California; the club aims to empower immigrants, undocumented, dreamer students, and community supporters by educating them on the resources of immigration rights.

“By joining the SBVC Dreamers Club during my first semester, I immediately found a safe space where others like myself could connect and relate to each other. What helped me mature as a person was my constant involvement with non-profit work such as the Sierra Club, Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, and my most recent work with TruEvolution Inc. In the future, I hope that through my films I’m able to enlighten many messages of social justice and environmental justice to one day uplift the voices that have been oppressed for so long,” concluded Contreras.