HUNTINGTON BEACH – — Golden West College awarded about 770 students an Associate of Arts degree and 620 students a certificate of achievement this year.
More than 400 of those students attended the college’s 43rd commencement May 21 at the campus’ central quad. About 1,000 guests attended.
The college’s top honor, the R. Dudley Boyce Outstanding Student Award, went to Patricia Elizondo, who spoke during the ceremony. This award is named after the first Golden West College president.
Elizondo returned to school after 12 years in the workforce. She plans to become an attorney for the public school system and teach part-time.
She was part of the honor society, works with children at a transitional homeless shelter, and reads to school children through Project Page Turner.
The commencement speaker was Robert V. McDonald, president and executive director of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County and a founding member of the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame.
McDonald is a U.S. Navy Vietnam veteran and was recently appointed to the State Board of Governors of the California Community College System, where he chairs the Veteran’s Affairs Committee.
Contact the writer: aburris@ocregister.com or 714-796-7922
