Graduation Stories

Read the stories of amazing students at Santa Monica College!

2019

Maya Thompson, Graduation Student Speaker

“Still I Rise” – Maya Angelou

Noe Aguirre

Volunteering for Transition

Vanessa Dotson

Dreams Do Come True

Alex Boyd and Hermin Price

Stronger Than Yesterday!

Cristian Vasquez

From DREAMer to Believer

Xiaxia Zhang

From Literature to Mathematics: Great Surprises!

2018

Ryan Ang, Graduation Student Speaker

Focusing on Policies for Change

Gabriel Berkovich

Running to the Future

Ashley Ku

Reaching Out to Succeed

Maritza Lopez

One Day, One Dream at a Time

2017

John Abughattas, Graduation Student Speaker

Taking a Philosophical Approach

Rayford Brown

Journey Into the Sunlight

Micca Cao

The Future is All There is

Isabel Castillo

Leap of Faith

Tamara Mmbuka

Giving Back to the Community

Lily Och

Stepping Forward

Matthew Seifert

Finishing What You Started

Read about the Class of 2017 graduating class in Three Graduating SMC Students Celebrate New Beginnings.

2016

Karishma Lakhani, Graduation Student Speaker

One Step, Almost There

Hamdi Ahmed

Looking Forward

Po Chee Leung

Determined and On Course

Angel Najera

Persevere with Curiosity

Aurelia Rhymer

A Dream Alive

Dalia Soto-Beltran

An Open Heart and Mind

2015

Caitlin Corker, Graduation Student Speaker

Give Yourself a Chance

​​

Genesis Garcia

A Long Journey

Alex Kierlanczyk

Empathy is Everything

Daniel Kolko

A Voice for the Future

Marie Medina

Tragedy to Triumph

Sure Oeng

Change Your Destiny