Southwestern College’s new and greatly improved stadium still could not fi all the 2023 graduates and their cheering sections, so for the first time ever the college held two celebrations.
More than 800 students were split into morning and aft oon ceremonies, both of which drew near-capacity crowds to DeVore Stadium. Students were sorted by the schools their presenting professors belonged to.
CROSSING THE STAGE — Ngoc Phu Xinh Nguyen, who goes by Sally, was one of about 800 students to participate in the commencement. For the first time ever SC split the event into
Among the special guests were Latin Grammy-winning guitarist and Spanish knight Pepe Romero (a friend of honorary degree recipient Sandra Scheller) and Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, a former student and adjunct instructor.
ASO Vice President Imani Drew gave an inspiring commencement address that encouraged her classmates to be persistent and to use their educations for the betterment of the nation.
HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT
Sandra Scheller, the tireless Holocaust educator, and human rights activist, was presented the Southwestern College Honorary Degree for her decades of service. Her mother, Holocaust survivor Ruth Goldschmiedova Sax, was the recipient in 2018. Scheller’s latest exhibit will be hosted for one year at the Rancho San Diego Library in El Cajon.
Photos By Cheri-Ann Inouye/Staff
