LBCC’s graduation ceremony has been changed to 9:30 a.m. for the 2025 Commencement Ceremony to be held on June 5.
Past ceremonies have been held during the afternoon with start times ranging from 3 to 5 p.m,
The change was made this year due to a student survey, conducted by Student Services after the 2024 Commencement Ceremony, revealed a major gripe among attendees.
“The time of the Commencement didn’t have an effect on (the graduates) but they would have liked it to not be in the heat. So the committee that works on the Commencement played with the time and thought that a morning time would be cooler, and that could assist in people’s comfort level,” Dean of Student Affairs Deborah Miller-Calvert said.
Miller-Calvert revealed that this survey was conducted due to the committee members realizing that many attendees would not stay for the whole ceremony.
“The number of students who participate in commencement has gone up, but students don’t always go back to their seats after their name was called,” Miller-Calvert said.
She also revealed other popular suggestions made by surveyed students such as having unlimited guests and to be able to sit nearer to faculty and staff that were important to them.
“We take feedback and try to use it in a meaningful way. There were concerns of heat and running out of sunlight. This way, we can end around lunch hour and students can have time to go celebrate with their families,” Superintendent-President Mike Munoz said.
The time change is the only meaningful change for this year’s commencement ceremony and came as a result of the feedback.
Counselor Kevin Enriquez advised that there is a commencement website where students can RSVP and receive updates. It also contains a link to buy regalia.
Regalia can also be found in person at the Vikings bookstore.
“Students can just come in during our open hours, and then it goes by height, they have samples to try on. Then once they know what they’re getting, they receive the rest of their bundle,” bookstore manager Ruth Ramirez said.
The bundle includes the gown, cap, tassel, and hoods.
Enriquez further elaborated upon the graduation process for students nearing graduation.
“When a student is hitting their last semester, they first need to submit a graduation application, so an evaluator can verify that their degree is satisfied,” he said.
Graduation registration can be found on the school website.
