Riverside Community College District’s colleges will celebrate the Class of 2017 with commencement ceremonies on Thursday, June 8.  Riverside City College’s 100th commencement ceremony will take place at 6 pm at Wheelock Stadium. Moreno Valley and Norco colleges will hold commencement ceremonies at 5:30 pm and 6 pm, respectively. The Moreno Valley College commencement will be held on the campus at College Park and Norco College’s ceremony will be at the soccer field.

The three colleges will award more than 7,750 degrees and certificates at this year’s commencement ceremonies.

RCC’s class amassed close to 5,300 degrees and certificates. In all, a total of 3,747 students will receive awards – 2,958 associate degrees and 789 certificates. College officials expect more than 750 RCC students participating in the 100th commencement ceremony.

MVC will award 730 associate degrees and 135 certificates. Within the class, 182 students will graduate with distinction, an increase of 28 percent from 2016, with another 64 students graduating with great distinction. Some 260 students are planning on participating in the commencement ceremony, including 37 Middle College students who have earned an associate degree while also completing their high school studies.

NC will graduate 989 students, and award 1,390 associate degrees and 198 certificates. College officials are expecting 350 students to participate in the commencement ceremony. This year’s graduating class at NC includes 21 students from JFK High School who earned 41 associate degrees, the most in the history of the high school.

Timothy White, California State University chancellor is the keynote speaker at RCC’s commencement; Yxstian Gutierrez, City of Moreno Valley mayor will address graduates at MVC; and Rex Beck, professor, Business Administration and Adriel Chavez-Sherman, student speaker will offer remarks to the Class of 2017 at NC.