First Lady Jill Biden to speak at Mesa Community College 2023-2024 commencement ceremony
The first lady of the United States Jill Biden was announced on Tuesday as a special guest speaker at Mesa Community College’s 2023-2024 graduation ceremony on May 11, 2024.
The event will be held at Arizona State University’s Desert Financial Arena with the ceremony starting at 9 a.m. and doors opening at 8 a.m.
Biden has previously visited the college in February 2023 where she highlighted affordable community college programs like Mesa College Promise. A MCC press release published this morning revealed she will once again be speaking to students of MCC at this year’s commencement ceremony.
Biden has been a classroom teacher for more than 30 years and is a long-time advocate for higher education, particularly community colleges. Biden has continued teaching English and writing while serving as first lady at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has been a professor since 2009.
“We are very honored that Dr. Biden will join us to celebrate this important day for our graduates and for the college,” said Kimberly Britt, Interim President of MCC in a news release published Tuesday morning.
“Biden last visited the Southern and Dobson Campus in February 2023 with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Mesa Mayor John Giles to emphasize the affordability of community college programs like Mesa College Promise that offers career-connected learning opportunities that lead to well-paying jobs., ” said Britt.
The event will be celebrating the accomplishments of more than 540 students who successfully met academic requirements to earn Certificates of Completion and Associate Degrees during the 2023-2024 academic year.
The event is open to graduates and their guests with a live stream beginning at 9 a.m. for those who wish to view the ceremony at home.
The ceremony will be themed “A Time to Remember and a Time to Celebrate” and will feature performances from MCC students. Adara Knelange will sing the National Anthem and MCC’s Disc Jockey Techniques students will be providing musical entertainment before and after the event begins.
The event will feature multiple guest speakers such as MCC alumna and member of the Arizona House of Representatives from the 9th District Lorena Austin, Governing Board President Susan Bitter Smith, and Chancellor Dr. Steven R. Gonzales from the Maricopa County Community College District. The 2023-2024 Class Honors Speaker will be Noemi Panza, a first-generation college student from Italy.
All guests must have a ticket to attend. Graduates were expected to receive information by email about the number of guest tickets they are eligible for and how to claim them.
In preparation for the event, the college has posted graduation success stories on their website where students shared personal experiences leading to this milestone event in their lives.
Correction, May 11, 2024: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated 2,400 students expected would attend the ceremony, when it should have been 540 students were expected
