It is officially graduation season, and as institutions across the nation are celebrating the Class of 2024, Lone Star College (LSC) in Houston, Texas is raising the bar for inclusive commencement ceremonies.
LSC Chancellor Mario K. Castillo, J.D., and school board member Viola M. Garcia, Ed.D., welcomed graduates, families, and friends to the inaugural Ceremonia de Graduación en Español del Lone Star College on May 18 at M.O. Campbell Educational Center. The Spanish-language commencement ceremony is one of multiple graduation events held across the college’s eight campuses to accommodate its multifaceted student body.
The occasion, complete with Mariachi musicians and Folklorico traditional dancers, commemorated the accomplishments of nearly 100 students from a variety of degrees and certifications in a blend of cultural celebration and academic achievement.
Invoking his own experience with language barriers in education, Chancellor Castillo said, “I’m glad these parents had an experience my parents didn’t. Students won’t have to explain to their parents what was happening or what was said.”
Designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), and recognized as a 2023 Fulbright HSI Leader by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, LSC students from Latino and Spanish-speaking backgrounds represented more than 44% of the total student population in Fall 2023.
In a 16% increase from Spring 2023, Lone Star College awarded 11,236 degrees and certificates during the Spring 2024 commencement.
