[SPOKANE, Wash.] After being incarcerated for 20 years, David Koch – who graduates from Spokane Community College on Friday – never imagined that he would be getting a college degree. Mary Ann Matheson – an Indigenous woman who will graduate from Spokane Falls Community College – plans to use her degree to help people on Native American reservations.
Koch and Matheson will be among the students receiving their degrees or certificates from SCC and SFCC during the Community Colleges of Spokane’s graduation ceremonies on Friday at the Spokane Arena. SFCC’s ceremony will begin at 3:00 p.m., and the SCC event will start at 7:00 p.m. The graduations are free and open to the public.
More than 3,000 degrees and certificates will be awarded to students for the 2022-2023 academic year. SCC will award 1,982 degrees and certificates; SFCC will award 1,158.
Earlier this spring, many students participated in community graduations. Matheson attended the Native American Graduation Ceremony on April 26. Students also took part in the African American and Hispanic graduation ceremonies as well as the LGBTQ+ Lavender Graduation and Nurse Pinning ceremony. This week includes smaller CCS-only events, such as Pullman (Monday), an all-day pickup of diplomas at SCC for Adult Basic Education (Tuesday) and regional graduations at Colville (Thursday) and Newport (Friday).
Throughout this week, the Riverfront Park Pavilion and Great Northern Clock Tower will be lit up in two of the CCS colors, blue and yellow, to honor the graduates’ future impact on the city.
For SFCC’s 2022-2023 graduating class, the college is awarding approximately:
· 1,158 total number of degrees and certificates
· 675 Associate of Arts (AA) transfer degrees
· 382 professional-technical degrees
· 27 Bachelor of Applied Science degrees
· 74 certificates
· 152 associate degrees to Running Start students
At SFCC’s Pullman campus, 33 students are graduating with AA transfer degrees or certificates.
For SCC’s 2022-2023 graduating class, the college is awarding approximately:
· 429 Associate of Arts (AA) transfer degrees
· 464 certificates and degrees in business, hospitality and information technology
· 513 certificates and degrees in technical education
· 314 certificates and degrees in health and environmental sciences
· 111 associate degrees to Running Start students
At SCC’s rural education sites, Newport center is awarding 52 degrees; Colville, Republic and Inchelium together are awarding 129 degrees.
If you have questions or would like to request an interview, please contact Strategic Communications Manager Rachel Román at Rachel.Roman@ccs.spokane.edu, 509-863-2962.
Click the links to download full-resolution photos of previous graduations for SCC and SFCC.
Community Colleges of Spokane is a dynamic, 12,300-square-mile state community college district that includes Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College and five rural education sites, serving residents in Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whitman, Ferry and parts of Lincoln counties.