COD Students Honored at Campus Ceremonies
As the spring semester came to an end, several ceremonies honoring College of the Desert (COD) students were held in May.
It all began with the students who were inducted to COD’s Beta Rho Iota Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, on Monday, May 14. The ceremony was held in the Cravens Student Services Center, Multipurpose Room. At the same event, three COD students were honored for their selection to the 2012 Phi Theta Kappa All-California Academic Team.
The Transfer Recognition Ceremony was on Wednesday, May 16, in the Hilb Building. Over 130 students who are transferring to a four-year university were honored at the event. Well over three hundred guests attended to support the transfer students.
Students that participate in the TRiO program at College of the Desert were recognized on Thursday, May 17, during the TRiO Graduation and Transfer Celebration. The program is designed to provide comprehensive counseling and to assist students in meeting the challenges of graduating from COD and transferring to a four-year university of their choice.
On Friday, May 18, the Upward Bound Award Ceremony was held in the Hilb Building. The program is designed to assist first generation college students and prepare local high school students to enter college and graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Upward Bound provides participants with supplemental counseling, academic coursework and leadership development workshops.
A colorful ceremony inducted College of the Desert students into the nursing ranks at the McCallum Theatre on Thursday, May 24. Approximately fifty students earned the Associate Degree in Nursing and are now eligible to take the licensing examination to become Registered Nurses. Nursing faculty will speak at the event as well as pin the eligible students.
The 23rd College of the Desert (COD) Public Safety Academy (PSA) Basic Peace Officer Training Awards Ceremony was held on Thursday, May 24th, at the McCallum Theatre. The ceremony was preceded by a formal cadet inspection in front of the McCallum. Approximately 60 Module II and III cadets received certificates for meeting the training requirements prescribed by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training for Level II and III-Reserve Peace Officers in the State of California. Information: 760.568.3083.
The finale to the academic school year is the Commencement ceremony held the last Friday of the semester, May 25, on Boone Football Field. Some 600 students graduated and approximately 325 participated in the evening ceremony. Two students graduating with highest honors spoke along with College President Jerry Patton and Dr. Fred Jandt, Dean, CSUSB Palm Desert Campus. Outstanding Faculty of the Year 2011-12, Carol Amelia Lasquade, Coordinator/Counselor, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE) & CalWorks, also delivered an address.