To All Graduates and Guests

At no time in history has the campus more reflected our community. For our graduates, you will be moving on to new challenges and your life will be ever-changing. You are not the same person who entered into one of our educational programs a few years ago.  You have grown, changed and developed.  So has our campus. It is not the same as when you arrived, and it will continue to grow for the next several years.

The theme for this year’s commencement exercise is EMPOWERING OUR STUDENTS WITH KNOWLEDGE ON THE PATHWAY TO SUCCESS.  We are committed to this empowerment through creating a new campus for our community. Twenty-first century education demands twenty-first century facilities. To fulfill our mandate to offer you the steps of personal empowerment, we have recognized our responsibility to establish a superior learning environment. While you were completing the requirements for your degree, we have been removing or replacing every structure on campus.  Just this year we completed our new parking structure, a new women’s softball field, new student services and administrative buildings as well as many other projects. Next year we hope to open the signature buildings for our new campus, the Performing and Fine Arts Complex. During your time here, college and students have grown and changed together. All of these changes have been due to the generosity of those in our community who supported three separate bond measures which will guarantee that ELAC will remain as one of the premier community colleges in the United States.

Our theme for this graduation year of 2009 deals with the twin goals of empowerment and success. The cooperation of our community in providing the funds necessary to develop a superior learning environment with faculty dedicated to the latest and best teaching techniques has contributed to your academic achievements.  Now you are ready to take that second step toward your individual pathway to success. As an alumnus you are now ready to begin your career or to continue your education at a university. ELAC has assisted in your empowerment and now it is up to you to put that development into practice. You have started here and are fulfilling our motto of being able to go anywhere.

As President, I also hope that your pathway to success will always lead back to ELAC. You are part of an ever-growing body of alumni that will make a difference in our community. Just as you have been empowered and are beginning on your pathway to success, I hope that you will remember where your journey began.  And, that you will remember that we need your assistance to insure that future generations will also have the opportunity for both empowerment and success.

Congratulations on your excellent work and good luck wherever your pathway leads!

Ernest H. Moreno, President