Press Release
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For Immediate Release
5/29/2015
Delta College Class of 2015 Graduates 1,523 Students
80th Annual Commencement May 28th - Student Speaker, Eric Luis
Delta College staff and students met at DeRicco Field to celebrate our 80th Commencement Ceremony
(Stockton, CA)
Originally known as “The Junior College of the College of the Pacific” in 1935, San Joaquin Delta College celebrated its 80th Annual Commencement on Thursday, May 28, 6 p.m. at the Stockton Arena. Delta College Superintendent/President Dr. Kathy Hart presided over the ceremony.
1,523 students graduated in the Class of 2015, with 2,403 degrees awarded. Students received Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees, with many graduates earning multiple degrees. 511 Delta College students earned 637 certificates, signifying the completion of specialized or technical training in specific career fields.
Community College Week Magazine consistently places San Joaquin Delta College in the top 40 nationally for Associate Degrees earned in all disciplines. These rankings are derived from a pool of more than 5000 institutions across the United States; Delta College ranked 38th in 2014.
The Class of 2015 recognized 17 students that earned perfect 4.0 GPAs during their Delta College academic careers:
Zachary Stephen Benjamin, Louie M. Camargo, Timothy Robert Collins, Monica Gonzalez, Narinderjit Kaur Grewal, Stephanie Lynne Herold, Caitlyn Chrystene Jimenez-Arteaga, Kim Le, Andrey V. Martynyuk, Jimmy Perez, Jr., Karen Ramirez, Joanna Padua Rivera, Melissa Dessiree Saucedo, Raunak Singh, Gurjeet Singh Warraich, Stephen Wing Wong and Jae Uk Yu.
Congratulations all!
Eric Luis
Delta College 80th Commencement Speaker - Class of 2015
Reentry student and lifelong Stockton resident Eric Luis, 37, was Delta College’s Class of 2015 student speaker. Eric gave a rousing speech that encouraged students to be the masters of their fate and take control of their future and careers.
A homeowner, Eric juggled his Save Mart Supermarket job to earn an Electronics Certificate, including degrees in Business, English, Retail Management, and Interdisciplinary Studies.
As if Eric wasn’t busy enough with work and studies, he offered his repair talents to the Delta community by leading a team to fix Disability Support Programs and Services (DSPS) motorized scooters. Eric explained, “I wanted Delta students with mobility challenges to enjoy equitable access to the campus and their classes.”
A Lincoln High grad, Eric discovered his passion for electronics by purchasing a 1977 Gottlieb Sinbad pinball machine, based on the movie Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. “It was constantly broken, and I found I enjoyed repairing it,” says Eric. “Most repair work of this type is research and documentation.” Eric’s goal to pursue an electronics career and upgrade his skills prompted a return to Delta College in the fall of 2012.
Self-taught in the unique skill of repairing pinball machines, Eric’s collection is now up to six. He’s a budding pinball machine historical expert as well. “The favorite machine in my collection is the 1991 Williams Bride of Pin-Bot.” Pin-Bot features a female robot that speaks back to the player…sometimes with risqué comments. Eric laughs, “Don’t worry, it has a family mode.” Eric sees possible job opportunities in the “retro hobbyist industry” either in repair or pinball arcade ownership.
The last thing Eric Luis expected was to be selected as Delta’s student speaker for the Class of 2015. As the regional winner of the 2015 Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition for his Small Business class, Eric will represent Delta at this year’s state finals. Eric recounts, “I was a victim of my own success.”
Eric’s Entrepreneurial Pitch sang the praises of Delta College and was well received by all, especially his wife, Amethyst. After much prodding, Amethyst convinced a reluctant Eric to enter his pitch for consideration in Delta’s commencement speaker search. The speech proposal was banished to the backup circuits of Eric’s mind until…Success!
Well now...it appears that Amethyst was correct.
“She is overjoyed and extremely proud.” Eric admits initial disbelief on learning he was chosen as speaker. “I walked around in a daze for hours! I’m humbled by this selection, and extremely excited.”
Eric Luis, Delta's Student Speaker at the 80th Commencement Ceremony, Stockton Arena. |
Eric is happy he made the choice to continue his education, emphasizing, “My return to Delta College as an adult has been enormously positive. I’m grateful for the faculty and staff support I continue to receive.” On graduation, Eric will explore electronics job opportunities and continue his educational path to develop a repair business. Eventually, he would like to pursue an advanced electronics degree at UC Santa Cruz or UC Davis.
Eric Luis finishes with this advice for reentry students: “Before you make the commitment to return to school, decide exactly what you want. Seize the opportunity and make the time for your education and future. If you have the drive, you will succeed.”
In the meantime…does anybody have an old pinball machine to repair?
The Class of 2015 moves the tassels from right to left on graduation, as is traditional.
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