West Hills Lemoore celebrates students in a unique commencement ceremony

Wednesday, May 20, 2020 - 11:34am By The Leader Staff

West Hills College Lemoore’s faculty, administrators, and staff held the local college’s first-ever “Graduation in a Box” event Wednesday from 10 a.m. to about 3 p.m. in the drive-up leading to the Golden Eagle Arena.

  • Aaron Estrada Jr. shows off his diploma Wednesday morning at West Hills College.
  • Monique Lee shows off her West Hills College Lemoore diploma.
  • West Hills College Lemoore graduate Blessie Antonio and her father were among the first grads to arrive Wednesday morning to the cheers of the college's faculty and staff.
  • West Hills College Lemoore diplomas wait to be picked up by students.
  • West Hills College Lemoore Dean of Student Elmer Aguilar hands out diplomas and gifts.
  • Enthusiastic WHC Lemoore staffers greeted a steady stream of drive-thru graduates.
  • West Hills College faculty and staff enthusiastically greeted incoming grads.
  • Dr. Kristin Clark and WHC Chancellor Stuart VanHorn were on hand for the first-ever drive-thru commencement ceremony.
  • Faculty, administration and staff were well prepared for Wednesday's commencement ceremony.
  • The first grad in line, Michelle Hudson, accepts her gifts.

School officials expected 400 to 500 grads would show up in their vehicles to accept their diplomas and other gifts from masked faculty, administration, and staff members. The school’s president, Kristin Clark, and the West Hills Community College District Chancellor Stuart VanHorn were on hand to cheer on graduates as they drove up to accept their diplomas.

“It was a painstaking decision to cancel our commencement ceremony,” said Clark in an earlier press release. “Our graduates worked really hard, they were dedicated to their studies, and in the end, they persevered. This last semester was especially difficult because they had to overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The first WHC Lemoore grad was ushered into the drive-thru amidst hand-clapping and cheers. Michelle Hudson cheerfully accepted her diploma as the mask-faced crowd of school officials cheered and clapped for her.

Elmer Aguilar, the West Hills College Dean of Students, greeted each of the grads, presenting them with their hard-earned community college diplomas.

The Lemoore campus will release a graduation video on May 22, the school’s original commencement date.

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