Culver City Observer -

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla will be the 2019 commencement speaker at Santa Monica College (SMC). SMC's 89th commencement ceremony will be held Tuesday, June 11 at 6 p.m. at Corsair Field on the college's main campus, 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica.

This will be largest graduating class in Santa Monica College's history: 9,110 degrees and certificates will be awarded to 5,905 students; this includes 24 Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design degrees which will be awarded to 24 students, the second class in SMC's history to graduate with a baccalaureate degree. More than 750 of the graduates are expected to take part in the festivities. Two of the youngest graduates are 17 and the oldest is 84.

For the tenth year in a row, the ceremony will also be webcast live and available on the college's website (smc.edu) so that families and friends worldwide who are not able to attend graduation will be able to watch the ceremony and see the graduates receive their diplomas.

"It is a tremendous privilege to have the Honorable Alex Padilla as our commencement speaker at Santa Monica College this year," said Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery, SMC's Superintendent/President. "With an inspiring personal life story, a record of striving for innovation and change, and a dedication to enhancing the pathway to higher education and expanding opportunities for community college students, Secretary Padilla's presence and message will have a special resonance for our graduates, who come from many diverse backgrounds."

Was elected in 2014 as California Secretary of State, the first Latino to be elected to this constitutional office. In this role, he has committed to modernizing the office, increasing voter registration and participation, and protecting voting rights.

Graduates and SMC friends are encouraged to visit and "like" the SMC Alumni Facebook fan page (facebook.com/SMCAlumni), as well as upload their graduation photos. They can also tag their pictures to Flickr or Twitter with #proudtobesmc to have them published so they can be viewed through the SMC's website and social media channels.

After the ceremonies, SMC Associated Students and the Office of Campus and Alumni Relations will host a reception on the quad, with free hors d'oeuvres, beverages, and photo booths. A compilation video will be available on the alumni website about a week after graduation. For more information on SMC's 89th commencement ceremony, visit smc.edu/graduation.