Friday, June 16, 2023 in the Citrus College Stadium

Graduates check-in on Friday, June 16, 2023 starting at 5 p.m., dressed in cap and gown, ready to form the procession line.

The ceremony will begin promptly at 6 p.m.

In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held at the stadium on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at a time to be determined (morning or evening) depending on weather forecast and conditions. Please check this college website, Citrus College social media, and be sure to check your Citrus College email in the event inclement weather is forecasted.

Dignitaries lead the processional into the stadium promptly at 6 p.m., followed by faculty and students.

Once everyone is seated, the superintendent/president and others will speak to the graduating class.

Students will then proceed to the stage, where their names will be read one-by-one, and a picture will be taken by a professional photographer, as they receive their diploma cover. Official diplomas will be mailed to students by admissions and records at the end of September 2023.

After all names have been read, there will be a brief ceremony wrap up, followed by the recessional of the dignitaries, faculty, and students.

Guests are asked to be courteous to all graduates by remaining seated until the ceremony ends.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, guests may exit from the stands down onto the football field to meet with their graduates, family, friends, and faculty members.

Air horns and other loud devices are NOT permitted at the ceremony.

Coolers, bottles, and alcoholic beverages are NOT permitted on campus or in the stadium.

Smoking is NOT permitted in the stadium.

Due to the large number of guests in attendance, the stadium parking lot will be congested. Please encourage guests to arrive one (1) hour prior to the start of the ceremony (5 p.m.). There is no charge for parking.

Citrus College is located at 1000 W. Foothill Boulevard in Glendora at the intersections of Foothill Boulevard, Citrus Avenue, and Barranca Avenue.

The stadium is located on Barranca Avenue, just north of Route 66.

For directions, please review the following maps:
Citrus College campus map
Getting to Citrus College from your location
(GPS Coordinates: 34.1308° N, 117.8840° W)

No tickets are required. Family and friends are welcome. There is ample seating in the stadium and no limit to the number of guests a graduate may invite. No parking permits are required on June 16, 2023.

By law, we are required to keep aisles and walkways in the stands clear in case of an emergency. There are designated seats available on the stadium track for guests with mobility challenges. Guests with mobility challenges can invite one attendant or family member to sit with them on the track in the designated seating area. Please ask campus safety personnel to direct you to designated seating.

NOTE: There is no disabled access to seating in the stands from the east entrance to the stadium. For disabled access, please use the north or south entrances located at the west end of the stadium.

An area has been provided for strollers just inside the north and south entrances to the stadium. 

NOTE: The stroller areas are NOT supervised! Please DO NOT leave personal items in strollers.

Check in begins at 4:45 p.m. All graduates must arrive by no later than 5 p.m. to check in, pick-up your name card and form a procession line.

Details will be emailed to all eligible graduates in early May about the specific location to check in and details to be aware of in preparation for graduation day.

NOTE: Spiked heels are NOT allowed, as they damage the stadium turf and all-weather track. Platform shoes are an acceptable alternative.

All eligible graduate students who:

1. have completed and submitted a graduation application to admissions and records by Friday, April 14, 2023 deadline;
   
2. have been approved by admissions and records as eligible to graduate;
   and
3. plan to participate in the 2023 commencement ceremony,
   must RSVP online.

The link to the RSVP, along with other graduation related information, will be emailed to eligible students using their student email account. Only eligible students will receive the information email on Friday, April 28, 2023 (student email account).
Students who submitted an application for spring 2023 or summer 2023 graduation by the April 14, 2023 deadline will receive this email by Thursday, May 18, 2023.
** If you have met all requirements to participate and have not received your email by end of day on Friday, May 19, 2023, please email commencement@citruscollege.edu for further information.

Students that RSVP will automatically be added to the ceremony confirmation roster, which allows students to purchase a cap and gown at the Owl Bookshop.

The RSVP link will open on Friday, April 28 and will close on Friday, May 26, 2023 at 4 p.m.

Students who do not RSVP will not be eligible to participate in the ceremony – no exceptions.

Students can purchase a cap and gown along with other graduation apparel at the Owl Bookshop. All items will be sold during regular business hours until Friday, May 26, 2023.

Graduates are encouraged to purchase their cap and gown early for the best selection of gown sizes.

The Black Scholars, CalWORKs, and EOPS/CARE programs purchase caps and gowns for students participating in their programs. The veterans program provides cap and gowns exclusive to student veterans.

Black Scholars, CalWORKs, EOPS/CARE program students and student veterans who have applied to graduate by Friday, April 14, 2023 will be contacted by college staff, and the student will be provided information on how to order their cap and gown.

For more information, please contact the program offices directly:

• Black Scholars
  (626) 914-8716
  blackscholars@citruscollege.edu
  
  
• CalWORKs
  (626) 852-8023
  calworks@citruscollege.edu
  
  
• EOPS/CARE
  (626) 914-8555
  eopands@citruscollege.edu
  
  
• Veterans Success Center (student veterans only)
  (626) 852-6457
  mbuffo@citruscollege.edu

If you are a member of one or more honor societies at Citrus College and plan to participate in the 2023 commencement ceremony, please make sure you have completed the paperwork required for membership by Friday, April 14, 2023.

If you are not sure about eligibility, please contact your advisor. Honor society graduates who complete membership requirements by the deadline, are recognized at the ceremony with the Associated Students of Citrus College.

Students who have successfully served one semester or more as an officer on the ASCC Executive Board are eligible to wear a special medallion indicating their service to the college. If you are planning to participate in the 2023 commencement ceremony, please go to the student life and leadership development office to confirm you are on the executive board graduate list and pick up your medallion.

ASCC Executive Board graduates are recognized at the ceremony with honor society graduates.

Diplomas will mailed to the student's physical address on file with admissions and records) at the end of September. For detailed information, visit the Degree and Diploma Information web page.

If your address has changed or will change, please submit a Student Update Form online as soon as possible.

Professional photography will be provided by GradImages.

Each graduate will be photographed just prior to walking on stage and again as they receive their diploma.

Proofs will be emailed to graduates by GradImages within one week of the ceremony.

Orders are placed directly with GradImages and information about ordering is available on the GradImages website.

Tasha VanHorn, a full-time speech instructor and distance education pioneer who has taught at Citrus College for 25 years, is the 2023 recipient of the Citrus College Distinguished Faculty Award.

VanHorn has made a significant impact in the Citrus College Language Arts and Library Division. In addition to developing online and honors public speaking courses, she also founded the Citrus College Speech Club and successfully advocated for free speech tutors and the development of the Citrus College Speech Lab.

"Day-by-day, my proudest moments are my students' successes," said VanHorn, who is retiring at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year. "Watching my students gain confidence in themselves is humbling and exciting."

As an instructor, VanHorn sought to engage students by making course content relevant to their own daily lives. For example, she designed informative speech assignments to be an opportunity for students to research their dream careers. She also encouraged students to research congressional bills for their persuasive speech assignments in order to learn more about the legislative process. To that end, VanHorn takes pride in having motivated and empowered students to become more politically active.

To make classes fun and reduce the anxiety surrounding giving speeches, VanHorn also brought in coloring projects and started each lesson with a "song-of-the-day."

"Students sometimes remembered the quote from the song, which is important because the quote focused on the concept or activity being taught that day," VanHorn said. "The music also contributed to an upbeat tone to start each class."

VanHorn's contributions to Citrus College have extended beyond the classroom. Over the years, she has participated in numerous academic panels and presentations, served in many leadership roles, and received various awards, including the 2007 Outstanding Community College Educator of the Year from the National Communication Association. VanHorn is also a nationally published communications scholar.

An alumna of Fullerton College, VanHorn graduated with highest honors from California State University, Fullerton, earning a bachelor's degree in communications and master’s degree in speech communications.

On a personal note, VanHorn is the first in her family to go to college and is proud that all of her children, Steve, Angel and Ladonna, earned college degrees.

"I am truly humbled, honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve our students, Citrus College and my profession for 25 years," VanHorn added. "Citrus College has never been just a job or paycheck to me. Rather, it is the chance to carry on the legacy of my former professors who generously passed on their knowledge to me and others."

Citrus College Commencement
Office of Vice President of Student Services
commencement@citruscollege.edu
(626) 914-8532