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Alvin Community College celebrated its annual Commencement Ceremony on May 13 at Freedom Field in Iowa Colony.

More than 400 graduates crossed the stage with their degree or certificate during the ceremony. The graduates included those who finished their programs in the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022.

Guest speaker for Commencement was State Sen. Larry Taylor who talked about the role of education in a person’s life and the economy.

“You are truly a gateway to prosperity,” Taylor said. “You have all traveled different paths to get here and you’ve overcome various challenges to be recognized and awarded with these degrees and certificates.”

Many of the graduates began their education right when the COVID-19 lockdowns began, Taylor said.

“For that you should be particularly commended,” he said.

Degrees were awarded in Associate Of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Applies Science, Associate of Arts in Teaching and several certificates. Over the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, graduates earned a total of 968 associate degrees and certificates.

There was also 225 graduates from the Dual Degree program which students from local high schools earned their degree two weeks prior to receiving their high school diploma.

As technology in the workforce continues to expand and bring about new innovations, graduates must be prepared for those changes in order to prosper, Taylor said.

“The pace of change is incredibly rapid,” he said. “Our future is not secure unless we take steps today to ensure that future.”

ACC plays an important part in helping to meet the demands of the workforce while also improve the lives of its students,” he said.

“At ACC you have built the educational groundwork you need to compete and win in the highly competitive and strong economy in which we are blessed to live,” he said.