Adult High School-Diploma program graduates (Photo – Melissa Michelson)
On June 5, 2026, Pasadena City College’s Noncredit Division celebrated its 39th commencement ceremony for the Class of 2026, but this was no ordinary graduation.
By Melissa Michelson
Nearly 100 students graduated from the Adult High School Diploma program at PCC, which offers free educational opportunities for adults and returning students. The Noncredit Division provides programs in parent education, English as a Second Language, Career Technical Education (CTE), and other areas designed to support lifelong learning.
About 50 graduates, joined by cheering friends, family members and professors, attended the ceremony and received their diplomas in the quad of PCC’s Community Education Center (CEC) on Foothill Boulevard, followed by a celebratory reception.
Graduating student Stephanie Castaneda spoke during the ceremony. A mother and grandmother in her 40s, Castaneda returned to school to earn her high school diploma and now plans to transfer into PCC’s credit program to study speech-language pathology. She described her educational journey as one marked by self-doubt and fear, but also by perseverance
“We did it!” she told her fellow graduates. “Through the obstacles, even when it wasn’t easy.”
In his welcome address, Dr. Francisco Suarez, dean of Noncredit and Adult Education, reminded the audience gathered in the grassy quad that “each graduate has overcome challenges and remained committed to achieving their educational goals.”
Another student speaker, Thelma Orellana, became emotional as she addressed the crowd.
“It might have been easy for many, but for us, it wasn’t,” she said. “For me, it took 26 years.”
Orellana spoke about the anxiety of returning to school and the resilience and self-belief required to complete her diploma while trying to make ends meet. She also plans to continue her education through PCC’s credit program on Colorado Boulevard.
Noncredit faculty and staff were also on hand to celebrate the graduates.
Wendy Ince has taught science in the Adult High School Diploma program since 2006. She attends the annual commencement ceremony each year to support her students and demonstrate her pride in the program.
“Students are nervous about being back in school because it’s not the norm to be in their 40s or 50s and sitting in a classroom to earn a high school diploma,” Ince said. “This is a huge step in their lives.”
Ince recalled a class that celebrated the 80th birthday of one of her students. She said students enroll for a variety of reasons—to stay mentally active, build social connections, and achieve personal goals such as completing high school.
“It’s never too late,” she said.
Stephanie Castaneda (Photo – Melissa Michelson)
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