Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

PCC commencement spotlights students, new president

Photos and story by James Hill

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Community College’s 42nd commencement will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 11 in the Memorial Coliseum, One Center Court, 1401 N. Wheeler Ave. This year, 2,657 graduates earn associate of arts Oregon transfer, associate of science, associate of general studies and associate of applied science degrees; one- and two-year certificates; high school diplomas; and GED certificates.PCC’s commencement presents the first opportunity for the college to introduce its new president, Dr. Preston Pulliams, to graduates, their families and the community. Pulliams, formerly the vice-chancellor for Community Colleges for the State University of New York, began his tenure as PCC’s fifth president in late May.Family, friends, faculty and staff will be in attendance to cheer the graduates and celebrate their accomplishments as they take center stage. In addition to Pulliams, the program features Jerry Berger, ex-interim District President; PCC Board Chair Bob Palmer; and student speakers Bryan Ruzicka and Rylee Keys. The event will include PCC student Jillyn Chang singing the National Anthem. Nan Poppe, Extended Learning Campus president, will serve as emcee.Ruzicka, 30, possesses a 4.0 grade-point average and will enroll at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash., in the fall. The northeast Portland resident will receive his associate’s of arts and science degrees during the ceremony and plans to study psychology and political science at Whitman. Ruzicka was very active at PCC as he served as an Oregon Community College Student Association board representative, ASPCC Cascade Campus president, Phi Theta Kappa chapter president, volunteer at the Outside/In Youth Shelter and was a committee member for the recent presidential search."I loved the exposure I got being involved in student government and I learned from my involvement that the administration, staff and faculty are in support of students and hold themselves accountable to student achievement,"Ruzicka said. He also says he will discuss fear in his speech and how he overcame it and is still overcoming fear in aspects of his life. "I want to say to not let fear stop you and to step outside of your comfort zone and try to make progress on different aspects of your life."Rylee Keys, a native of Banks and current resident of Beaverton, has a 3.68 GPA and is focused on international studies. The 20-year-old plans to transfer to American University, Washington, D.C. or Lewis and Clark College to study political science and economics. As president of the Rock Creek Campus student body, she was heavily involved in student government affairs, working to help students and the community.Eventually Keys would like to work in an international outreach organization and continue her volunteer service work. "I’m very active, especially with the migrant workers clothing drive here at the campus,"said Keys. "I also helped students on issues that affected everyone on campus like the Register to Vote initiative."PCC, which is the largest institution of higher education in Oregon, hosted its first commencement ceremony in 1962 to a dozen students in the lunchroom of Portland’s former Failing Elementary School. Forty-two years later, PCC serves nearly 100,000 full- and part-time students.