Columbia College will hold a drive-thru commencement ceremony for its Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 graduates on Friday, April 30, at 4 p.m. The drive-thru experience allows graduates and their families to be on the Columbia College campus while adhering to Tuolumne County’s health and safety protocols and providing each student with recognition.

Graduates and their families (one car per graduate) will drive through campus in their car to certain “checkpoints” and arrive at their final destination where graduates will be able to briefly exit their cars and walk across the stage to receive their diploma from Columbia College Interim President, Dr. G.H. Javaheripour and other distinguished guests.  Faculty and staff will cheer their graduates on along the path. The commencement ceremony will be live streamed through the YCCD YouTube channel beginning at 3:45 pm.  Up to date information on graduation including a link to the live stream event can be found at www.gocolumbia.edu/graduation/ .

Because of the extraordinary circumstances last year due to the COVID 19 pandemic, Columbia College cancelled its 51^st Commencement Ceremony. The Class of 2020 have been invited to come back this year and participate in the drive-thru ceremony should they chose to do so.

Among the graduating class of 2021, 101 Associate of Art Degrees will be conferred, 89 Associate of Arts for Transfer Degrees, 169 Associate of Science Degrees, 41 Associate of Science for Transfer Degrees, and 91 Certificates of Achievement.  75 students will graduate with distinction (cumulative grade point averages of 3.75 or better) and 58 with honors (between 3.5 and 3.74 grade point averages).

Those who will receive more than one degree are Joseph Accurso, Brian Applegate, Tatum Avalos, Stacy Avalos, Summer Avery, Tamara Avilla, Jahbar Beard, Tiffany Bowcutt, Samuel Brauer, Trina Cachero, Rhapsody Cattedra, Michael Chapin, Franziska Daumberger, Shelly Davis, Jaret Delap, Kristina Delgadillo, Lottie Emmons, Gabriel Ethier, Levi Flores, Carmen Flores Jimenez, Alexia Franco, Raymond Frank, Westley Gelhaus, Jackson Gordon, Heather Graham, Zachary Heier, Isabel Hernandez, Shane Hopper, Francesca Immediato, Julianna Jackson, Hailey Jayne, Zoe Kelly, Rebecca Kirby, Daniel Kristofic, Zachary Lambert, Thomasine Lane Timmins, Paul Lebourgeois, Hannah Lumbus, Jaden McCaffrey, Liam McKernan, Faith Mealing, Ashley Mikita, Kaitlyn Miller, Brandon Moakler, Alyssa Motter, Virginia Oellrich, Jessica Ornelas, Austin Pruitt, Maggie Sanchez, Ethan Scott, Cody Seldon, Matthew Silva, Shivanjili Singh, Grant Smylie, Kayla Snipes, Janet Solis, Christie Straw, Alexander Temple, Chance Tillery, Sydney Tonetti-Belton, Isabella Vargas Rosales, Cristina Verduzco, Haley Weeks, Renee Woolf.

 

*Graduate with Honors

**Graduate with Distinction

Ahwahnee

Tanner Bonillas

Alameda

Maxwell Zimmer

Altaville

Trina Cachero*

Chase Collins*

Janet Solis

Mark Antonio Solis

Angels Camp

Alikhan Abusaidi*

Mario Biagi

Adrianna Castle

Shelly Davis*

Isabel Hernandez*

Grace Johnson

Zachary Lambert

Kendra Maness

Faith Mealing**

Brooke Nord*

Natalie Ramos

Grant Smylie

Brianna Tyre

Antioch

Alan McElroy**

Arnold

Devon Bitner

Hannah Braydis*

Ashton Close

Amanda Spangler

Atwater

Katherine Hamera

Bakersfield

Matthew Hafen

Camp Verde, AZ

Bryce Moss

Capitola

Joshua Williams

Camp Connell

Devon Bitner

Ceres

Anastashia Maldonado*

Chinese Camp

Tyler Orpurt

Coconut Creek, FL

Seth Coddington

Columbia

Bradley Bourguet*

Franziska Daumberger

James Fobelli

Thomasine Lane Timmins**

Cody Seldon

Cyrus Smithson

Shannon Velasco**

Julie Persing

Copperopolis

Oscar Barboza

Rachel McIntire

Alyssa Motter*

Morgan Velasco

Coulterville

Austin Pruitt

Dayton, NV

Jennifer Keyes

Eldorado Hills

Courtney Stricler

Emmett, ID

Crystal Fowler

Escalon

Michael Stime

Fresno

Eric Miller

Groveland

Stephanie Merriott

Chhoti Sherpa

Cynthia Ulloa

Gulf Breeze, FL

Bailey Kato-Dutton**

Hollister

Brandon Moakler**

Ione

Gerald Cahill

Madeline Odom

Jackson

Larry Holmes

Jamestown

Matthew Alvarez

Eugene Brown*

Isai Carmona*

Patrick Demery*

Carmen Flores Jimenez*

Raymond Frank**

Makayla Grogan

Henry Inocencio*

Olivia LaPertche

Jonathon Layes

Paul Moeller

Michael Muy*

Phong Nguyen**

Chelsea Nogales**

Paul Tanner*

Patrick Piceno**

Alexa Pierce*

Demond Richardson

Karissa Rogers

Ryan Rude**

Michael Schneider**

John Schoppe-Rico

Richard Stamps

Sophia Stevens**

Lance Swann**

Stephen Valkenaar**

Makayla Wheeler**

John Williams*

Knights Ferry

Kaeli Martinelli-Sweet

La Grange

Tatum Avalos**

Stacy Avalos**

Lizette Campos

Isabel Harper

Las Vegas

Alexander Temple**

Lincoln

Nicholas Giampaoli

Livermore

Rose Cracraft

Matthew Silva

Lodi

Kristen Dimas

Jaime Hoeke

Rachael Thompson

Long Barn

Sebastian Light

Los Gatos

Kimberlyn Quinn

Manteca

Justin Dehart

Renee Woolf**

Marina

Emily Funk*

Merced

Valerie Basso*

Mi Wuk Village

Aloha Battle

Edward Carpenter

Kristine Donschikowski

Jane Perreira

Haven Trambley

Midpines

Suzanna Ellis

Modesto

Owen Bardsley

Kirk Burkhardt

Magaly Marin

Jaquelin Ruiz

Shivanjili Singh

Kristalynn Walker

Mokelumne Hill

Kayla Snipes**

Coral Paloma

Morro Bay

Gabriella Costa

Mountain House

Zoe Kelly**

Mountain Ranch

Annie Curtis

Murphys

Nicole Avrit

Samuel Brauer

Thomas Craig

Sarah Eastwood

Emma Hampton*

Maxine Harper*

Josilyn Layton

Chelsie Moore

Jessica Ornelas**

Cloe Rowton

Sydney Tonetti-Belto**

Claire Wiley

Newman

Alexander Diaz

Alberto Flores

Tyler Taft

Oakdale

Jocelyn Burke*

Jesse Chavez

Jesus Felix

Ty Fuentes

Steven Gazdik**

Julianna Jackson

Jasmine Ledesma

Samuel Medlin

Cassidy Pricolo

Jordan Proch

Paige Rodrigues

Alejandro Rodriguez

Emily Silva Rodriguez

Yesenia Silva Rodriguez

Cristina Verduzco**

Hannah Wessling

Jodie Whitley**

Pioneer

Brennan Howard

Planada

Emma Rocha

Pleasant Hill

Olivia Hunter-Mcelro

Redding

Garrett Lenardo

Riverbank

Rhapsody Cattedra

Francesca Immediato

San Andreas

John McAllister

Kaitlyn Rodriguez

San Luis Obispo

William Stewart

Sonora

Joseph Accurso**

Katherine Aldridge

Matthew Allen

Brian Applegate*

Taetum Arnett**

Israel Avila Guzman

Rosetta Bannwarth

Allura Bilderback

Kathryn Braga

Charissa Bush

Alvin Rino Calindas**

Brittany Camara

Monica Chandler

Michael Chapin

Gage Clark

Amanda Coats

John Paul Cordes**

Mark Coulter**

Ashlee Deaton**

Kristina Delgadillo

Dylan Derringer

Tayler Duarte

Nichole Dumas-Krieger

Lottie Emmons

Amrita Encoyand

Gabriel Ethier*

Isabella Fender**

Amanda Fleming**

Shelby Fosdick

Alexia Franco**

Rianyn Fraser**

Jacob Gamble

Cheyenne Garibay

Hannah Garrett

Westley Gelhaus

Xochitl Gonzalez*

Jackson Gordon*

Heather Graham

Justin Grant

Brittan Gregory

Kendra Grider*

Kayla Harris

Amanda Hart

Katherine Harvey

Trey Hawkins*

Zachary Heier

Erik Helseth

Cassandra Herrera

Riley Hillemeyer*

John Hire**

Rebecca Holland**

Shane Hooper

Hailey Jayne**

Julie Johnson

Luke Kerzich

Rebecca Kirby**

Adam Kirby

Alison Kolberg

Noah Kolpack

Nicholas Konklin

Hannah Kremsdorf**

Daniel Kristofic

Paul Lebourgeois**

Theresa Martin

Xochitl Martinez

Jessica McClintock*

Julian Meza*

Kaitlyn Miller*

Travis Moore*

Jett Moyer*

Derek Nilsen**

Virginia Oellrich**

Jill Oellrich*

Carlo Ortiz**

Aaron Padilla*

Cole Parish

Samuel Pearce*

Melissa Ramirez

Atira Robinson

Louise Rosen*

Cathryn Salari**

Fazlollah Salari*

Maggie Sanchez

Haylie Santos

Samuel Savage

Michala Scholkowfsky

Ethan Scott**

Robert Shepherd

Ian Smith

Kelsey Stone

Christie Straw**

Kaylee Taylor**

Kristiina Thompson**

Gianna Tubbs**

Christine Vandolah*

Isabella Vargas Rosales*

Elizabeth Vass**

Steven Von Berckefeldt*

Anthony White-Ramos*

Tyreace Williams

Jeannette Wunder

Soulsbyville

Tamara Avilla**

Janay Bostic*

Paul Bruce**

Manuel Espino

Levi Flores**

Keeley Niday

Skai Sheline

Donald Swanson

Kyle Teuton

Haley Weeks*

Standard

Larissa Catrina

Katherine Harvey

Stockton

Jahbar Beard

Malachi San

Tuolumne

Summer Avery*

Marina Bailey

Tiffany Bowcutt*

Jordan Craddock**

Ariella Gaughan

Cailin Gervin**

Haleigh Grabowski

Sydney Grognet**

Candice Harrelson**

Taylor Harrelson

Makila Leveroos

Liam McKernan**

Ashley Mikita

Nicholas Ohler**

Krysta Skaar

Adam Sonnberger*

Rachel Tyler**

Turlock

Daniel Gragg

Hailee Sciarini

Twain Harte

Dorian Abare*

Hailey Baldwin

Sheila Blackburn*

Kathleen Hobbins

William Johnson Davis

Forrest Marion

Jaden McCaffrey

Ian Pinkney

Kelsey Sorrick

Chance Tillery**

Evan Zukal

Vallecito

Caitlyn Atkinson

Brooke Borba

Katie Duquette**

Valley Springs

Clara Bobrycki**

Jaret Delap

Kaytlan Gillespie-Brown

Ashlei Jones

Hannah Lumbus

Leanna Smith

Celena Torales

Caillou Watkins**

West Point

Shaney Stivers

 

Wheatland

Rudy Hinojosa

Wilseyville

Crystal Shafer

 

*Graduate with Honors

**Graduate with Distinction

Columbia College’s Fire Academy would like to announce the graduation and Certificates of Completion to the successful students of the Fire Technology Program. Students that completed Firefighter 1 and 2 will be awarded their certificates on Thursday April 29, in Carkeet Park.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony itself will be limited to students and a few dignitaries.

The certificates are awarded based on the student’s successful completion of the academic and manipulative training as mandated for a California Firefighter 1 and 2 Certification. The students must still complete six months of full-time or one year of part-time field experience before applying to the state for Firefighter 1 and 2 Certification. “Some of the graduates will apply or continue with reserve, intern, and volunteer in positions at local fire departments since entering the academy” said Chief Shane Warner, Columbia College Fire Technology Program Coordinator/Instructor.  “Some of the students have already applied through a standard application process for seasonal employment with CAL Fire, Forest Service, and local fire agencies” said Instructor Andy Van Hoogmoed.

These students have completed an intense 16 weeks of training. The rigorous training is designed to help serious candidates meet the requirements for demanding careers as professional firefighters, including more than 576 hours of academic and manipulative training, according to Chief Shane Warner.

In addition to the “routine” fire training classes, specialized training was delivered involving Incident Command System, Hazardous Materials Training, Seasonal Wildland Firefighting classes, Confined Space, Basic Power Saw Safety, and live fire suppression training which was conducted at the Twain Harte Fire Department’s Training Center. A special thank you goes out to Columbia College Fire Department, Ebbetts Pass Fire District, Columbia Fire District, Sonora City Fire Department, Twain Harte Fire Department, Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indian Rancheria Fire Department, Tuolumne City Fire Department, Mi Wuk Sugar Pine Fire Department, Tuolumne County Fire Department, CAL Fire TCU, and Sierra Conservation Center.

“Columbia College Fire Science students are always looked at as role models on our campus” said Steve Amador, Dean of Career Technical Education. “These students are hardworking and dedicated to their success.  They have completed this intensive 16 week program during the COVID-19 pandemic, and have shown their fellow students, their families, and their community that hard work can overcome the toughest of obstacles.  I am proud of each and every one them.”

For further information contact Fire Academy Chief Shane Warner at 588-5308 or Captain Andy Van Hoogmoed at 588-5153.

Beginning May 3, 2021, Columbia College is planning for a partial campus reopening. As the college continues to monitor the progression of the pandemic, we are also carefully planning a safe return to in-person services.

Now that Tuolumne County has moved into the Orange Tier, access to Columbia College is increasing.  At this time, building access is still limited. Only faculty, staff, students, and prospective students should be utilizing services inside the buildings. We appreciate your patience with the restricted access to campus.

To continue mitigating the spread of COVID-19, faculty, staff, and students will be required to wear a face mask at all times and must complete a campus COVID-19 screening form before entering. All employees and students are expected to follow health guidelines established by the college, state, and county health agencies, including social distancing, hand-washing, and sanitizing surfaces. Columbia College encourages all students and employees to be vaccinated to protect themselves and others.  Vaccination is a critical recovery activity for the college and society in our return to normal operations.

On-campus, in-person services will be provided in the Manzanita building from 10 am to 2 pm Monday through Thursday.  These services include Admissions & Records, Financial Aid, Business Office, and Lakeside Cafe.  A Student Ambassador will be available for assistance with the registration process.  Limited services will also be available in Counseling and Special Programs.

The Library will be open from 8 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Thursday. The Student Center will be open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 am to 2 pm for Ponderosa Food Pantry pick up, Orientation and Campus Tours.  For more information, please call 209-588-5109.

The college is offering in-person classes on campus and at the High Sierra Institute at Baker Station, including culinary arts, fire technology, emergency medical services, biology, forestry, natural resources, and Tai Chi.  As conditions continue to improve, additional options may arise.

For a more information, please visit https://www.gocolumbia.edu/