Tri-C Spring Commencement Celebrates 2,200 Graduates
Ceremony honors academic achievement by the Class of 2022
Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will celebrate the academic achievement of more than 2,200 petitioning graduates during its Spring 2022 Commencement ceremony Thursday, June 2, at Progressive Field.
The College will confer nearly 2,300 degrees and certificates this spring. The graduate total reflects the ongoing impact of College programs and initiatives designed to keep students on the path to associate degrees and other credentials.
This year's graduates never lost sight of their ambition, and they embody the resiliency shown throughout the College, Tri-C President Alex Johnson said. This is his final graduation ceremony, as he concludes his tenure on June 30 after leading the College for nine years.
"Despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, this group persevered and adapted to attain better futures for themselves and their families," Johnson said. "I look forward to celebrating their accomplishments with them and their families."
This is the College's second outdoor commencement. The Spring 2021 ceremony took place at Byers Field at Robert M. Boulton Stadium in Parma.
Gates Mills resident John Rodriguez, who will graduate with an Associate of Arts and an Associate of Science, was selected as student speaker for the ceremony. He will attend The Ohio State University, where he plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in psychology.
Read more about Rodriguez and other high-achieving graduates on the College's Commencement webpage.
Tri-C will also award honorary degrees to August A. Napoli, Randell McShepard and Stephen Hoffman.
Napoli is president and CEO of United Way of Greater Cleveland, the largest private funder of health and human services in the region. With more than 45 years of nonprofit executive experience throughout Northeast Ohio, Napoli has led institutional advancement activities in nonprofit, medical and higher education settings.
McShepard is vice president of public affairs and chief talent officer for RPM International Inc., a chemical coatings/paint company headquartered in Medina. An active community and civic leader, McShepard serves on numerous boards including The Cleveland Foundation, Destination Cleveland and Citymark Capital LLC.
Hoffman began his life of service at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in 1974, rising through the ranks to become president within less than a decade before retiring in 2018. Hoffman serves on the boards of numerous organizations including the Cleveland Clinic, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Jewish People Policy Institute, the Musical Arts Association and United Way of Greater Cleveland. He is also chairman of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation.
With more than 35,000 seats, Progressive Field provides enough space to safely gather while maintaining physical distancing guidelines. Eight guests may accompany each graduate to witness their cap-and-gown moment.
June 02, 2022
By Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu