Hawaii Community College’s 2015 Commencement Ceremony for East Hawaii is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Multipurpose Stadium in Hilo.
Hawaii Community College’s 2015 Commencement Ceremony for East Hawaii is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Multipurpose Stadium in Hilo.
Keynote speaker will be Kurt De La Cruz, senior adviser at the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Advising Center.
De La Cruz was born in Honolulu and raised in Up Camp, Naalehu. He is a 1987 graduate of Ka‘u High School, who went on to obtain his bachelor’s degree in journalism, mass communications and technical writing from the University of Northern Colorado. Upon completion of his bachelor’s degree, De La Cruz completed a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education at Colorado State University.
De La Cruz has been a regular guest presenter at Aunty Sandi Claveria’s Human Services classes at HawCC.
Student speaker will be Johnie Judd, who is receiving a liberal arts degree. Born into a military family in Honolulu, she has traveled around the world.
She earned her GED in 1983 before joining the Army Reserves. She was stationed at Fort McClennan, Ala., before returning to Hawaii, making Hawaii Island her home for the past 30 years.
Judd has been an active member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society’s Alpha Psi Epsilon chapter for the past two years. She received the 2015 Phi Theta Kappa Pacific Region Distinguished Chapter Member Award and Hallmark Award.
Judd is the recipient of the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, a Hawaii Community College nominee for the All-USA Community and Junior College Academic Team, and has been on the Dean’s List for numerous semesters.
She aspires to pursue a career in the human services field so she can continue giving back and serving the community. She is passionate about helping the island’s youth.