This spring, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District will say goodbye to a large group of graduating students, many of whom will transfer to four-year universities.
In preparation for the graduation ceremonies at San Diego State University’s Viejas Arena, which will be held on June 3 for Cuyamaca and June 4 for Grossmont, students and faculty alike have been reflecting on the past and focusing on the excitement of what’s to come.
While the process has not been entirely smooth for studio arts major Allyssa Pelicano, 22, she said she is still looking forward to this grand occasion. “I was stressed a lot,” she admitted.
Pelicano had initially met with a counselor last semester to discuss her readiness to graduate. Unfortunately, she had been misguided, and Pelicano was instructed to take another science class, even though she had already finished and passed that general education requirement.
While out of the country with family for the first few weeks of the spring semester, Pelicano was unable to access Self Service and register properly.
When she returned from her trip, the college system required her to file a petition to register for the science class, yet she was denied even after following all the steps.
“I ended up going back to another counselor,” Pelicano said. “But turns out I was actually done with my classes.” With all her courses completed, Pelicano was able to apply and be permitted to graduate.
When asked why she values going up to walk with her cap and gown, she said, “It feels like an absolute achievement in life.”
Sarah Moore, the coordinator for the Transfer Center at Grossmont College, said walking at graduation is meaningful because, “It shows completion.”
She continued: “There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears that have gone in over the years of studying, and it’s important to celebrate.”
Leanna Roman, 20, is a double major pursuing both social work and psychology. She said the transfer process was “rocky.”
Roman said she struggled with the vagueness of the update emails and was unaware of the location for the commencement ceremonies until the first week of May. Additionally, challenges arose because of her major change.
While navigating the GE checklist, Roman said the sheets provided by the Counseling Center helped her to plan her coursework more effectively. “They helped me so much,” she said.
Moore said she loves to work with students at the Transfer Center. The center hosts events and workshops that connect students with universities and expose them to additional support opportunities.
The transfer fairs held on campus can also be a great way to support students through the transfer process. Students who participated in the spring fair won gift packages; others can get another chance when the fair comes again in the fall.
Moore said “the Spring Fair can be a good strategy for students who are kind of preparing for fall application season.”
Roman said she has taken advantage of campus resources and was impressed by the ease of access.
“The counselors here are just very supportive,” she said. “I believe that one of them had given me connections to a big social work person over at CSU once I transferred.”
Roman said she hopes to transfer to SDSU and is even considering doing summer classes there.
“I’m kind of sad that I’m leaving, because that is a really great community,” she said. “SDSU is gigantic and scary, but I am super excited to go to a state university.”
Returning to Grossmont College as a counselor is one of Roman’s future goals. With her experience and queer identity, Roman said she would like to stay local to assist others in her community.
The tuition for immediate acceptance from high school to a state university was too high, so Roman said she chose the transfer path. For Pelicano, she said SDSU remains a daunting financial burden, so she will take a gap year to focus on other life goals.
Pelicano said she hopes to continue developing her web comic and other projects. She said she also plans to continue a full-time job at Viejas Casino, since the part-time schedule with school was not ideal for her last semester.
For those looking to transfer soon, Moore advised getting in touch with counselors who are aware of the universities a student is interested in and checking the unit requirements for each individual university. She encouraged students to ask questions and get involved.
“Enjoy the process,” Moore added. “You won’t necessarily be repeating it again. So, enjoy the journey there and then.”
Roman said her advice to transfer students is to minimize the fear of uncertainty by using online tools like assist.org to plan classes. “If you need any help, the mental health services are here for you,” she said.
For many students, Grossmont has been a source of community, but it is also a launchpad for long-term educational and career goals.
To pick up transfer recognition cords, Cuyamaca’s Transfer Achievement Celebration will be held on May 18 in the Performing Arts Center. Grossmont’s Transfer Achievement Celebration is a multi-day event running from May 26 to May 29 in the Transfer Center.
Graduation attire is available for purchase at the official bookstores on both campuses. Additional information can be found on the college’s websites.
For more details on Grossmont’s graduation, visit grossmont.edu/commencement.
