Congratulations to the NOCCCD classes of 2025 and the staff that guided them to success.

Graduation is a momentous occasion, and students, family members, staff, faculty and administrators all celebrated last month with over 2,000 degrees presented to graduates from Cypress College, Fullerton College and NOCE.

Nearly 700 students were celebrated at the NOCE 2025 Commencement and Student Success Ceremony on Friday, May 16, 2025 at Cottonwood Church in Los Alamitos. For the first time, NOCE hosted a combined ceremony to honor student achievement. By combining the two events, NOCE created an environment of inclusivity with a focus on transitioning to “next steps” while celebrating the graduates and program completers across all NOCE instructional programs.

Some 650 students, 100 employees, and thousands of guests attended the 58th Commencement at Cypress College on Friday, May 30, 2025. The celebration began in the pond area with the ceremonial crossing of the bridge and took place in Gateway Plaza where the graduates crossed the stage and received diploma covers from NOCCCD Trustees, Dr. Byron D. Clift Breland, and Dr. Scott Thayer.

Cypress College's Commencement live stream was viewed in 32 states and 27 countries, including Peru (78); Mexico (59); Philippines (42); Colombia (36); and others (169 total views).

Fullerton College’s 2025 commencement celebration was a success, with 900+ graduates crossing the stage. Award-winning actor, filmmaker, and activist Bambadjan Bamba delivered the commencement address.

The College was proud to present a posthumous degree to the mother and sister of Caleb Strouss, a student, veteran, and Hornet family member who tragically lost his life in a traffic accident. Caleb was in the last few weeks of completing his Administration of Justice degree and had been accepted to Cal State Fullerton.

NOCCCD is delighted to announce that Dr. Jennifer Vega La Serna has been selected as the new Vice Chancellor, Educational Services and Institutional Effectiveness. Dr. Vega La Serna is scheduled to begin in September 2025.

Dr. Jennifer Vega La Serna is a seasoned higher education executive with over 18 years of experience in California’s community colleges and a deep commitment to advancing student success. She most recently served as the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Academic Services at College of the Sequoias, a multi-campus district in California’s Central Valley

Dr. Vega La Serna is very active at the state level, having served as a Commissioner for the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) since 2020. She served seven years on the executive board of the California Community Colleges Chief Instructional Officers (CCCCIO) and recently completed her term as President. She currently serves on the statewide California Community Colleges Curriculum Committee (5C), which advises the Chancellor’s Office on Title 5 regulations and curriculum policy.

Please see the full story for more information about Dr. Vega La Serna's experience.

NOCCCD closed out the 2024-25 academic year by highlighting four outstanding employees with the North Star Award. Each year, the NOCCCD Chancellor’s Staff members recognize special employees through the North Star Awards, an annual distinction recognizing exceptional contribution to our District, campuses, and community. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the awardees’ exemplary accomplishments throughout the year, both as an individual and as a part of the District.

Please see the full story to learn more about how these individuals' achievements and accomplishments.

NOCCCD is proud to announce the formation of a new fund to support student success. The Pure Ox Memorial Scholarship is open to all full-time students with a cumulative 2.5 grade point average. Special consideration will be given to those applicants who indicate that they have participated in Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA)-related programs and activities or have benefitted from such activities. The first round of scholarships will be distributed in Spring 2026.

Established by Dr. Cherry Li-Bugg, NOCCCD Vice Chancellor for Educational Services & Technology, this is a yearly scholarship of $500 available to students at all NOCCCD campuses—Cypress College, Fullerton College, and NOCE. Dr. Li-Bugg has been with the District since 2014 and will be retiring at the end of June.

In response to her motivation for establishing this scholarship, Dr. Li-Bugg stated: “The name of the Pure Ox Memorial Scholarship comes from a combination of my parents’ names: 清 [qīng] is a part of my father’s name, which means 'pure,' whereas 牛 [niú] is a part of my mother’s name, which means 'ox.' I’m funding this memorial scholarship fund in their honor.”

Donations for the Pure Ox Memorial Scholarship are currently open.

NOCCCD Board of Trustee meetings are held twice a month. The Board gathers to address District business including: staffing changes, fiscal matters, the passing of Board Policies, and other issues affecting Cypress College, Fullerton College, and NOCE.

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Published by the NOCCCD Public Affairs Department.