Hancock Celebrates 2025 Commencement
MAY 23, 2025-- Allan Hancock College celebrated the achievements of 1,287 graduating students at the college’s 104th commencement ceremony.
“Whether your journey here was fast and focused or winding and full of unexpected turns, today is the moment where it all comes together,” said Hancock Board of Trustees President Hilda Zacarías. “It is a joy to celebrate with you.”
More than 560 of those graduates participated in the ceremony, which took place on the college’s athletics field at its Santa Maria campus on Friday, May 23.
“These graduates are part of a generation that is redefining success, breaking barriers and changing the odds — not just for themselves, but for all of us,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D.
This year, Hancock grads earned a total of 2,491 associate degrees and 3,110 certificates of achievement across 116 different majors. In addition, 39 percent of Hancock’s class of 2025 received the Hancock Promise, a popular program that provides two years of college tuition-free for local high school students. The 104th graduating class also boasted the highest transfer rate to Cal Poly SLO (69 percent) for the 24th year in a row. A total of 251 Bulldog graduates were accepted to become Mustangs in the fall.
Many of this year’s graduates are also leaving Hancock with impressive accomplishments. A total of 252 graduates received honors for having 3.5-3.99 grade-point averages (GPAs), and 28 received high honors for 4.0 GPAs.
Attendees at the ceremony were treated to several stories about inspiring Hancock graduates and their remarkable achievements. Those included Ezra Salazar, a Santa Maria native whose passion for animation led him to earn a studio arts degree and mentor local youth through College Corps while preparing to transfer to Cal State Fullerton; Jessie Aldaco, a Hancock Promise student who began taking classes while still in high school and now uses the skills she learned in the classroom in her job with the City of Santa Maria’s Recreation and Parks Department; Josie Mora, a working mother and nontraditional student who transitioned from noncredit classes to earning her psychology degree while raising a family and commuting from Solvang; and Samantha McDonald, who at just 17 years old is graduating from both Righetti High School and Hancock with five associate degrees and plans to study nursing at the University of San Francisco.
Associated Student Body Government President and 2025 graduate Angela Ruiz addressed her peers, reminding them of the hard work and perseverance they demonstrated in making their graduation goals a reality.
“We have faced challenges head-on, both academically and personally. We balanced school with jobs, family responsibilities and countless late-night study sessions,” said Ruiz, who graduated with a degree in political science and is transferring to UCLA in the fall. “We’ve worked hard. We didn’t just dream about making a difference, we did it.”
As Hancock’s class of 2025 moves on to their next adventure, registration for summer and fall classes at Hancock is ongoing. Summer classes begin June 9, and fall classes begin Aug. 18.
To learn more about Allan Hancock College, visit www.hancockcollege.edu.
