President Thayer’s Board Report for May 27, 2025
The following is a report to members of the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees
Presented by Cypress College President Scott W. Thayer, Ed.D.
on May 27, 2025
Cypress College’s 58th Commencement on May 30 at 4 p.m.
Cypress College holds its 58th Commencement on Friday, May 30, 2025, in Gateway Plaza. The processional begins at 4 p.m.
The ceremony is preceded by the President’s Reception for faculty, the Board of Trustees, Chancellor’s Staff, the Presidential Scholars of Distinction, the Outstanding Graduate, and others involved in the celebration. The reception is in the event tent, starting at 2 p.m. From there, participants will be able to don regalia and line up for the processional.
Commencement concludes with a recessional to the pond, where students, families, and employees can mingle and take photographs.
Reserved parking for the Board and members of Chancellor’s Staff is available in Lot #1. A live stream is also available. More information is available on Commencement Central.
Meet the 2025 Presidential Scholars of Distinction
Cypress College is pleased to introduce the 2025 Presidential Scholars of Distinction — the seventh cohort to receive the honor since it was implemented in 2019.
The Presidential Scholars of Distinction is an academic recognition and scholarship intended to honor nine students who exemplify what it means to be a Cypress College student. The Presidential Scholars are nominated by the faculty in their specific academic major clusters, selected by the members of that academic pathway, and affirmed by President Scott W. Thayer, Ed.D.
Bryan Pham, Business Administration (Business/CIS Pathway)
Moving to California at age 17 from Vietnam, Bryan encountered language barriers and cultural differences. He was glad to reunite with his mother, who had come to the United States years earlier to establish a home for the family here, and Bryan is grateful to her for her sacrifices.
Based on a friend’s recommendation, he came to Cypress College, and called it “a turning point.” Here, he says he met supportive and inspirational people. He became involved with the Business Club, as a student ambassador, and a tutor with the Mathematics Learning Center.
For his future plans, he will combine his strong skills with his extroverted personality and continue to help people with math, as CPA. He will continue his studies next year at UC Irvine or Cal State Fullerton.
Esmeralda Alba, Automotive Technology (CTE Pathway)
Esmeralda discovered her love of automotive technology simply from being with her brother while he was working on cars. It began as a way to spend time together but soon Esmeralda grew to become fascinated with the mechanical workings of engines, how everything worked together and depended on everything else.
That fascination and passion has opened doors for her during her time in Cypress College’s Automotive Technology Program. Her instructors recognized her strong skills and interest, and invited her to assist with a Formula Drift event, by distributing tickets, aiding organizers, and helping to build and prep the engine used for a spark-plug challenge game. The following year, the company who hosted the game, Acceler8, interviewed her and shared her story. She got to watch the races again from the suite above the track, and being recognized like that made her feel like her hard work and passion were really being seen. She’s helped Auto Tech instructors with career fairs and other outreach events, and they took notice. They introduced her to people at Tesla in Costa Mesa and McKenna Subaru. She got internships at each, and a full-time job at Subaru.
Long term, she hopes to earn a degree in mechanical engineering, and work in a role that blends practical experience and technical knowledge — whether in automotive design, manufacturing, or a related field.
Natalia Mindru, Diagnostic Medical Sonography (Health Science Pathway)
Diagnostic Medical Sonography student Natalia always wanted to enter the medical field. As a child in Moldova, she grew up listening to the stories her physician father would tell about his work. This fascinated Natalia, and captivated her long after she married and moved to the United States to begin a family.
She raised two daughters, homeschooling them and putting her own education on hold. When the pandemic lockdown occurred, she saw an opportunity in newly available remote learning modalities. After some research, she decided to pursue sonography. The distance learning model allowed her to continue caring for her children while pursuing her medical career dreams.
Natalia was still involved on campus, in groups such as the Muslim Student Association and in DMS program activities like field trips to UCI’s labs. She credits Cypress with offering a network of assistance to its scholars, which provided her with the chance to graduate with her associate degree and enter the job field as a sonographer.
Benjamin Alarcon, Kinesiology (Kinesiology Pathway)
Benjamin started at Cypress College because his sister wanted to attend at the same time as he did. Once he applied, registered, and began classes, however, his sister told him she was backing out. Benjamin had already started and, with his spirit of dedication and completion that fuels his life, he decided to stay.
He found he enjoyed Kinesiology, and was inspired by instructor Sergio Cutrona and head athletic trainer Scott Tucker. Benjamin says they were the most impactful and the most helpful during his time at Cypress, saying, “They not only taught with passion but inspired me to double down in my choice in Kinesiology.”
Now a student in a bachelor’s program at Cal State Fullerton, Benjamin says he looks forward to starting on his career path and helping people.
Christina Guadarrama, Psychology (Language Arts Pathway)
Although her first attempts to graduate from Cypress College fell through, Christina found renewed confidence in her ability through the encouragement of counselors at outreach events. In particular, helping hands in the Puente Program gave her hope for trying again.
“’Sí, se puede’ is the motto for the Cypress Puente Program; it essentially means, ‘Yes, we can’ in Spanish,” Christina said. “This exclamation has motivated me throughout my time in Cypress. I hope it will do the same for future students.”
Christina became involved in programs beyond Puente here at Cypress, including Charger Experience and the Honors programs. She even went on to a Puente leadership conference and became a mentor for the program that helped her.
Now that she’s graduating with a degree in psychology, she looks back and appreciates the help she received along the way, and hopes that future students can have the same positive experience.
Dominique Waddell, Biology (Science Engineering Math Pathway)
The Charger Experience Program brought Dominique to Cypress College, and the academics, clubs, and community kept her here. She is goal-oriented, and knew early on that she wanted to be a physician’s assistant. Although nearly failing high school biology, Dominique stayed the course and pursued SEM classes in college.
After a Cell and Molecular Biology class at Cypress solidified her commitment to life sciences, she gained access to new opportunities. She qualified to be a Supplemental Instruction Leader, helping tutor students, and became involved in the (STEM)² Program, which offered workshops and events to students in her field. She felt able to help students and reach her goals at the same time.
Her next step is to earn a B.S. in Biology from UC Irvine, and then go on to achieve a Masters of Physician’s Assistant Studies. Ultimately she wants to help underserved communities and make a difference. Dominique appreciates the support and inspiration on-campus services provided to her as she reached the goal of completing her associate degree.
Chase Curnow, Philosophy (Social Sciences Pathway)
Chase enjoys being deep in thought, perfect for a Philosophy major. He moved often as he was growing up and came to Cypress at a slightly later age than the average student, he says.
Here, he found a stable place where he could let his mind contemplate the big questions. He signed on with the Honors Program, became part of EOPS and Rising Scholars, and in a move that aligns perfectly with his passions, served as president of the Philosophy Club.
What he found most compelling was his connection with Philosophy instructor Jason Thibodeau. The two spent hours together contemplating philosophical topics, an experience Chase says he will forever cherish.
Fernando “Sushi” Lizarraga, Studio Arts (Visual and Performing Arts Pathway)
If you had looked for Fernando in high school, you would have found him underneath a tree, sketching images or playing guitar. He says he has gotten lost in making art, and based on all his involvement in the VAPA Division, it’s believable.
Fernando — known better across campus by his nickname, Sushi — recalls his favorite experiences at Cypress as the ones where he used his gifts and talents: Seeing his artwork displayed at the student art shows, helping the Theatre Arts program with live music, and playing guitar for the Music Department’s open mic nights. In addition, he fondly remembers building community for students through clubs and different activities that he helped create.
He was involved in Associated Students; co-founded the Art Visionaries Club and served as VP and treasurer; became the treasurer of the Japanese Culture Club; was Chair of Finance of the Inner Club Council; and President of the Japanese Culture Club. He assisted with the “Invisible Features” art show and helped create “The Ricochet Art Shows,” assisting with the graffiti wall, the advertisement, and setting up the International Cultural Festival.
Candyce Young, Sociology and Psychology (We Journey Together Pathway)
Coming to Cypress marked a life-changing moment for Candyce. She had become sober six months earlier, and was ready to rebuild herself after several years of hardship. With shaky self-esteem, she proceeded on her path to higher education.
Candyce originally planned to attend Fullerton College; however, a friend introduced her to Anne Marie Beck at a FITE Club/Rising Scholars event, and Candyce immediately felt a sense of community.
By the end of her first semester, Candyce ran for president of FITE Club and served for two semesters. She then served as a student representative on the Rising Scholars Board. Following that, her dedication to her chosen field of Psychology led her to learn about the Psi Beta National Honor Society, join it, and eventually become president. At the same time, she became a peer educator and took on ICC rep for Active Minds.
Her academics have kept pace with her on-campus involvement and prepared her for transfer to a university, either CSULB or UCI in the fall. Her long-term goal is to earn a Ph.D. in Psychology at Biola and open her own practice that focuses on trauma patients.
Her resilience is remarkable, her strength is back, and she appreciates the involvement opportunities she had on campus that allowed her to grow and give back to the community at the same time.
Outstanding Graduate Kampitan is Peer Tutor, Co-Editor of Newspaper
The 2025 Outstanding Graduate of the Year is Hannah Kampitan.
Hannah was committed and on her way to a four-year private university immediately after graduating high school. But the financial reality of attending a private four-year set in as she reflected on her future student loan debt and her parents’ piling medical bills.
Ultimately, Hannah put her four-year dreams on hold and started at Cypress College in the Charger Experience Program, which offers first-time college students two years of free tuition. After her first few months at the college, she said she learned that “a valuable education does not need to come at an unbearable price tag,” noting that if she had gone straight to the four-year, she would have already accumulated six-digit debt in student loans.
Although she’s saving money, Hannah is still juggling three part-time jobs while leading three programs on campus; she is a lead peer tutor in the English Peer Tutoring program, co-editor-in-chief of The Cypress Chronicle, and president of the Honors Club. Her drive and passion are derived from helping others, and she aspires to work in public relations to represent “leading figures and organizations who will use their platform for good.”
After graduating from Cypress College, Hannah will transfer to UCLA in fall 2025 to continue her studies in media and PR.
Highlights
Click to view the What’s Happening This Week? video.
We previously shared about the exciting Visual and Performing Arts exhibit on display at Orange County’s John Wayne International Airport. Last Thursday, the division hosted a flash mob at the airport to highlight their work.
The exhibit opened April 9, 2025, and runs through August 31, 2025. This collection features the immense talent of our students and faculty and is free and open to the public—no boarding pass needed.