MCC announces its largest graduating class

Madera Community College hosted its largest graduating class ever during commencement ceremonies Friday on the college campus.

More than 500 students will be receiving 851 degrees and certificates during the ceremony at 6 p.m.

Student of Note announced

Each year, Madera Community College recognizes one student who has been nominated by faculty and staff for their dedication and perseverance in completing their degree. The 2022 Student of Note is Haydee Carmina Morales.

In 2019, when her youngest daughter, Kimberly, was 6 months old, Morales made the brave decision to go to college. She was a single mom living paycheck to paycheck. And she knew she needed to do something different for her own future and the future of her children.

Two months after she enrolled, the pandemic hit. Days were spent at the computer. She balanced a newborn, her own schoolwork, and the schoolwork of her 6-year-old daughter, Keira. Keira was diagnosed with autism when she was 4- years-old, and online school was very challenging. But Morales persevered. With the encouragement of her instructors and EOPS counselors, she stayed focused, and time went by quickly.

Morales chose Madera Community College because of its strong agriculture program. Her family works in agriculture — with her dad working in the fields and her mom working at a packing plant. Her parents have been an anchor for Morales and have always encouraged Morales and her siblings to go to college. In fact, she and her older sister decided to enroll in college at the same time. They wanted to set an example for their younger brother.

The faculty member who nominated Morales, Dr. Elizabeth Mosqueda, had this to say about Morales:

“Getting to see Haydee grow as a student has made it simple for me to determine that she is among the top students I’ve been able to work with throughout my entire career as a professor in higher education, as there are few students who compare with her when it comes to dedication, perseverance, and drive. She is one of the highest achieving students in our agriculture program and is a leader in the classroom and out in the field.”

Morales plans to attend Fresno State University in the fall and major in plant science. And according to Professor Mosqueda, who went through the same program, it’s a challenging program and she is confident Haydee is going to make us proud!