CHC Announces Commencement Speaker
Publish Date: May 12, 2015
Crafton Hills College commencement speaker is champion for African American males.
Crafton Hills College's 43rd Commencement is Friday, May 22 at 6 p.m. in the Campus Quad. The Commencement speaker this year is Tyree Vance.
A graduate of California State University, San Bernardino and California State University, Fullerton, Vance holds a dual B.A. in Psychology and Human Development, and a M.A. in Higher Education.
Vance currently serves as the project coordinator for the Black Male Success Initiative (BMSI) at Azusa Pacific University, an initiative that was created to engage and support the African American men on APU’s campus to ultimately increase their retention rates. From 2010 to 2014, Vance served as an Academic Advisor for Student Support Services at Cal State, Dominguez Hills, and still serves as an advisor for the university's Male Success Alliance mentoring initiative.
In 2012, he became a member of the Appreciative Advising Faculty and a Certified Appreciative Adviser where he facilitates small group sessions at the annual Appreciative Advising Institute. Selected to be one of the first Associate Consultants for Student African American Brotherhood (S.A.A.B.), Vance travels to colleges and universities around the U.S. to speak on behalf of the national organization.
In addition to advising, Vance has conducted research with two of his colleagues focusing on the collegiate success of African American males and providing the counter-narrative for these men. Moreover, he and his colleagues presented their findings of this research at several regional and national conferences, including Harvard’s Alumni of Color Conference. He is also the President of Special Angels Group Facilities, a shelter services business working with developmentally challenged adults as well as Transitional Aged Youth in San Bernardino County.
Crafton Hills will be awarding 968 degrees and certificates, including 190 Associate Degrees for Transfer. There are 15 students with a 4.0 grade point average.
The student commencement speaker will be Jaelin Palmer, graduating with a degree in American Sign Language and transferring into the Deaf Studies program at California State University, Northridge.
As one of the 112 colleges in the California community college system, Crafton Hills College is committed to providing citizens in the region with an accessible higher education. The philosophy of California's community colleges is that education is the key to better jobs, a better economy, and a better quality of life. CHC offers 53 degree programs and 25 occupational certificate programs. For more information, go to www.craftonhills.edu.
