Chaffey in Focus
June-July 2026
Dear Chaffey College Community,
As I reflect on Chaffey College's class of 2026, several graduates perfectly capture
the spirit of this year's commencement. Three were 15 years old. Two were 79 when
they graduated.
Separated by more than six decades in age, these students crossed the stage this spring
as Chaffey graduates. Their journeys could hardly have been more different, but together
they illustrate that there is no single timeline for learning and no single definition
of student success.
For Ella Stokes, earning a degree in fashion design fulfilled a dream she had carried
since she was 9 years old, when her mother first taught her to sew. Returning to college
after decades away meant mastering new technologies, but with the support of classmates,
faculty and staff, she persevered and graduated at 79, preparing to open her own boutique.
As Ella says, "Age has nothing to do with following your dream."
When people picture a college graduate, they often imagine someone who moved directly
from high school to college and began a career in their early twenties. While that
journey remains an important one, it represents only one of many paths our students
take.
This year's graduating class included students from every walk of life. More than
60 percent were women, and nearly 63 percent identified as Latino. Some earned college
credit before finishing high school. Others were parents balancing coursework while
raising families, veterans beginning new chapters after military service, working
professionals advancing their careers or lifelong learners pursuing goals they had
postponed for years.
Every graduate who crossed the stage arrived at Chaffey with a different story, but
they shared a common belief that education could improve their lives. That belief
is at the heart of Chaffey College's mission to expand opportunity.
The results speak for themselves. This year, Chaffey College awarded 4,071 degrees
and certificates to 2,932 graduates, representing increases of 15 and 11 percent,
respectively, over the previous year. More than one-quarter of graduates earned multiple
awards, and nearly 70 percent of all degrees awarded were associate degrees for transfer,
creating affordable pathways to four-year universities, particularly California's
public universities.
The class of 2026 is a powerful reminder that the strength of Chaffey College has
never been defined by serving one type of student. It has always been found in opening
doors to opportunity for anyone willing to walk through them. Congratulations to the
Chaffey College Class of 2026. We are proud of all you have accomplished and excited
to see where your journey takes you next.
Sincerely,
Henry D. Shannon, Ph.D.
Superintendent/President
