Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) President Jerry Steward has been named the grand marshal for the 12^th Annual Fiestas de las Americas parade Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017. Fiesta de las Americas is an outdoor festival in the Capitol Hill District that attracts thousands of visitors for a multicultural celebration during Hispanic Heritage month. The Parade of the Americas kicks off the festival at 10 a.m. and begins at Capitol Hill High School, travels north on Walker, east on Southwest 25^th Street, to Robinson Ave. ending at Capitol Hill Elementary School. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early to find a prime spot to view the parade.

For over 17 years, OCCC has had a presence in the heart of Oklahoma City’s Hispanic neighborhood, serving the adult education and job readiness needs of the community. With the opening of OCCC’s Capitol Hill Center at 325 Southwest 25^th Street this past August, OCCC has been given a much anticipated and permanent location to serve the area with expanded workforce development and college-level courses. The OCCC Capitol Hill Center is a known leader in building on the social assets of the diverse community and collaborating with other organizations to promote educational development and economic growth in the Capitol Hill district.

Steward is a passionate advocate for workforce development, student diversity and community engagement. He has played a key role in advocating for the Hispanic community, particularly in the Capitol Hill District where he worked with City Hall to secure funding from the Economic Development Trust Downtown/MAPS Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district to construct the new OCCC Capitol Hill Center. He was also recently named to the board of directors for the Greater OKC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“I am grateful for this honor,†says President Steward. “OCCC is proud to be a part of such a vibrant, diverse and thriving community that invites us to grow alongside it in this exciting era.â€

As part of his ongoing community outreach efforts, President Steward is also a member of the board of directors for the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society, INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center, State Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma and Allied Arts. He also serves as chairman for the Board of Commissioners of the Oklahoma City Housing Authority, the chair of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s Council of Presidents, and a member of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce Education and Workforce Development Steering Committee. Throughout his professional career, he has held many other positions of leadership in the community and is also a member of Leadership Oklahoma, Class XX.

OCCC enrolls more than 20,000 students and is currently the largest adult basic education provider in the state. OCCC offers a full range of associate degree programs that prepare students to transfer to baccalaureate institutions while other degree and certificate programs prepare students for immediate employment. At OCCC, students receive a quality education with small class sizes, dedicated professors and leadership opportunities. Students can choose from more than 80 major fields of study and participate in any of the 40+ clubs and organizations. For more information about OCCC, visit www.occc.edu.