OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) will honor more than 1,900 graduates during 2025 commencement exercises on Saturday, May 17.
Four ceremonies — 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. — will be held in the OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center. Each ceremony will feature a different keynote speaker.
The 10 a.m. ceremony will honor graduates in the Science, Engineering and Math Division and all students earning Associate in Science in Diversified Studies degrees. Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), will be the morning keynote speaker. Taylor’s career spans more than 20 years as a lawyer and an executive, serving at IAC, Paramount Pictures, Blockbuster Entertainment Group, and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, among other organizations. He serves on the United Way Worldwide Board of Trustees and serves on the corporate boards of XPO Logistics, Flores & Associates, and Guild Education. He previously served on the White House American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.
The 1 p.m. ceremony, for the Division of Arts, English, and Humanities, includes a keynote address from Hannah Whitten, attorney at Whitten Burrage Law Firm and board chair with the Whitten-Newman Foundation. Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Whitten earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma in journalism with a minor in entrepreneurship in 2019 before completing her juris doctorate from the OU College of Law in 2022. She is currently a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association and is licensed in the Northern and Western Federal District Courts of Oklahoma. Whitten is passionate about epilepsy research, advocacy, and stigma work nationally and globally, and she serves on boards and committees for several nonprofit organizations supporting that and other causes.
At 4 p.m., Dr. Margie Vela will address graduates from the Division of Business and Information Technology and the Division of Social Sciences. Dr. Vela is a passionate proponent of expanding opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. With over 15 years of experience, she has dedicated her career to building bridges between industry, government and higher education, with a particular focus on community colleges and institutions. In her current role as senior program manager for the Machine Learning University Educator Enablement Program at Amazon Web Services, Dr. Vela continues to champion education in cutting-edge technologies.
The 7 p.m. ceremony, for the Division of Health Professions, will feature Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation Director and OCCC alumna Terrisa Singleton. Since 2009, Singleton has managed the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation, where she oversees a $5 million annual budget that provides grants, charitable dental care, scholarships and oral health education. She works extensively with dental safety net clinics and programs throughout the state in cooperative efforts to improve the oral wellness of Oklahomans. Singleton is an alumni member of the Future Business Leaders of America – Phi Beta Lambda and serves as a volunteer judge for the FBLA National Awards Program. She is also a volunteer for the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps and for Poetic Justice, a nonprofit that offers restorative writing and creative arts programs to individuals who are incarcerated in women’s prisons and jails.
“Commencement at Oklahoma City Community College celebrates our graduates, who embody our college mission of Student Success, Community Enrichment,” said Dr. Mautra Staley Jones, president of OCCC. “OCCC is honored to have four incredible keynote speakers as part of our commencement day events, and we are thankful for their participation and words of inspiration.”
Commencement ceremonies also will be livestreamed at occc.edu and recordings will be available for on-demand viewing.
About Oklahoma City Community College
Since its inception in 1972, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) has been the heartbeat of the Metro, dedicated to empowering learners and strengthening communities. Serving more than 18,000 students in credit-seeking courses and more than 5,000 students in non-credit-seeking programs, we are committed to producing leaders. “Student Success, Community Enrichment” is our mission, and we offer 87 degree and certificate programs plus more than 50 micro-credentials that provide a foundation for further education or immediate career readiness. We remain dedicated to providing accessible, affordable, high-quality education that equips students to achieve personal and professional goals. OCCC is more than an institution; we are a community catalyst, fostering growth and success in our city, our workforce, and the lives of our students. Discover your potential at OCCC, where your future is our purpose.
Media Contact:
Sarah Barrow
Executive Director of Communication
405-834-5406
sarah.barrow@occc.edu
