SAN DIEGO, Calif. — San Diego Mesa College proudly celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2026 during its annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2026, honoring 1,958 graduates who earned more than 2,017 academic degrees and 414 certificates. A total of 727 graduates participated in the ceremony, joined by family, friends, faculty, staff, and community supporters.
Thanks to a transformational $1-million gift from philanthropist Roger Frey, the San Diego Community College District is ensuring students completing healthcare degree and certificate programs can start their careers immediately.
Connie Renda, MA, RHIA, CHDA, Program Director and Assistant Professor for Health Information Technology and Management, was recognized by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) with the prestigious Leadership Award.
For Stephen Hidalgo, the path to higher education was anything but straightforward. Born in Chicago and raised in Mexico during the first years of his life, Hidalgo returned to Chicago where he faced years of hardship, trauma, and isolation growing up as a gay student. At 25, he and his mother made a life changing decision to move to San Diego in search of safety, stability, and a new beginning. Read More
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — San Diego Mesa College proudly celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2026 during its annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2026, honoring 1,958 graduates who earned more than 2,017 academic degrees and 414 certificates. A total of 727 graduates participated in the ceremony, joined by family, friends, faculty, staff, and community supporters.
San Diego, CA — San Diego Mesa College will honor its 2026 scholarship recipients during the 33rd Annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 recognizing the academic excellence, resilience, and aspirations of its students. This year, the college will award nearly $250,000 across 114 scholarship opportunities, resulting in 281 individual awards to 202 students. Sixty students will receive multiple scholarships, underscoring both their accomplishments and the Mesa College community’s continued commitment to student success.
San Diego, CA — San Diego Mesa College has been selected as one of eight institutions to receive funding through the College Futures Foundation’s Unlocking Economic Mobility for Adult Learners initiative. Mesa was chosen from a highly competitive pool of 223 applicants, recognizing the college’s commitment to advancing equitable outcomes for working adult learners.
March 16, 2026
24-7 Press Release Staff
March 15, 2026
Michael James Rocha
March 11, 2026
Austin Barraza
February 24, 2026
FOX 11 Digital Team
February 24, 2026
Jade Hindmon
February 23, 2026
Yasmeen Ludy
