SBCC Honors Grads, Welcomes Community to its 77th Annual Commencement Ceremony
May 20, 2026

SBCC Honors Grads, Welcomes Community to its 77th Annual Commencement Ceremony

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 20, 2026 — Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is proud to announce its 77th Annual Commencement Ceremony, to be held on Friday, May 22, at 5 p.m. at the college’s La Playa Stadium. This cherished event marks the culmination of years of hard work and academic achievement, and SBCC warmly welcomes the community - including families and friends of graduates - to join in this special celebration.

GRAD STATS:
• Degrees conferred: 4,274 across a wide range of discipline; This is nearly a 12% increase in degrees/certs from last year.
• Number of graduating students: 1,689
• Oldest Graduate: 77
• Youngest Graduate: 17
• FUN FACT: Through SBCC’s Dual Enrollment program, three (3) high school students will receive AA degrees BEFORE they graduate high school. They are all attending the ceremony. Contact Jordan Killebrew via the contact information below to interview one of these students. 

“Commencements are about more than the pomp and circumstance that define the moment,” said SBCC Superintendent/President Erika Endrijonas Ph.D. “They are an opportunity to celebrate the resilience and tenacity that brought every graduate together in celebration of their achievement, and I am honored to share in that special moment with each graduating student.”


Immigrant Student Daniela De Souza to Give Commencement Address

Commencement speaker Daniela de SouzaPHOTO CAPTION: Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Liberal Arts major Daniela De Souza Ferreyra will give the Commencement Address on Friday, May 22.

It is an SBCC tradition for an outstanding graduating student to give the Commencement Address. This year’s speaker is Daniela De Souza Ferreyra, who graduates with three degrees: Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Liberal Arts.

“I came to SBCC as an immigrant and first-generation college student from Peru, trying to navigate college in a new country and in a second language,” said De Souza Ferreyra. “Like many community college students, my path was not perfectly straight. I worked two jobs while going to school, changed my mind about what I wanted to study, and slowly found the confidence to take myself seriously as a student. SBCC gave me the space to explore different sides of myself, from biology and research to tutoring math and becoming Math Club president. I now plan to transfer as a pure mathematics major, and I see my time at SBCC as the place where I stopped just trying to ‘get through’ college and started building a future I actually believed in!”

Please contact Jordan Killebrew via the contact information below to arrange a pre-ceremony interview with Daniela De Souza Ferreyra.

Event Details

Date: Friday, May 22, 2025
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: La Playa Stadium; SBCC East Cliff Campus, 721 Cliff Dr. Santa Barbara, CA
Parking: Free, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Street Closure: Please note that Loma Alta Drive will be closed for event safety and logistics.
Shuttle Service: A shuttle from West Campus to La Playa Stadium on East Campus will be available. Pick up/drop off will be at the fountain at the East Campus Great Meadow.

Guests are encouraged to arrive early due to parking and seating limitations. The ceremony will also be live-streamed for those unable to attend in person. Details can be found on the SBCC website.