Former White House Photographer Eric Draper to Deliver Commencement Address at Cerritos College

Commencement scheduled for Friday, May 24, 6 p.m.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 14, 2019

Media Contact:Aya Abelon, Public Affairs; 562-653-7878

Eric DraperWHAT: Cerritos College announced today its 2019 commencement speaker, Eric Draper, former White House chief photographer for President George W. Bush.

Draper is a graduate of Cerritos College. He served as President Bush’s chief photographer for the entire eight years of his presidency, photographing him daily in his activities at the office, abroad and in his personal life. Draper was named Special Assistant to the President, and is the first White House photographer to be named a commissioned officer to a U.S. president. During his tenure, Draper took nearly one million photos documenting the presidency.

His many assignments included the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the 1996 and 2000 presidential campaigns, the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, the Kosovo conflict in 1999 and the 1998 World Cup in France.

Draper will share his experience through community college and transfer, and his career journey from a Los Angeles newspaper photographer to an official presidential photographer with thousands of graduates and guests at the May 24 Commencement.

The College will present associate degrees and skills certificates earned during the 2018-2019 academic year. Approximately 5,000 students will be receiving degrees and certificates, making the fourth consecutive largest graduating class in the Cerritos College history. Students graduating and transferring will be transitioning to some of the nation’s top colleges and universities, including UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, California State Universities Northridge, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Fullerton, among others.

The ceremony is free, however, each guest will need a ticket to enter the stadium. Please refer to the "STUDENT, GUEST, AND TICKET INFORMATION" section on the Commencement webpage for details. No strollers will be admitted into the stadium for the ceremony.

Seating for wheelchair users is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, contact Disabled Student Program and Services (DSP&S) at (562) 860-2451 ext. 2335.

WHEN: Friday, May 24, 2019 at 6 p.m.

WHERE: Cerritos College
Falcon Stadium
11110 Alondra Blvd.
Norwalk, CA 90650

Campus map: www.cerritos.edu/guide or www.cerritos.edu/google-map

CONTACT: For more information about Cerritos College's 2019 Commencement, please visit www.cerritos.edu/commencement.

PARKING: Parking is free in Lot 10 on Commencement day. The stadium is located on the south side of Alondra Boulevard.

 

About Cerritos College: Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently averages 23,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at http://www.cerritos.edu/.

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