Former ABC Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Gary Smuts (left) will be the Cerritos College Commencement Speaker at the upcoming ceremony. Randy Economy Photo
By Brian Hews
Former ABC Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Gary Smuts has been selected to serve as the speaker at the 56th Annual Cerritos College Commencement Ceremony to honor its graduating students.
Smuts was selected for the honor according to college officials “due to his longtime commitment to public education and his long ties to the community and to the public institution.”
The Cerritos College Commencement will take place on Saturday, May 18 at 5 p.m. in Falcon Stadium.
Cerritos College’s Board of Trustees will present degrees and certificates earned during the 2012-2013 academic year.
Smuts recently retired as the head of the ABC Unified School District and college officials also pointed out that he is a graduate of Cerritos College back in 1970. Smuts is also a former graduate of Norwalk High Scholl.
While at Cerritos, he was on the football team, the forensics team, and was a member of the student Supreme Court. He also received a Bronze Falcon award for his service to the college. He holds a doctoral degree from the University of La Verne.
In his 37 years at the ABC Unified School District, Smuts held many leadership positions beginning as an instructor, coach and principal at Cerritos High School.
Commencement is free and open to the public. Parking will be free at The Falcon Stadium on Commencement Day. The stadium is located on the south side of Alondra Boulevard.
No tickets are required for the ceremony. The entrance gates are located on both the northeast and northwest sides of Falcon Stadium and will open at 3:30 p.m. No strollers will be admitted into the stadium for the ceremony.
Seating for wheelchair users and one guest may be reserved upon request two weeks prior to commencement.
For further details contact Mary D’Ettorre, Disabled Student Program and Services (DSP&S) via email at [email protected] or phone (562) 860-2451 ext. 2346 or 2352.
