Pelosi to speak at graduation

By Catherine Lee
The Guardsman

One  of the most powerful politicians in the country will be at the podium  at the 2011 City College graduation ceremony May 28 when House  Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi delivers the keynote speech.

Pelosi  has represented California’s 8th Congressional District, which covers  most of San Francisco, for 23 years.  This year will be the first time  Pelosi  speaks at the college’s commencement, said Gohar Momjian,  executive assistant to the chancellor.

The  student speaker at graduation will be David Holly, a history student at  City College since spring 2009,  who is transferring to UC Berkeley in  the fall.

Holly  has been active in multiple campus programs, as a paid tutor and as a  volunteer. He tutors  with the Second Chance Program, which was created  for formerly incarcerated students, at Extended Opportunity Program and  Services. Holly is himself an alumni success story of the program.  He  also volunteered with the Homeless at-risk Transitional Students  program.

The  event is limited to graduating students and their families.  Students  who purchased a graduation package have six tickets, which can be  supplemented with four more tickets if reserved.

Approximately  500 students and their families are expected to attend the event in Ram  Stadium, and security will be a little tighter than usual due to  Pelosi’s appearance, said Nazdira Hamden of the Office of Student  Affairs.

Pelosi  is still working on her speech  but it will likely include comments  about the passage of Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which  was considered the greatest federal increase to student aid in the  history of the United States, said Dan Bernal, district director for  Pelosi’s San Francisco office.

Under  Pelosi’s leadership SAFRA was attached to the landmark health care  legislation passed in March 2010.  The legislation includes significant  increases in student aid, including Pell Grant increases, increased  funding for campus work-study programs and changes in tax credits for  families paying for school.

On Campus
Pelosi’s  impact on City College student life is well documented; she earmarked  the capital  funds for the Ocean campus Health Center, which opened in  2007.

While Pelosi herself has a busy schedule, her office appears to be investing new energy in City College concerns.

In  early May Pelosi’s staff could be seen on campus for “Congress on Your  Corner.”  This recent outreach effort, or “office hours,” is an  opportunity for students and the campus community to benefit from  real-time interaction with Pelosi’s staff.

Staffers  from Pelosi’s office indicated that they want these “office hours” to  bolster visibility of Pelosi’s availability as a resource for federal  programs, benefits and issues, said constituent caseworker Alex Lazar,  and Bernal, who somehow managed to get a sunburn in the Ocean campus  fog.

The  campus outreach is unrelated to the commencement speech but part of a  general effort to “bring services out to the students, making them more  aware of how leader Pelosi can help,” said Bernal.

“In  talking with students at Ram Plaza, we’ve been really impressed with  how knowledgeable they are about events at the national level.  They’re  really interested in veteran’s benefits, health care and the DREAM Act,  which leader Pelosi supports,” Bernal said.

And  of course, many more students have questions and will continue to ask  questions about college funding, like loans and Pell Grants, he said.

Pelosi’s  staff will be on campus for more student and constituent input and  questions May 18 and 25 at Ram Plaza, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Summer dates at other City College campuses for “Congress on Your Corner” with Pelosi’s staff will be announced in the future.