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![\"portrait](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Yaritza-Jimenez-Cedres.jpg\" "\\"Yaritza")
Yaritza Jimenez-Cedres<\/p>\nSt. Petersburg College celebrated the achievements of 1,177 graduates during its 148th commencement ceremony at The BayCare Sound in Clearwater, honoring students whose determination, resilience and ambition continue to define SPC\u2019s legacy of opportunity and impact.<\/p>\n
From first-time college graduates and working adults to veterans and returning learners, SPC\u2019s graduates represent a powerful cross-section of the communities the College serves. Together, they embody SPC\u2019s mission to empower individuals and strengthen communities through accessible, high-quality education.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, we celebrate your accomplishments and the extraordinary journeys that brought you here,\u201d said SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams. \u201cYou faced challenges that demanded strength, resilience and unity and you rose above them. Your success reflects courage, purpose and a shared commitment to building better futures for yourselves and better communities for all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among this year\u2019s graduates, 373 were the first in their families to earn a college degree. Many graduates are now taking the next steps toward career advancement, entrepreneurship and continued education: 415 plan to pursue further education, 160 are starting new jobs, 57 are launching or growing businesses and five will enter military service.<\/p>\n
Graduate Spotlight: Learning Without Limits
\nYaritza Jimenez-Cedres<\/p>\n
One powerful moment from commencement captured the heart of SPC\u2019s commitment to accessibility and student success. Yaritza Jimenez-Cedres, a graduate of SPC\u2019s Medical Coding and Revenue Management Certificate program, celebrated her achievement alongside faculty, interpreters and accessibility professionals who supported her journey.<\/p>\n
A deaf student and experienced health care professional, Jimenez-Cedres came to SPC after earning degrees in radiologic technology and CT scan and MRI in Puerto Rico. When she relocated to Florida, she sought a new career pathway that would allow her to apply her clinical expertise differently.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am deaf and thanks to the incredible accessibility support, interpreters and inclusive environment at SPC, I have been able to shine and achieve my goals,\u201d said Jimenez-Cedres.<\/p>\n
She credits SPC\u2019s commitment to accessibility and inclusive learning for helping her transition into medical coding, where she now supports accurate documentation, compliance and patient care within health care organizations.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing part of this institution has not only helped me advance in my career but has also inspired me to show others \u2014 especially people with disabilities \u2014 that there are no limits when there is determination and support,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
For many faculty and staff, moments like Jimenez-Cedres\u2019 graduation capture the purpose behind the College\u2019s work.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorking with Yaritza captures why I have been at SPC for 21 years and why I love the work we do,\u201d said Stefanie C. Silvers, SPC\u2019s ADA\/504 Officer. \u201cOur commitment to accessibility ensures that students of all abilities can pursue their education, improve their lives and celebrate accomplishments like this one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Graduate Spotlight: Finding Direction Through Creativity and Service
\n![\"portrait](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Chris-Tucker.jpg\" "\\"Chris")
Chris Tucker<\/p>\n
Chris Tucker, a U.S. Army veteran and digital photography graduate, walked the stage with a renewed sense of purpose and direction after completing SPC\u2019s Arts, Humanities and Design program with support from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program.<\/p>\n
\u201cGraduating from SPC means a sense of accomplishment and a new direction,\u201d Tucker said. \u201cI\u2019m proud of myself and grateful for the support from SPC, the Veterans Services department and the VA.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tucker is now building his business, Chris Tucker Media, combining real estate photography with drone aerial imaging. He earned his drone license with support from the Wounded Warrior Project and plans to expand his services while continuing to support fellow veterans.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe leadership in the Veterans Services department and the SPC instructors are exceptional,\u201d Tucker said. \u201cThey provided the equipment and environment I needed to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Graduate Spotlight: Building Careers Close to Home<\/p>\n
For Lindsay Bates, graduating with an Associate in Science (A.S.) degree represents both gratitude and opportunity. After earning her Associate in Arts (A.A.) from SPC, she returned to complete her A.S. degree and will now begin a new role working in a hospital CAT scan department.<\/p>\n
\u201cSPC was the best fit for me,\u201d Bates said. \u201cI\u2019d just say thank you for all the opportunities. It\u2019s been a great experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Similarly, Javier Esparza, an A.A. graduate, chose SPC because it was close to home and aligned with his goals. He plans to continue at SPC and pursue entry into the radiology program.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just want to thank SPC for the time,\u201d Esparza said. \u201cI\u2019m excited for what\u2019s next.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Legacy of Opportunity and Impact<\/p>\n
SPC offers more than 300 degree and certificate programs, developed in partnership with industry leaders to prepare students for real-world careers. As Florida\u2019s first two-year institution and the first to offer bachelor\u2019s degrees, SPC continues to lead in workforce education and academic innovation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are proud of every student who has reached this moment,\u201d said Dr. Matthew Liao-Troth, Vice President of Academic Affairs. \u201cEach graduate\u2019s success represents SPC\u2019s mission in action \u2014 transforming lives through learning.\u201d<\/p>\n
As graduates move forward into new careers, continued education and service, SPC remains committed to providing pathways that open doors, remove barriers and empower students to achieve without limits.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"St. Petersburg College celebrated the achievements of 1,177 graduates during its 148th commencement ceremony at The BayCare Sound…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":87636,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[202,204,203,199,201,200],"class_list":["post-87635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-st-petersburg","tag-st-pete","tag-st-pete-headlines","tag-st-pete-news","tag-st-petersburg","tag-st-petersburg-headlines","tag-st-petersburg-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87635"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87635\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/87636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=87635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}