Graduation held for Umoja Program members at Shasta College on Thursday

REDDING, Calif. — Members of Shasta College's Umoja Program were recognized with a graduation ceremony on Thursday afternoon.

The members gathered in the quad for the ceremony, which included guest speakers Jerry Brown, the president of the Umoja program, and Dr. Joe Wyse, the superintendent and president of the Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District.

According to the program's website, www.umojacommunity.org, the program is described as a community dedicated to enhancing the cultural and educational experiences of African Americans and other students. "Umoja actively serves and promotes student success for all students through a curriculum and pedagogy responsive to the legacy of the African and African American Diasporas," the program's mission reads.

Brown said the Umoja program gets students transfer-ready by providing them with tutors, mentors and counselors, as well as taking them on college trips to show them what the next level is all about.

When speaking with KRCR on Thursday afternoon, Brown said he is proud of just how far the program has come. "When we started this program, we envisioned having, maybe, 20 students; thought it would be a success. And now, to have a graduation where you have 12 of your students graduating, and you got up to 50 kids in your program, right now," Brown said. "And seeing all the people here for the graduation today—the staff of Shasta College, [the] people from the community coming out to support it—it's just tremendous. We're very proud of what we have right now."

Brown said he was a basketball coach at Shasta College for over 25 years. He said it's exciting to help his students in the Umoja program get the same opportunities he would help hive his athletes when he was coaching.

Shasta College's grand graduation ceremony is slated for next Friday, May 19, at 7 p.m.

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