COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA CONDUCTS ITS 40th COMMENCEMENT AT THE LIACOURAS CENTER

PHILADELPHIA, PA, May 2, 2006 - Christina Taing thought it would be impossible to return to college after marrying at the age of 15 and having two children. Today, she has turned the impossible into reality.

Christina, 25, of South Philadelphia, who has a 4.0 grade point average and plans to pursue a nursing career, is one of more than 1,500 students from Community College of Philadelphia expected to graduate this year. The College will hold its 40th commencement at 2 p.m., Sunday, May 7 at Temple University's Liacouras Center, 1776 North Broad Street in Philadelphia.

The same spirit that enabled Christina to surmount her obstacles also is exemplified in the College's keynote speaker, Dr. Alex Johnson, chancellor of Delgado Community College in New Orleans, Louisiana. Under Johnson's leadership, Delgado has overcome tremendous challenges following Hurricane Katrina.

The graduates will complete the course work taught in one of the College's three academic divisions: Business and Technology; Liberal Studies; and Math, Science and Health Careers.

The students come from neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia and are from a variety of international, ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds. Many have overcome their own challenges in getting to this point in their lives.

The College is the largest institution of higher education in Philadelphia and has served more than 540,000 people since it began operation in 1965.

More than half of the College's graduates in transfer programs continue on to four-year institutions. The College also is ranked number four nationally in the number of associate's degrees awarded to African-American students, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Media Note: Commencement will take place at 2 p.m., Sunday, May 7 at Temple University's Liacouras Center, 1776 Broad Street. Parking is available for a fee behind the Liacouras Center on 15th Street between Montgomery and Cecil B. Moore Avenues. Stephen M. Curtis, Ph.D., president of the Community College of Philadelphia, will welcome the students and provide comments. Karlton L. Roberts, vice president of the Alumni Association, and Victor B. Smith, Sr., president of the Student Government Association, also will welcome and congratulate the students.

Rhonda R. Cohen, Esq., the chair of the Board of Trustees, will give salutations and acknowledgments and introduce the keynote speaker, Alex Johnson, Ph.D., chancellor of Delgado Community College. Dr. Johnson also will be presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.