Paso del Norte Community Foundation/Paso del Norte Health Foundation CEO Tracy Yellen delivered the commencement speech during El Paso Community College’s (EPCC) Winter 2023 graduation ceremony at the Don Haskins Center, celebrating it 100,000th degree.

Tracy addressed over 2,000 graduates and encouraged them to look no further than El Paso’s iconic images – including the Franklin Mountains, Rio Grande River, Star, and Don Haskins Center – to challenge themselves continuously, do the right things, seek mentors, and always give it their all.

“When you look at the Franklin Mountains, remember to do the hard things. The next time you’re near the Rio Grande, let it remind you to do the right things. As you look up at the Star on the Mountain, find the mentors and the stars around you,” Tracy said. “And when you’re here in the Don Haskins Center, don’t forget to give life everything you’ve got.”

EPCC graduated its 100,000th student at its Fall Commencement Exercises on Friday, December 15, 2024, at the University of Texas at El Paso Don Haskins Center. This milestone is a testament to the ongoing commitment EPCC has to create a clear pathway to higher education, providing the support services to help students succeed and graduate.

When current President Dr. William Serrata started his role in 2012, EPCC had awarded around 50,000 degrees; in just over a decade, EPCC has doubled student degrees—100,000 Dreams Achieved! “Because of the steadfast commitment of our faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees, along with the support of our community, more than 100,000 of our students have achieved their dreams and earned their degrees,” Dr. Serrata said.