City College Commencement for Graduating Class of 2023 Features Keynote Speaker former Old Navy CEO Jenny Ming

May 26, 2023 (San Francisco) – On Thursday, May 25, 2023, City College of San Francisco held its Commencement for the Graduating Class of 2023 at the City College George M. Rush Stadium. The celebration was the commencement of students from Summer 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023 and Summer 2023 comprising over 1,000 City College students. 

 

City College Board President Alan Wong made opening remarks greeting and congratulating the graduates. Student speaker Whitney Gregory provided comments coming from the perspective of a City College student. The keynote speaker was Jenny Ming, former CEO of Charlotte Russe and Old Navy , Committee of 100 member, and City College graduate.

 

Wong acknowledged City College students that went through many challenges in order to attain their degree, including students needing to work while attending school, taking care of family members and children, and overcoming language barriers as immigrants. He mentioned that his family had their own City College journey and how City College had helped his father become a hotel cook after completing City College’s culinary program.

 

“The classes I was able to take for free at City College, along with Advanced Placement credits, and taking extra units at UC San Diego helped me to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UCSD when I was just 19-years old,” said Wong during his commencement speech. “City College was a part of my family’s journey too. And I have no doubt that if you keep up your efforts, you will all make your family proud as I have mine.”

 

Keynote speaker Jenny Ming provided several points of advice to the graduates including, embrace adaptability with a focus on digital literacy, foster diversity and inclusion, cherish human connections, and safeguard your mental health and well-being.

 

“Change can be daunting but also very exciting. Be open to new technologies, ideas and ways to do things, embrace the digital age and leverage the power of innovation to stay ahead. Technology has become an integral part of almost every industry and profession. So make it a priority to expand your digital skillset. Adaptability will be the key to your success in a world that demands constant evolution,” said Ming during her keynote address. 

 

“Secondly, celebrate our differences… Being different is something I’ve experienced ever since I moved here when I was nine-years old. I didn’t speak any English when I arrived. Living in San Francisco Chinatown, some things were familiar yet others were very different. So in my professional life, I find that being a woman and that being Asian has really helped me stand out in the crowd. Being Chinese American, I found that being a part of two cultures at once gives me a unique perspective,” said Ming. “The same goes for you. Whatever your differences may be, embrace your diversity and take full advantage of it. Appreciate the power of collaboration and the strengths that come from diverse teams and points of view. By doing so you contribute to a more equitable society, unleash the innovative solutions, and ideas to many challenges we face everyday.”

 

On behalf of City College, Wong presented Ming with a Certificate of Appreciation for her role and inspirational speech at the commencement. Another Chinese American woman, retired Superior Court Judge of San Francisco County and former member of the City College Board of Trustees Julie Tang, was the keynote speaker for the 2021 Commencement.