Lower Columbia College commencement set for June 18

Lower Columbia College's commencement ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. June 18 at Kelso High School's Schroeder Field.

The gates are set to open at 5 p.m. and guests should arrive before 6 p.m. to take their seats.

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The ceremony will be livestreamed. More information and a link to the livestream are available at lowercolumbia.edu/commencement.

Running Start student Mara Slabu will be the student speaker for the ceremony.

Slabu is graduating from Mark Morris High School as well as earning an associate's degree in biology from LCC. She has served as executive director of the Associated Students of LCC and team captain of the Fighting Smelt speech and debate team.

Three students will receive Scholastic Achievement Awards, which LCC gives instead of naming a single valedictorian. The awards are given in three categories: bachelor's programs, academic transfer and professional technical.

The bachelor's Scholastic Achievement Award will go to Skyler White, a first-generation college student who is graduating with a bachelor of applied science in organizational leadership and technical management. White enrolled at LCC after a car accident in 2021 and earned both his high school diploma and an associate degree in accounting in 2024.

Gia Han Huynh is the first international student to receive a Scholastic Achievement Award, according to an LCC press release. She is set to graduate with an associate's degree in nursing and an associate of science in biological science.

Simon Hwang will receive the professional technical Scholastic Achievement Award. Hwang completed an associate of applied science in welding in the winter quarter. He came to LCC to pursue welding after spending four years in a white-collar corporate job.

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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 4:23 AM.