For many, college is about finding yourself while finding your people. That was certainly true for Cecilia Vandeveen '25, the keynote speaker at the 18th annual Lavender Graduate Celebration. "Finding a community of queer people to surround yourself with matters," Vanderveen shared. "I felt normal and accepted and loved." Since 2007, the Lavender Graduate Celebration, hosted by the Intercultural Center at SMC, has offered LGBTQIA+ Gaels an opportunity to commemorate their accomplishments, connections, and joy at SMC. To those Gaels, we say: Know that we're celebrating YOU—and all that you've contributed to the SMC community. Congrats, y'all! (fb)

The countdown to Commencement is ON ⏳ , we're highlighting past stories about the Class of 2025. When we spoke to Desiree Sturrock '25 back in 2023, the Environmental Studies and Music double major was entering her third year at SMC. Today? She's the recipient of this year's Winona LaDuke Award, awarded annually to one Environmental Studies student with an outstanding scholastic record. Winning the award "meant a lot to me," Sturrock says. "Being recognized for the initiatives I worked on with the Summer Research Program, as well as my broad experience as a student in the Environmental Studies and Music Departments, has been incredible." During the summer of 2023, Sturrock worked with Chemistry professor Joel Burley, studying how port pollution disproportionately affects communities of color in Long Beach and Oakland. To read more about her research—as well as her journey as an artist and scholar—read more here: bit.ly/4jbFQie (fb)