The Class of 2026 at Hartnell Community College will celebrate with a commencement ceremony on Friday, May 22 on an occasion that represents the largest graduating class in the college’s 105-year history—and its first-ever graduates earning bachelor’s degrees.
Hartnell college will award more than 2,120 degrees and more than 1,460 certificates of achievement, reflecting continued growth in student success and completion.
Out of the 2,120 degrees awarded, the overwhelming majority are associate degrees, but seven this year are bachelor’s degrees in respiratory care.
Hartnell offers students bachelor of science degrees in respiratory care, in a program that began in spring of 2025.
The bachelor of science in respiratory care is a 15-month online degree advancement program for licensed registered respiratory therapists who have graduated from an accredited associate of science in respiratory care (ASRC) program, or for ASRC graduates eligible for licensure.
“It's fully online, there is no in-person meeting. It's a very flexible program for anybody that is working multiple jobs or needs to stay at home for whatever reason,” says 27-year-old Raquel Vega, who is one of the seven students receiving the bachelor’s degree on Friday.
Vega was born and raised in Salinas and accomplished this achievement while working two jobs and has inspired her boyfriend to return to school and also work in a career in healthcare.
“We are immensely proud of these seven respiratory care practitioners who have not only elevated their own professional standing but have paved the way for future baccalaureate programs at Hartnell,” Interim Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences, Robert Muster, said in a statement. “This milestone reflects our commitment to meeting the evolving healthcare needs of the Salinas Valley by providing advanced, high-quality clinical education right here at home.”
Vega shares this accomplishment is long-awaited.
“It's definitely a big achievement coming from being a C student. I wasn't that great at school, but I pushed myself to prove to my younger self to be able to get this far,” Vega says. “I pushed myself with support from my family, my mother, my boyfriend and everybody that was around me at Hartnell."
Out of the students graduating, there are 65 valedictorians who earned a 4.0 GPA and 1,013 students are graduating with honors. Among them is also Hartnell’s youngest graduate. Valeria Beltran, a 17-year-old dual-enrollment student, is earning an associate degree in general studies summa cum laude and will also graduate from Gonzales High School next month with her high school diploma.
The ceremony will begin at 4pm Friday, May 22 at the Rabobank stadium located at 1034 N. Main St., Salinas. Rabobank Stadium gates will open at 2:30 pm and guest seating will be available on a first come, first served basis. A guest pass will be required for entry. The event will also be livestreamed on Hartnell’s Facebook and YouTube pages.