The graduating class of 2012 receives diplomas and certificates of achievement at New Life Church, 11025 Voyager Parkway, on Saturday, May 12, 2 p.m. This year, 357 students participate in the ceremony; however, 1200 degrees and certificates are conferred for the 2011-12 academic year.

The commencement address is delivered by Brig. Gen. Ruben "Randy" Cubero, U.S. Air Force, Ret., who, following 37 years on active duty including over 6,000 flight hours, served as Dean of Faculty at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Following this appointment, Gen. Cubero landed in the Athletic Director’s chair at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Much of his career has been spent fostering education and character building in young adults.

PPCC’s music students provide special music and accompaniment for this year’s commencement, with a vocal solo by Jeremy Mathis in a special tribute to the Armed Services.

This year, PPCC is giving out special red, white and blue cords for the military and veteran students to wear with their regalia. Those graduating with a 3.5 or higher grade point average will also be given commemorative coins from PPCC’s Military & Veterans Affairs department, an idea borrowed the armed services, who frequently award coins to servicemembers for “going above and beyond the call of duty.”

Cheri Arfsten, director of Military & Veterans Programs, says, “Our military students tend to have a more mature, serious view in pursuing their education. They are avery dedicated, hard-working group of students dealing with a lot of important things in their lives, juggling families, facing deployment, life-and-deathsituations, and frequent moves.” She concludes, “We’re very proud to serve our military students and are so proud of their accomplishments.”

As always, the ceremony is free and open to the public.

Some interesting facts about this year’s PPCC graduates:

• 65 percent are women and 35 percent are men
• 54 percent are first-generation college students
• The average age is 27, with the youngest at 16 and oldest at 65
• About 2 percent are active duty military, and all are graduating with academic honors
• Forty-seven percent will be getting a two-year degree (AA, AS, AGS, or AAS) and 53 percent will be getting a certificate
• The largest group will be those in transfer degrees, followed by Nursing and Allied Health, First Responders (Police, Fire, and EMT), and Computer & Information Sciences