Austin Community College will host its first December commencement ceremony 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, at the Frank Erwin Center (1701 Red River St.).

“We’ve seen so much growth at ACC that it just made sense to add a second graduation ceremony,” says Dr. Richard Rhodes, ACC president/CEO. “Graduation is such a major milestone, and we want as many students and families as possible to celebrate with us.”

One of those students is Jerral Platt, an Elgin resident who entered ACC in 2007 after a downturn in the semiconductor field forced a change in his career path. He is graduating from the college’s Sonography Program.

“I feel like I just finished running a marathon, and now I can relax,” Platt says. “There are a lot of feelings, but I’m mostly thankful for the experience. I can’t wait to hold that diploma in my hands.”

This fall, more than 1,200 ACC students applied to graduate – a 30 percent increase from the year before. The number of graduation applicants has almost doubled since fall 2007.

“The college is committed to helping students reach their goals and increasing awareness of the importance of graduation,” says Dr. Rhodes. “These numbers are a reflection of our efforts in this area, and we look forward to honoring our graduates at commencement.”

The commencement speakers will be the Hon. Wilhelmina Delco, a founding trustee of ACC, and Dr. Exalton Delco Jr., who previously served as the college’s vice president of academic affairs. The event will include a special recognition for graduating veterans. Summer graduates are invited to take part in the ceremony.