Oregon Coast Community College Celebrates the Class of 2026 at 38th Annual Commencement
Oregon Coast Community College held its 38th Annual Commencement Ceremony Friday, June 12, at the Newport Performing Arts Center, honoring graduates who together earned more than 200 degrees and certificates this year. Those credentials spanned the fields of healthcare, transfer education, skilled trades, and more.
OCCC President Dr. Marshall Mease Roache and Board Chair Debbie Kilduff welcomed graduates, families, faculty, and community members to the ceremony. Graduate Kara Norton delivered the student address before the conferring of degrees and certificates.
“Commencement is always a special occasion at OCCC,” said President Roache. “But this year felt even more so. There was an undeniable energy in the room — the College is celebrating its 40th year, and the stunning new Oregon Coast Advanced Technology & Trades building is rising on our Newport campus. It’s a powerful reminder that the future of this College, and this county, begins with the graduates we celebrate tonight.”
OCCC’s nursing program produced one of its largest cohorts yet, with 42 students earning an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and four more completing the Practical Nursing certificate — credentials that will help meet ongoing healthcare workforce needs on the Oregon Coast. The program celebrated with its traditional Pinning Ceremony, hours before the College-wide commencement.
Twenty-three graduates completed the Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer degree, joined by graduates of the Associate of Science Oregon Transfer Degree in Business, the Associate of Science Transfer Degree in Computer Science, and the Associate of General Studies — pathways designed to prepare students for seamless transfer into bachelor’s degree programs.
Graduates also completed a range of career-technical programs tied directly to coastal industries, including the Associate of Applied Science in Aquarium Science and a dozen additional Aquarium Science certificate completers, welding and shipbuilding repair certificates, Medical Assisting, Early Childhood Education, and Accounting.
Rounding out the Class of 2026, 48 students completed OCCC’s Small Business Management Program, 32 graduates completed English for Speakers of Other Languages instruction, and 15 students earned their GED — reflecting OCCC’s commitment to lifelong learning and workforce readiness for residents across Lincoln County.
Among this year’s graduates were students recognized with Highest Academic Honors, members of Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, military veterans, and three current high school students who earned college by participating in Early College and Dual Credit programs offered via a partnership between the Lincoln County School District and OCCC.
Following the ceremony, graduates and their families gathered for a reception in the lobby. A recording of the ceremony is available at youtube.com/@occcsharks, and all OCCC graduates are automatically granted complimentary membership in the OCCC Alumni Association. At that YouTube link, viewers can also watch the OCCC Nursing Class of 2026 Pinning Ceremony.
About Oregon Coast Community College
Oregon Coast Community College serves Lincoln County from locations in Newport, Lincoln City, Toledo, and Waldport. The College, now in its 40th year, provides transfer degree programs, career and technical education, workforce training, community education, and services tailored to entrepreneurs. OCCC provides student services and support designed to help learners achieve their educational and career goals while strengthening Oregon’s coastal communities.