Daniel Schmitgal

In May 2013, Daniel Schmitgal was the SCC Student Commencement Speaker. Daniel transferred to U.C. Santa Barbara. Below are excerpts from his commencement speech. His words define the student experience at Solano Community College.

“Community college was not meant to be the final destination for most of us, and frankly, that’s the beauty of it. We are allowed to explore our interests without fear of a $12,000 tuition bill.”

“But the real beauty of a community college is that we, the students, come from all walks of life. Some are here to transfer to a university, some are here to get their associates degree, and some are here to simply learn new things. No matter what the initial goal was coming in though, we all are after the same thing; education and inevitably a brighter future.”

“I have watched as men and women, young and old, have been able to take their education at Solano to places they could not dream of before they came here. Students have gone on to Ivy League universities, internships with the nation’s top companies, and jobs that give a solid foundation for the rest of their lives.”

“I am proud to say that I can name every single one of my professors that I have had these two years by memory (and some probably could name me), and I wouldn’t trade any of them for some university professor. The staff and faculty here at Solano are second to none. They take the time out of their day to get to know you, and that is something not easily achieved in the first years at a university.”

“I want all of us to look forward into the future with pride, knowing that we received quality educations here at Solano and taking that education into the next chapter of our lives.”