ONTARIO, Calif. -- September 01, 2026 -- Platt College graduates from campuses across Southern California crossed the stage on Saturday, August 29, at the Ontario Convention Center, marking the 20th consecutive year the college has held its commencement at that venue. The Class of 2026 included students earning associate and bachelor's degrees along with diplomas in fields such as healthcare, technology, business, legal services, and design. Family, friends, faculty, and staff filled the venue to watch graduates from Platt's Alhambra, Anaheim, Ontario, and Riverside campuses finish programs many completed while juggling jobs and family responsibilities.
For students who spent months or years attending classes around work shifts and childcare, the ceremony marked a concrete finish line rather than a symbolic one. Many graduates used the moment to point out the instructors, classmates, and family members who helped them stay enrolled through the harder stretches of their programs.
Graduates Head Toward Jobs in Healthcare and Tech
The degrees and diplomas awarded this year prepare graduates for specific career paths rather than general study. Programs at Platt cover diagnostic medical sonography, vocational nursing, respiratory therapy, medical assisting, and veterinary technology on the healthcare side, alongside information technology, cybersecurity, business management, criminal justice, and graphic design. Each track links directly to a job title graduates can pursue immediately after finishing coursework.
College Leader Praises Students Who Balanced Work and School
Josh Zuckerwise, CEO of Platt College, said walking through campuses and watching students work toward graduation ranks among his favorite parts of the job. "To then have the privilege of standing in front of them at graduation and seeing them reach that goal is incredibly special," Zuckerwise said, adding that the graduates should feel proud of what they accomplished.
Ontario Venue Marks Two Decades as Ceremony Site
Platt has now held its commencement at the Ontario Convention Center for 20 straight years, giving the ceremony a fixed home even as the college's student body has grown across four Southern California campuses plus distance education. The venue accommodated graduates and their guests from all four campus locations in a single ceremony.