Merced College graduating 574 students Friday

Merced College will graduate 574 students during its 49th commencement Friday night at Don Odishoo Field, according to school officials.

The college's interim President Ben Duran will give the commencement speech, titled "A Journey Worth Taking," a news release said.

The college will also give out 899 awards to 574 students who will receive an associate of arts or science degree, and 122 students who will receive certificates of achievement, said Robin Shepard, Merced College spokesman.

Five of those students also will be recognized with Superintendent's Honors for graduating with a 4.0 grade-point average.

Dominique Corrales Navarrette will be the student speaker for the ceremony.

Students and their loved ones might want to bring an umbrella to the Friday ceremony. Brian Ochs, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford, said there may be a slight change of showers and possibly a thunderstorm.

He said he expects no heavy rainfall, and the weather will be significantly cooler than average compared with last year. The high will be in the 70s with evening lows in the 50s, Ochs said.

-- Ameera Butt