San Antonio College grads celebrate via drive-thru

Since March, an area at the downtown San Antonio College campus that once housed hammocks and students lounging has been desolate as classes went online due to the coronavirus.

That changed Saturday evening as more than 500 cars containing SAC graduates, family, faculty and friends finally celebrated the graduates’ achievement amid sparkling fireworks, glow sticks and balloons to the sounds of the Black Eyed Peas’ classic “Let’sGet it Started.”

Due to the pandemic, the graduates weren’t allowed to walk the stage to mark their milestone in the traditional manner.

The college’s “Graduation in Motion” was a lively ceremony for three semesters’ worth of graduates: fall 2019, spring 2020 and summer2020. This accounted for more than 3,000 graduates who earned 3,725 associate degrees and certifications.

Only 438 of the 19,487 enrolled students this semester attend classes in person, and that’s only because of specific requirements for career and technical education degrees.

Among Saturday night’s graduates

was 46-year-old Caprice Diaz, who was seated in the bed of her husband’s truckwaving to fellow graduates, staff, faculty and friends with her red graduation capperched proudly onher head.

Diaz received her business associate

degree in May and had been disappointed that she didn’t get to have a traditional graduation ceremony.

“It didn’t hit hard until we didn’t walk the stage,” Diaz said. So when she found out about the

drive-thru ceremony a few weeks ago, she prepared decorations and told her family and friends to get ready.

After dropping out of Thomas Jefferson High School when she became pregnant at17, Diaz found herself in a dead-end job doing inside sales for the oil industry.

“I could tell there was no room tomove up, so I felt like it’s time to get my degree,” she said.

She earned her GED in May 2016 and started on her associate degree at SAC. Furthering her education had long been a goal, but shewasn’t sure she could do it because of her age and because she was taking care of her four kids and six grandkids.

But she did it.

Since graduating, Diaz has been transferred to a better job and is applying to TexasA&MUniversity-San Antonio to get her bachelor’s degree.

“You’renever too old to do anything,” she said.

Kristen Leija-Lares, 24, also celebrated Saturday, riding in a decorated car with her mom, her brother and a friend.

She received two associate degrees in May and is now studying at TAMUSA for her bachelor’s degree . Shewants to be a teacher in Harlandale ISD, where she grew up.

“I’m happy that they did this for us because, honestly, it’s pretty emotional seeing some of the teachers and then some of the staff out here that we’re used to seeing on campus,” she said.

Matthew Busch / Contributor Caprice Diaz, 46, has her graduation tassel attached to her hat by her daughter Jessica, 12, as she celebrates her graduation from San Antonio College on Saturday night.