Commencement ceremonies

The Commencement was held at the War Memorial Auditorium.

Dr. Joe Rushing returned to BCC as the commencement speaker. There, he was reunited with two physical education professors who had served on his faculty. From left to right are Rex Brumley, Dr. Rushing, Alton "Andy" Andrews, and Dr. Holcombe.

Author and screenwriter Rita Mae Brown, a member of the Class of 1965 and 1999 recipient of the American Association of Community College's Outstanding Alumni Award, addressed the graduates at the May 2001 commencement exercises as Dr. Steve Obenauf, Central Campus Professor of the Year, listened. Four months before the September 11 tragedy, Brown told the graduates that many of America's problems stemmed from the country's wealth and power. "Sisters and Brothers, pick up an oar and row," she told them. "We are all in the same boat together."

Under Dr. Holcombe's leadership, the campuses resumed growing to meet current and future needs.

Dr. Adams presents Broward Judge James Minnet with a Distinguished Service Award in 1978.

Dr. Adams served Broward Community College from 1968 to 1986, guiding its rise in size and prestige among the nation's two-year colleges. To honor his accomplishments and service to the college, Central Campus was renamed A. Hugh Adams Central Campus in December 1986.

The Advisory Board brought together a diverse group of distinguished professionals and community leaders from throughout Broward County. Dr. Rushing provided the five members with service plaques at graduation ceremonies. From left to right, they are Lloyd Cassels, Florence Tustison, Dr. Rushing, Judson Samuels, Robert Ferris, and John Payne.

Dr. Edmund J. Gleazer, president of the American Association of Junior Colleges, was the speaker at JCBC's 1961 commencement ceremonies. The first class to begin JCBC as freshmen graduated June 10, 1962. Dr. John Allen, president of the University of South Florida, addressed 73 graduates at commencement ceremonies at War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale. The first student to receive a diploma was Judith Abel of Fort Lauderdale. Also, in the first graduating class was Central Catholic High graduate Parris Nelson Glendening, who went on in 1967 to become the youngest recipient of a doctorate in political science at Florida State University. In 1994, Glendening was elected Maryland's 59th governor.

Dr. Blee and graduation speaker Dr. James Wattenbarger, father of the Florida community college system, chat with a student at 1966 commencement ceremonies.

A system of junior colleges serving African-American students was established by the state in 1949. In Broward County, JCBC offered courses for its African-American students at a branch campus of Dillard High School, which opened in August of 1961. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated desegregation of all publicly supported educational institutions. By the 1966-1967 school year, the "Magnificent 12" black junior colleges in Florida had ceased operations or had folded into formerly all-white junior colleges.