Temple College Celebrates More than 930 Students During Saturday Commencement

Temple College hosted its 99th annual commencement ceremony Saturday morning, honoring more than 930 students who earned associate degrees or certificates.

Several thousand people, including family and friends of the graduates, gathered at the Cadence Bank Center to celebrate the milestones and to cheer on the Class of 2025. A number of Saturday’s graduates earned multiple degrees and/or certificates.

“We are so proud of our graduates and all they have accomplished while at Temple College,” said Dr. Christy Ponce, Temple College President. “We are so proud of them. They worked so hard to complete their degrees and their certificates. It’s been our honor to walk beside them, and we are here to cheer them on as they take the next steps, whether they enter their careers or transfer to four-year universities to earn their bachelor’s degrees.”

Among the graduates were dozens of high school students who attended Temple College’s Texas Bioscience Institute (TBI) classes in Temple and Hutto, Legacy Early College High School, and Ready for Early Access to College in Hutto (R.E.A.C.H.) programs. Many of those students graduated Saturday with associate degrees before they will graduate from their high schools in the coming weeks.

The commencement ceremony provided the opportunity to recognize Brice Olivier, professor of history, who was named the 2024-25 Claudia and W.T. Barnhart Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Olivier began teaching at Temple College in 2013. During her 11+ years at the College, she has taught U.S. and world history courses at the College’s Taylor and Hutto campuses.

She has served on numerous campus committees and has contributed to a number of campus-wide, division and departmental initiatives. She has served as a mentor to high school dual-credit students in the Legacy Early College program in Taylor and the Texas Biosciences Institute in Hutto, as well as traditional and adult learners.

“It has been a privilege to work with the students, my colleagues and the community at Temple College, and I am proud of the contributions I have made over the past eleven years,” Olivier said. “My priorities as a teacher have been to help students find success and to support my colleagues.”

Following the ceremony, the new graduates exited the arena along a path lined by Temple College faculty and staff, who celebrated with them.

New graduates were also invited to join the Temple College Alumni and Friends Association.

Registration is open for both summer and fall semesters.

ABOUT TEMPLE COLLEGE

Temple College is “Your Community’s College,” a dynamic and growing community college that equips thousands of Central Texas students with the knowledge and skills for 21st-century success. Temple College, which has campuses in Temple, Hutto, Taylor and Rockdale, offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs to students who seek to earn credits for transfer, graduate with an associate degree or complete a certificate for fast entry into the workforce.

Founded in 1926, Temple College has enjoyed a reputation for academic excellence for 99 years. It is nationally recognized for its exceptional programs, from visual and performing arts to competitive athletics. The College has become one of the state’s premier institutions for healthcare providers’ education and training, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development programs. The faculty and staff are committed to providing exceptional quality instruction.