PCC Celebration for High School Equivalency Graduates, June 4, 2026
Tucson, AZ – Pima Community College will celebrate this year's High School Equivalency graduates on Thursday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center Linda Ronstadt Music Hall. The one-hour ceremony will be live-streamed via the PCCTV STREAM on YouTube for family, friends, fellow students, and community members to watch live if they are unable to attend. Join us to honor those who earned their Arizona High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma either by passing the GED® test or through one of the other AZ-approved HSE pathways.
- What: High School Equivalency Graduation
- When: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 4, 2026
- Where: Tucson Convention Center Linda Ronstadt Music Hall for graduates, guests and media. The event will also be live streamed on PCCTV YouTube.
- Details: HSE graduates will be available for interviews with media
This year, three HSE graduates will share how returning to education changed their lives. Each story reflects resilience, growth and a renewed sense of purpose.
For student speaker Aurore Reeder, deciding to pursue her HSE diploma meant tackling what felt like an insurmountable mountain. Her turning point came after a job interview where, despite her extensive life experience, she was turned away for lacking a high school credential. Returning to the classroom decades later wasn't easy, and Aurore describes her two-year journey at Pima Community College as "an exercise in discipline."
Supported by her family and PCC staff, she persisted and earned her diploma.
Her journey came full circle when she re-applied to the employer that had rejected her, and was offered the job. Empowered by her success, Aurore declined the position to continue her higher education journey, a path she notes "would not have been on the radar" before.
Aurore’s message to others: “Don't let fear win. The process will take as long as it takes, but please, be encouraged, be present, keep asking questions, do the work, and most importantly, don't give up, no matter what. You are worth it!”
About Adult Education at Pima
For 57 years, Pima’s Adult Basic Education for College and Career has played a critical role in promoting adult education in the community. Each year, it helps thousands of adult students who need to strengthen their basic literacy and math skills, improve their English, study for a High School Equivalency diploma, and prepare for college and career.
For more information about Adult Basic Education for College and Career classes, email adulted@pima.edu, call 520-206-7330 or visit pima.edu/adulted.
Contact:
Laurie Kierstead-Joseph,
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Adult Basic Education for College & Career.
lkierstead@pima.edu | 520-206-7330
Wendy Scheder Black,
Director of Teaching & Learning, Adult Basic Education for College & Career. wscheder@pima.edu | 520-206-6102