Graduates from Oakland Community College (OCC) embraced the theme “Change Starts with
Us” as they celebrated their dreams come true in front of nearly 6,000 family, friends
and OCC employees during two “packed house” commencement ceremonies held at Oakland
University’s O’rena in Rochester, Mich.
“Each student comes to OCC with their own goals, challenges and dreams. Through hard
work, perseverance and the support of others, they’ve succeeded,” said OCC Chancellor
Peter Provenzano, Jr. “With their degree or certificate, they are prepared for what
comes next. The change starts today for our graduates, their families and our community.”
More than 2,300 OCC graduates earned associate degrees and certificates.
The celebration highlighted how education leads to lasting change. Student keynote
speakers and fellow graduates Meredith Beverly Smith and Rahma Jaara shared their
personal journeys of discovery, transformation and lasting change they embraced along
the way.
Meredith Beverly Smith: Following a Passion
For morning speaker Meredith Beverly Smith, 36 of Ferndale, the journey to commencement
took nearly 20 years. After leaving college because she felt she wasn’t ready, she
started a temp job and worked her way up in the accounting field. But felt something
was missing.
That missing piece was culinary arts, a passion rooted in childhood memories of watching
Food Network shows with her mom; looking at cookbooks, trying to make her own dishes
match the photos; and baking Christmas cookies with her grandparents.
“Deep down, I loved culinary—the creativity, the energy, the feeling of making something
with my hands that brings people together.”
With support of the Michigan Reconnect program, Smith enrolled in OCC’s Culinary Studies
Institute. Despite long hours, physical demands and moments of self-doubt, she discovered
her true calling, and her “love language.”
“I’ve never been happier,” she said. “The world doesn’t need more people who play
it safe. It needs more people who are brave enough to follow their dreams.”
Her words of advice to her fellow graduates: “Be proud of yourself. Be proud of the
courage it took to start. Be proud of the strength it took to finish. And never forget
what brought you here in the first place."
Smith hopes to someday open her own restaurant and launch an afterschool culinary
program in the community to help kids gain an appreciation for culinary arts and build
confidence and life skills through cooking. She also plans to return to OCC to mentor
and support other budding chefs in the classroom.
Rahma Jaara: Turning Hesitation into Leadership
Afternoon speaker Rahma Jaara, 17 of Troy, began taking college classes at age 15
through OCC's dual enrollment program while completing high school at the same time.
At first, she was excited—and intimidated, being much younger than many of her classmates.
As a natural explorer, Jaara quickly turned that hesitation into leadership.
With the support from fellow students, professors, deans and the Office of Student
Engagement, she discovered her community. And they were there for her when the going
got tough.
“I had a full high school schedule in the morning, then took night classes at OCC,”
she said. “It was a lot. But I was surrounded by a vibrant community of veterans,
first-time parents and career-changers who had my back. They opened up my world.”
That encouragement inspired Jaara to get involved on campus and take more risks. She
was elected president of OCC’s Student Government, joined the Peer-Mentoring Program,
and volunteered at local hospitals.
Those experiences shifted her career focus from biology to public health and inspired
her to create “Creativity Cures,” an art therapy-style program at a local hospital
that combined her passion for wellness and love of art.
“With the foundation OCC has provided, I had the power to initiate change,” she said.
Jaara plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in public health with an eye toward health
policy or medical school and help others.
She shared with graduates, “We can be the change we want to see in the world. Because
of the foundation OCC has provided, the power to initiate change resides within us.”
Get inspired
To view OCC’s 2026 Commencement ceremonies, visit the College’s YouTube page.
Check out photos from Commencement.
Read more OCC 2026 graduate stories in Meet the Grads online.
About OCC
Oakland Community College (OCC) has educated over one million students since 1965.
OCC offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs and is committed to student
success with affordable tuition, support services, flexible class options and top
transfer opportunities. The College serves more than 20,000 students annually while
advancing our community through education, training and career support. OCC is nationally
recognized as Michigan’s top online college, and seventh in the U.S., by Newsweek’s America’s Top Online Colleges 2025. Learn more at oaklandcc.edu.
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Media Contact: Marketing & Communications | (248) 341-2020 | contactus@oaklandcc.edu