Bellevue College conferred more than 2,500 awards to the Class of 2014 in a June 20 ceremony at Seattle’s Key Arena. In all, BC awarded 2,550 bachelor’s and associate degrees, certificates and diplomas to 2,417 students.

President Dave Rule delivered the keynote address.

“After all of these years celebrating commencement in places all over the country, I am still moved by the ceremony and what it signifies,” Rule said. “Commencement is the high point of our college’s academic year.”

About three quarters of this year’s class are comprised of graduates who received associate degrees designed to prepare them to continue their education at four-year colleges and universities. In recent years, BC has transferred more students to these institutions than any other community college in the state. Other graduates have earned associate degrees or certificates from programs designed to help them enter the workforce immediately, in areas such as health science, business, early childhood education, and information technology, among others.

The graduating class included students as young as 16 and as old as 64, with an average age of approximately 27. A total of 926 students graduated with distinction (3.5 grade point average or higher). Fifty-six graduates completed their studies at Bellevue College with perfect 4.0 grade point averages.