Graduates of closed Heald College Modesto band together to hold own graduation

Heald College graduates who lost out on celebrating the day are putting together their own ceremony, set for June 12.

“We’re trying to do the best we can for students who have gone through a lot of work and want to have their graduation,” said Monica Alcala, who finished her business course in April, two weeks before the college abruptly closed April 27.

Alcala and fellow graduates Arianna DeLeon and Nellie Uti estimate they are among 160 January and April grads denied their pomp by Heald’s difficult circumstance.

With the help of Ezra Salas, former president of Heald’s Modesto campus, they were able to book the DoubleTree by Hilton Modesto using the down payment already paid by the school, DeLeon said. The three started an online fundraising campaign at www.gofundme.com/HealdCollege2015 to raise the remaining $15,000 needed.

“That’s for programs, security, balloons – all the expenses of a graduation ceremony,” DeLeon said, the ceremony they all have worked and planned for.

“I think graduation is the icing on the cake. That’s something you look forward to after two years of school ‑ graduating with your class, all the people you met along the way, and sharing it with your family,” she said.

Plans are still forming, with even the time not certain yet, Alcala said. Organizational meetings for January and April graduates of Heald will be at noon and 6 p.m. Wednesday at Segesta Park, at Finney Road and Segesta Way in Salida, just northeast of the Heald campus.

The trio has set up a basic website: http://healdcollege2015.weebly.com/contact.html, and have an email address, healdcollege2015@gmail.com.

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 4:14 PM with the headline "Graduates of closed Heald College Modesto band together to hold own graduation."