Crafton’s EOPS Department celebrates its ‘golden’ graduates at end-of-year celebration
Publish Date: April 26, 2026
Crafton Hills College’s Class of 2026 is going “up, up, up” with excitement as it celebrates another year of Roadrunner Success.
And at a special K-Pop Demon Hunters-themed celebration on April 24, graduating students from Crafton’s EOPS, NextUp, CARE, CalWORKS and DREAMers were thrust into a golden spotlight.
“Today we come together to celebrate a remarkable group of students who have demonstrated perseverance, resilience and an unwavering commitment to their goals,” said Leah Havey, the event’s mistress of ceremony and an EOPS, CARE and CalWORKs student. Addressing the graduates, she said, “You worked so hard to complete challenges and have achieved milestones that prepared you for the next chapter in your lives.”
The setting for the celebration was the Barabara L. Smith Event Center, which became a stage for the celebration, where students were greeted by a sea of pink and purple metallics, the vibrant color scheme of the popular Netflix animated film.
Nearly 525 students were part of EOPS and related programs during the 2025-26 academic year, with 105 students from the five programs who are part of this year’s graduating class. Of those students, 31 are graduating with distinction—with a 3.0 GPA or above—while six are graduating with highest distinction, having earned a 4.0 GPA.
While the celebration marked the end of an era for many, it also signaled the start of a new beginning with students. Faculty and staff stressed to those moving on to a four-year college or careers that once a Roadrunner, always a Roadrunner.
“Please remember that Crafton Hills is always your home, and you can always come back if you need us,” said CHC Vice President of Student Services Delmy Spencer.
Additional program highlights included a catered dinner and remarks from Crafton President Kevin Horan and Associate Dean of Student Services LaTesha Hagler. EOPS and NextUp Student Nadia Oz delivered the student address, sharing the impact Crafton had on her college experience.
“For a long time, I didn’t think college was something I was capable of, but here I am standing here in front of you, and it still amazes me up to this point,” she said. “I chose Crafton Hills first because it was the closest to my house. But I can confidently say I don’t regret that decision at all. Crafton became more than just a college—it became a place where I grew, learned, and began to believe in myself.”
Crafton’s EOPS, CalWORKs, CARE, NextUP and DREAMers programs support student success in a myriad of ways, from uplifting students with language, social, and economic barriers to supporting single parents with education and training focused on self-sufficiency.
