The 2017-2018 academic year has come to an end and for many City College students that means graduation and a start to a new journey.

City College’s 69th Commencement Ceremony will be held 5 p.m. Friday May 18 at La Playa Stadium. Upwards of 600 students are expected to participate in the commencement ceremony, 400 of which will graduate with honors. This is about 50 fewer than last year due to the decrease in enrollment.

Every year a group of several faculty members select a commencement speaker after a very competitive interview process. They look for someone interesting and captivating but above all they are looking for someone who inspires others.

The commencement speaker this year is Alberto Lule. Lule is a formerly incarcerated student who is graduating with four degrees, three of which are art related.

“I fell in love with art while in prison from 2003-2016,” Lule said in a personal statement. “At first, I would trace cartoons off of greeting cards. Soon, I was free handing the daily fruit I would get at lunch time. Once I became completely focused on getting better at my craft, my interest in drawing quickly became a passion for art in general.”

Overall, there are more than 3,000 degrees and certificates that are either pending or already awarded to approximately 1,370 students in the 2017-2018 academic year.

Christopher Johnson, associate dean of student affairs, said the expected number of attendees will fill La Playa stadium which holds roughly 8,000 people.

He also added that the school will host breakfast in the Campus Center at 9 a.m. for the graduates. There will be no reception directly before or after Commencement.