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A hearing impaired individual will be delivering the commencement address at the 2012 Cerritos College commencement ceremony on May 12.

The 55th annual commencement ceremony will be held at the Cerritos College football stadium beginning at 5 p.m.

Dr. Roz Rosen, who is the director of the National Center on Deafness will be delivering the commencement speech.

An American Sign Language translator will be present to translate the speech.

Judi Holmes, Faculty Specialist for the Cerritos College Disabled Services Programs and Services feels that having Rosen deliver the speech at the commencement is an historical event.

“From my understanding, the first time ever at a California Community College, we are going to have a woman who is going to be our commencement speaker, and she is deaf,” she said.

Prior to the commencement ceremony, DSPS will be holding a reception to honor Rosen. Four hearing impaired students have completed their studies at Cerritos College and will participate in the ceremony. Light refreshments will be served at the reception.

“We will be holding a reception in her [Rosen’s] honor, and to honor the four deaf students and all the other DSPS student graduates,” she said.

According to Holmes, more than 20 DSPS students will graduate on May 12.

The reception, which will precede the commencement ceremony, will be held on campus in classroom building 105 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.