Students graduating from Cerritos College this year will have the chance to hear an inspirational speech by Dr. Patricia Arredondo.

She was chosen to speak on commencement day by the Student Life Committee.

The chair of the committee, Dr. Gilbert Contreras said, “During the spring semester [the committee] comes up with a list of possible speakers. Then we begin to narrow that list down.”

For those who don’t recognize the name, Dr. Arredondo cannot be described in one, or even just several, words.

Arredondo’s humble beginnings, growing up in a rural city outside of Cleveland, where there were very few Latinos, inspired her to strive for a career working with and for minorities.

She graduated from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Journalism. She then went on to earn her masters and doctorate in counseling at Boston University.

Her accomplishments eclipse each other, each one bigger than her last.

She is a licensed psychologist, a certified counselor, the first Latina president of the Chicago campus of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and has been a professor, interim dean and been on the board of multiple community service programs.

She is a published author with over 100 works of various literature published, including a book. She is the president of several national associations and on the editorial board of several journals.

Most of her efforts go into subjects like diversity in the workplace, immigrant issues, advancement for women and women of color and social justice in general.

Her efforts have been noted and appreciated in the form of several awards, including a Living Legend award, a Lifetime Achievement award and an honorary degree from the University of San Diego.

If you ask her, she just thinks of herself as a social justice advocate and educator at heart.