Jill Biden to give commencement speech at LA City College

First Lady Jill Biden arrived at Hollywood-Burbank Airport Tuesday ahead of her keynote address at Los Angeles City College's commencement ceremony tonight.

"We are just overjoyed and extremely honored that the first lady of the United States will be joining us this year. We love her," LACC President Mary Gallagher said. 

"Dr. Biden has been our champion for years and to have her here for our first in-person commencement in three years is amazing. This will be one of the most important and memorable commencements in the 93-year history of our college."

In 2016, Biden visited LACC to announce the launch of the Los Angeles College Promise Program which provides free tuition for all new, full-time students in the L.A. Community College District. Biden is a long-time advocate for higher education, and continues to work as a professor in the English department at Northern Virginia Community College. She is the first presidential spouse to continue working full-time outside the White House.

The ceremony will be held at the Greek Theater at 5 p.m. and will also be livestreamed on YouTube and LACC's website.

More than 1,000 students are expected to participate, and members of LA City College's 2020 and 2021 graduating classes have also been invited to participate because their in-person commencement ceremonies were canceled during the pandemic.