Needles students urge Palo Verde College to keep graduation local; council hears pleas

Elizabeth Berry, a student and Associated Student Government representative at the Palo Verde College Needles Educational Center, told the City Council that students want their graduation ceremony to remain in Needles rather than be combined with events at the Blythe campus. "They want Needle students to drive out to Blythe, and they said they would reimburse students for travel expenses," Berry said, adding that local families and community members would be unable to attend if the ceremony is moved.

Berry said trustees at the college’s March 10 meeting opposed a Needles-only ceremony and quoted a trustee as saying Needles is "a drain on Palo Verde College," a remark Berry and other speakers said was hurtful and inaccurate. She asked residents to contact trustees and to submit letters before the board’s April 14 meeting, and said she would attend that trustees’ meeting to speak on behalf of Needles students.

Multiple residents and councilmembers spoke during the public-comment and general-discussion periods to back Berry’s request. One public commenter summarized recent college fundraising and programs, saying the campus’ recent 5K raised $11,000 for student clinical costs and highlighted local workforce-development partnerships that benefit Needles residents. John McNeil, who identified himself as a city resident, thanked a local leader for work that led to a county hospital board appointment and praised her service to the community.

Councilmembers said they share concern about preserving the Needles campus and local events. One councilmember urged outreach to regional and state officials and trustees to explore how the city and county can help retain services; another suggested the council consider preparing a letter of support for the campus. The council did not take formal action on the graduation issue during the meeting; several members said they would pursue outreach ahead of the April 14 trustees’ meeting.

The city manager’s remarks at the meeting emphasized ongoing partnerships with Palo Verde College on workforce development and thanked the college for community events. The meeting record shows no formal city resolution or vote on the graduation matter; next steps reported were community advocacy and public attendance at the college board meeting.