(Cicero, IL) The Honorable Justice Jesse G. Reyes, the first Latino Judge to be elected to the Appellate Court will serve as the Morton College’s 98th annual Commencement ceremonies speaker.
Morton College will be hosting two traditional in-person and in-door commencement ceremonies in the Vais Gymnasium. The ceremonies will be on Friday, May 20th at 6 p.m. and Saturday, May 21st at 10 a.m. The ceremonies will also be broadcast live via Morton College’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
“We are honored to have Justice Jesse G. Reyes serve as this year’s commencement speaker and share an inspiring message to our students,” said Dr. Stan Fields, President of Morton College. “This is a long-awaited moment as we welcome everyone back to a full in-person commencement ceremony to celebrate our students’ milestones.”
Justice Reyes serves on the First District Appellate Court of Illinois, as a Presiding Justice of the Fourth Division and Co-Chair of the Court’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. He is the first Latino Judge to be elected to the Appellate Court, he is also the current President and founding member of the Diversity Scholarship Foundation. Before being elected to the bench, Justice Reyes worked for the Law Department of the Chicago Board of Education where he represented Board in litigation matters and was involved in the implementation of policies and procedures pertaining to school reform.
“It is indeed an honor and privilege to be part of this historic commencement and to be the speak to the Morton College graduating class of 2022,” said Justice Reyes.
Justice Reyes obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. He has received several distinguished recognitions for his service to the bench and bar for promoting diversity in legal profession.
For the health and safety of the Morton College Community, these Commencement ceremonies are being planned in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Illinois Department of Health guidelines. Face masks are optional, and proof of vaccination is no longer required for visitors.