Former Spanish Television Executive Will Be Santa Monica College Commencement Speaker

By Lookout Staff

June 5, 2018 -- A former top executive of Telemundo who produced more than 700 shows will be Santa Monica College's commencement speaker at its graduation ceremony next week, college officials announced.

Nely Galán, an Emmy Award-winning producer and the former President of Entertainment for Telemundo, will address the 88th graduating class next Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Corsair Field.

For the ninth year in a row, families and friends worldwide can watch the graduates receive their diplomas live on the SMC Alumni Association webpage (alumni.smc.edu). Nearly 700 of the more than 4,500 students who have earned degrees and certificates are expected to take part in the festivities, college officials said. “This year’s commencement marks a big moment in Santa Monica College’s history -- the first time 18 students will receive a Bachelor’s degree from this institution,” said SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery.

“We are so proud of them and of the thousands of other students who chose this college as the pathway to their dream university or career, and have worked so hard to earn that degree or certificate."

Jeffery called Galán -- the New York Times bestselling author of "SELF MADE, Becoming Empowered Self Reliant and Rich In Every Way" -- "a driven, accomplished media entrepreneur"

Galan, who immigrated from her native Cuba when she was five, began her career as an intern before becoming an assitant, then a station manager at a Telemundo affiliate.

She produced shows in English and Spanish through her multi-media company Galán Entertainment and founded The Adelante Movement, which "seeks to empower and train Latinas and multi-cultural women and their families economically and entrepreneurially," college officials said.

Galán, who returned to school in her 40s and earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, is completing her dissertation for a Doctor of Psychology in Marriage and Family Therapy

Galán completed a two-year 150 city book tour in the U.S. and recently began the international leg of the tour in China, officials said.