MOSES LAKE - More than 500 people will receive Big Bend Community College diplomas in graduation ceremonies celebrating the college's 50th year Friday. Commencement exercises begin at 7 p.m. at the Peter D. DeVries Activities Center.

Katherine Kenison, of Moses Lake, will be the commencement speaker. She served on the board of trustees for 13 years.

Retiring president Dr. Bill Bonaudi will receive a President Emeritus award, and Kenison will receive a Trustee Emeritus award. Both will talk about the 50th anniversary and what it means.

The class of 2012 includes 519 people who have earned 550 degrees (some people earn multiple degrees), with 47 graduates of the college's Running Start program.

Running Start allows high school students to take college courses while they're in high school and earn both college and high school credit. The 47 students compare with 32 in 2011.

The number of people graduating from the college has increased 38 percent since 2010. Record enrollment two and three years ago, combined with programs to keep students in college, have contributed to the increase, according to a press release from BBCC.