Hudson County Community College Class of 2025 Valedictorian Will Share Her Higher Education Journey at the College’s 48th Annual Commencement Ceremony on May 21
May 15, 2025
Hudson County Community College Business major Lidia Khayrulina has been named Valedictorian of the Class of 2025. She will speak at the College’s 48th Annual Commencement Ceremony on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 10 a.m., at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ.
May 15, 2025, Jersey City, NJ – A first-generation Russian immigrant, Lidia Khayrulina worked at a local newspaper when she heard about Hudson County Community College (HCCC). The information was so compelling and welcoming that Lidia set her mind on building a meaningful career through higher education at HCCC.
On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Lidia will address her classmates, their families, the HCCC Board of Trustees, faculty, and other guests as Valedictorian of the Class of 2025 at the College’s 48th Annual Commencement Ceremony. The event will take place at 10 a.m. at Sports Illustrated Stadium, 600 May Street in Harrison, NJ.
“I had doubts about my English, being older than most students, and whether I would belong in a college environment,” Lidia says. She put aside her fear of failing, took the placement test, mastered English as her second language, and began studying for her HCCC Associate in Science degree in Business Administration. That moment marked a turning point in her life.
A Jersey City resident, Lidia is an HCCC Foundation Scholar, 2025 Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Semifinalist, and New Jersey Council of County Colleges “New Jersey Student of the Year” nominee. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, the PTK New Jersey All-State Academic Team, National Society of Leadership and Success, and Sigma Kappa Delta English Honor Society.
Lidia’s academic journey is rich in growth and discovery, excelling in Business Administration and other programs. She participated in the College’s innovative B.E.S.T. (Business Education Supplemental Training) program, Bloomberg Financial Challenge, Mission 50 Competition, and Rutgers University Business School-New Jersey Council of County Colleges Competition. Lidia also served as a project-based marketing intern at the nonprofit We Care Movement that assists families, single-parent households, and youth, and she has started a new marketing internship with a startup beverage company.
Lidia participated in a variety of extracurricular activities, clubs, and volunteer opportunities. As an Executive Board Member of the Model United Nations, she was an HCCC delegate at the Harvard National Model UN Conference in Boston. She is active in the Girls Who Code, Environmental, Business and Accounting, and Sisters Empower Sisters clubs. Lidia attended the Phi Theta Kappa Middle States Summer Leadership and Honors Institute and Regional Conventions. An environmental advocate, she volunteers for Friends of Liberty State Park and Hackensack Riverkeeper to help make Hudson County a healthier, more beautiful place to live and work.
Committed to her newly adopted home in the United States, Lidia noted that she never expected to find such a strong community in Hudson County. “I’ve been motivated by the many student-led projects, the extracurricular activities, and the meaningful support the College offers.”
“Lidia embodies the finest ideals of Hudson County Community College students. Her personal experiences, academic achievements, and dedication make her an inspiration to all,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber.