This year’s graduating class of Western Nevada College reached two milestones.
Fifty years ago, the college graduated its first class, and this year’s students endured the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic by participating in a drive-through graduation on the Fallon campus.
On a Thursday morning last week, WNC President Vincent Solis touted the successes, which triumphed over the pandemic.
“We still continue to deal with the issues and challenges related to COVID, but our students — because of what they learned and what they have been taught by our own faculty — continue to learn the challenges of tomorrow," Solis said.
Solis also described WNC’s diversity and how the college serves thousands of students. This year’s graduating class earned 641 degrees and credentials and represented almost every county in Nevada. Solis said parents traveled from England to be part of their student’s graduation ceremony. Other students came from California, Idaho, North Carolina and Maryland.
“We had single parents, veterans, first generation, senior citizens and high-school students,” Solis said. The Jump Start program, which allows high-school juniors and seniors to enroll in university classes, graduated 140 students this year.
“Each student has had challenges and persevered,” he said of all graduates.
Solis thanked the parents and other individuals who supported the students.
“We’re proud of what you have accomplished, and we look forward to serving you and your families for many years to come,” he said.
Fallon ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE — COMPUTER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Matthew Fields ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE — CRIMINAL JUSTICE Victoriana Loraine Reynolds ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE — HEALTH SCIENCE Marly R. Green ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE — NURSING Kayla Lynn Biggs, Shaina Leann Bryant, Rachel Brittany Ferguson, Shauna Rose Hutchings, Brianna Elizabeth Massey, Erica Dion Stritenberger ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE — TECHNOLOGY — GENERAL INDUSTRIAL Brandon Burgess ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE — TECHNOLOGY — WELDING Jorgen C. Jeppesen ASSOCIATE OF ARTS Aaron Marc Brown, Taylor Morgan Brown, Wendy Ann Bullock, Sierra Jacklynn Cortez, Makenzee Raya Delacruz, Emmanuel A. Demillo, Sydney Marie Drost, Kelsey Diane Gonzalez, Wyatt Joseph Gusewelle, Tonya Hjertstedt, Jorgen C. Jeppesen, Ryan Wayne Jones, Jase Robert Kroll, Angelena Elizabeth Leal, Douglas Albert Lee, Brian Anthony Lindsey, Christian Zachary Maine-Niiranen, Lilia Marquez, Allie Taylor-Renee Marrujo, Alexandria Leigh Matter, Melanie Judith Moran, Patrick Morrow, Amanda Ngo, Sadie Faye O’Flaherty, Emily Payne, Callista Lyn’dl Perez, Melanie Roberta-Jane Plasse, Kate Rios, Emma Jean Robinson, Allison L. Ruck, Skye Leigh Schafer, John Wilson Shelton, Jenna Patricia Spencer, Matthew Ryan Swirczek, Will Swisher, Jem Lee Thompson, Eric Grace Wachsmuth, Shailynn Winter ASSOCIATE OF GENERAL STUDIES Matthew Newgard, Luke Rechel, Anthony Reddick, Victoriana Loraine Reynolds, Megan Shyne ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE Taryn Rose Barrenchea, Cade Gentry Barton, Matthew Nathaniel James Catlin, Allison Naoma Christopherson, Ericka Faye Heath, Jayden Haley Jensen, Madelyn Elaine Mikulak, Gloria Montes-Lopez, Benjamin Jawn Polish, Allison L. Ruck, Mark A. Webb CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT — CRIMINAL JUSTICE Wendy Ann Bullock CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT — CYBERSECURITY TECHNICIAN Matthew Fields
