Western Nevada College is primed to return to its traditional graduation format at 10 a.m. Monday at Mills Park’s Marv Teixeira Pavilion. President Kyle Dalpe told the Appeal approximately 200 of about 500 graduates are expected to walk in the ceremony.
“That’s a big number, but it’s a good number,” Dalpe said. “We’ve tried to trim it up to keep it up with the things people liked about the drive-through, which was how fast it went and there weren’t a lot of speakers.”
WNC switched to the drive-through format in 2019 as the ceremonies grew to a record number of graduates at the time before the pandemic, and Dalpe said it has served the college well for the past few years for those who have enjoyed a more informal and concise format with fewer speeches.
“The drive-through was entertaining in its own right, but commencement is more of a formal event and being able to be on the stage, there’s a lot of sitting and waiting and formalities that go into it, but it’s expected and we’re happy to do it,” Dalpe said. “The drive-through solved the idea of distancing, but it’s something that was probably only for that purpose. People want to come together.”
Of the approximate 529 graduates expected to graduate, 114 are Jump Start students who will receive their associate degree before graduating with their high school diploma.
This year’s ceremony offers a nurse pinning, opening remarks by Dalpe and a keynote address by Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry, Adjutant for the Nevada National Guard. Also delivering messages will be Regent Joseph C. Arrascada of the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Board of Regents, ASWN President and 2023 graduate Suzanna Stankute, WNC Fine Arts Professor Rachel Stiff and WNC Access program coordinator Adrian Barrera.