Many students at Thursday’s Western Nevada College Fallon campus graduation decorated their mortarboards.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
Western Nevada College graduates celebrated their achievements amid a return to a normal commencement ceremony May 25 at the Barkley Theatre inside Fallon’s Oats Park Art Center.
After the parade of graduates, WNC President Kyle Dalpe sparked laughter when he took a selfie with those sitting on the stage and one photograph with the graduates sitting in the audience before beginning his opening remarks.
Welcoming everyone to the 52nd commencement, Dalpe said the WNC Class of 2023 has 500 graduates receiving 529 degrees and certificates of achievement. Graduates range in age from 16 to 65 and come from Nevada and nine other states.
The Nevada Jump Start program graduated 114 students who earned an associate degree concurrently with their high school diploma.
Forty-three graduates walked in the Fallon ceremony.
“Each graduate has faced his or her own challenges… overcame obstacles and endured, developing skills and characteristics that allow each to persist,” Dalpe said. “Today we celebrate the amazing achievements of our 2023 graduating class.”
Dalpe asked the faculty to stand and be recognized, then he introduced those in the front row on stage as District Nine Regent Carol Del Carlo, District One Regent Laura Perkins, Instructor of English Katie Jones, Associated Students of Western Nevada President Suzanna Stankute, WNC Outreach and Access Academic Adviser and Churchill County School Board Acting Clerk Kathryn Whitaker, Oasis Academy Charter School Principal Rochelle Tisdale, Director of the Fallon Campus and Rural Outreach Jessica Rowe, Churchill County High School Principal Tim Spencer, Churchill County School District Superintendent Summer Stephens and Professor of Computer and Information Technologies and ceremony Grand Marshall Dave Riske.
Del Carlo brought the students a message from the Board of Regents congratulating them for their achievements as they faced obstacles of these unprecedented times.
“Today you receive your diploma. Tomorrow you change the world,” she said.
ASWN President Suzanna Stankute presented a welcome message to the graduating class. She spoke of WNC as “a bridge that has connected us with endless possibilities and transformed our lives in ways we may never have imagined.”
Stankute also acknowledged “the unwavering support we received from our incredible faculty and staff who went above and beyond to ignite our passion for learning and empower us to reach our full potential.”
Whitaker, the keynote speaker, told graduates about her grandfather, Clyde, in a story she said spanned 130 years. He experienced difficult circumstances that caused him to leave school early, but he continued to hold education in high regard throughout his life.
Whitaker explained her grandfather’s large eighth-grade diploma hangs in her home as her reminder that most students do not come to school with ideal circumstances. She feels a responsibility to help every student to find the right learning opportunities.
Hearing her grandfather’s mighty stories of grit and determination has had an incalculable influence on her life. Whitaker advised the graduates to also be influencers, not as social media influencers, but as people who influence those around them.
“Be an influencer in your home by building healthy, loving relationships,” she said. “Be an influencer among your peers and friends by encouraging and demonstrating kindness and compassion. Be an influencer in your workplace by doing your best work and supporting your coworkers. Be an influencer in your chosen faith by loving your neighbors. Be an influencer in your community by being an informed voter and serving others.
“The daily impact you have personally interacting with others in a positive way will do far more to change the world than any grand gesture.”
Following the ceremony, graduates gathered in front of the Art Center for photos and conversation. Some took the invitation to influence others to heart and gave advice of their own to anyone who may be considering taking on the challenge of a degree program.
Casamaro White said that WNC is very welcoming and family-oriented. It was very easy to go into the office or classroom and find someone who was willing to help.
Holden Best’s advice for college freshmen is to “definitely prioritize your classes over doing other stuff. That’s what I did. It can get overwhelming sometimes.” He will be going on to pursue a degree in psychology.
Guadalupe De Santiago also took a selfie as she walked across the stage to receive her diploma. She wants to continue her education in the WNC Nursing program and said that she is nervous and excited as she waits for June 9 to find out whether her application has been accepted.
Desirae Blunt said the most difficult part of earning her bachelor degree in organization and project management was balancing work, school and home life.
“You’ve got to plan it out and have a good support system to push that through,” she said. She credits her family with helping and encouraging her. “They are amazing people.”
Blunt really appreciated all of her management classes.
“They taught me a lot. They gave me insight into the job I have currently as a supervisor and how I can improve that. It really benefitted me to take those classes.”
Jump Start graduate John Rowe II recommends that freshmen stay on top of the classwork to succeed in the program.
“The very first week sets the pace for the entire semester,” he said. “So if you’re on the first week and you stay on top of your classes, I think you’ll be all right.”
Rowe said that Criminal Justice 104 with instructor Frank deBraga was his favorite course.
“I highly recommend him. He makes his classes fun and he’s very interactive,” he said.
Rowe will be attending BYU-Idaho to study business management.
Fallon graduates
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE - ACCOUNTING
Liliana Mariuxi Aguirre Leon
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE - HEALTH SCIENCE
Paige Makenna Green, Savannah Lynn Jimenez
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE - NURSING
Jessica Camacho, Ashley Renee DeVault, Paige McKinley Thorn
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE - TECHNOLOGY - COMPUTER INFORMATION
Corina Elizabeth Laiacona, Michael Alexzander Montes Cox, Timothy Petersen
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE - TECHNOLOGY - WELDING
Taylor Alvarez, Parker O. Jones, Arlen James Trappen
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS
Taylor Amezquita, Sanai Lovely Barnes, Yasmine Barnes, Stacie Bogdanowicz, Tristan Cole Clark, Tania De Santiago, Corel Escartin, Holden C. Feest, Johnanthony Jacob Hallberg, Tony J. Harnar, Autumn Jasey Rosebud Moore, Edward C. Morrow, Sonialynn Natividad, Tylie Isabell Norcutt, Anbar Perez, Kara Rose Policky, Abigail Rose Ritts, Lorena A. Robles, Ivy Lorraine Ross, John P. Rowe II, Alexandria Jordan Skiles, Aedre Marie Soderberg, Eric R. Whitmer, Gazille Olivia Willis
ASSOCIATE OF BUSINESS
Ruben Alanis, Jamie Lynne Bennefield, Samantha May Flowers, Kimberly Rose Park, Izeke Wade Pinkas, Gerik Qwin Wassmuth
ASSOCIATE OF GENERAL STUDIES
Tania De Santiago, Aaron Housel, Deborah Jean Hughes, Kelli Mae Kelly, Tucker Wyatt Stritenberger
ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE
Elisabeth A. Bird, Evalyn Marie Chavez, Matthew Thomas Christopherson, Guadalupe De Santiago, Sophia Adelle Jeffs, Reynaldo Vilchiz Mondragon, Keenan Waller, Casamero Ezra White, Sierra Nichole Williams, Ariana Michelle Wolf
BACHELOR OF APPLIED SCIENCE - ORGANIZATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Desirae Blunt, Kelli Mae Kelly
CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT - BOOKKEEPING
Nalani Elizabeth Page
CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT - BUSINESS
Raelynn Neumann, Nalani Elizabeth Page
CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT - EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Ivy Lorraine Ross
CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT - WELDING TECHNOLOGY
Dakota Sasser
Fernley graduates
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE - TECHNOLOGY - WELDING
Chris Jason Whitehurst
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS
Fayth A. Burnett, Raveon N. Harrowa, Skye Elaine Hutton, Evven Johnson, Krystal Largent, Christina Lynn Rasche, Amber Marie Wagner, Jaeden Nicole Wooldridge
ASSOCIATE OF GENERAL STUDIES
Evan T. Frossard, Raveon N. Harrowa
ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE
Ryan Taylor Anderson, Anna Xu Barrus, Heaven Lee Conner, Isabella Monique Dumont, Weston Gonzales, Roslyn Jones, Cora Ann Maldonado, Jace Stewart
BACHELOR OF APPLIED SCIENCE - ORGANIZATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Julie Cay Torres
Silver Springs graduates
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS
Savannah Leona Dyer, Madison Marie Enos, Kaelynne Harvey, Akaya Rose Knowles, Demitria Christy-Nitsa Tekelidis
ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE
David Moore