̨ʹٷվ

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Thursday, May 4, 2023

̨ʹٷվ awards degrees and certificates during 56th annual commencement

̨ʹٷվ awarded 239 degrees and certificates May 5 during its 56th annual commencement ceremony in the gymnasium on the college’s Sidney campus.

Diana Sieger, president of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, and ̨ʹٷվ student Amber Ridgway, of Greenville, addressed the graduates and their guests.

Sieger talked about growing up in the late ’60s and ’70s and how Gerald Ford spoke at her college graduation, before he was president. She also compared how different life is today from a time back in 2000 when she gave a commencement speech.

“I am heartened by the leadership your generation is demonstrating,” she said. “Whether you are continuing your education at a four-year university, starting a new career, or embarking on some other adventure, remember you have the power to shape your own future. You have the ability to overcome obstacles, to learn from your mistakes, and to make a positive impact on the world around you.”

She also talked about the spirit of service her generation and today’s students have demonstrated. She said ̨ʹٷվ has a commitment to service and everyone who has walked through its doors has experienced it.

“Remember that the most important measure of success is not how much money you make or how famous you become, but rather the impact you have on the lives of others,” Sieger said. “Take what you have learned here and use it to make a positive difference in your community, your country, and your world.”

Ridgeway, who graduated with an Associate of Applied Science in Office Administration with high honors, spoke about how in 2020 she came to a crossroads. She could either give up and end her life, or hang on and try to make a better life for herself. She chose to end her life. She wasn’t successful and spent some time in psychiatric care.

“While psychiatric care was number one, a different career path was second. I had no idea what to do to change that, as college was never on my radar,” she said. “I was never going to be smart enough to attend, and I could never afford it. The possibility for college only came to mind when I learned that Michigan was going to start a scholarship for those who worked on the ‘front lines’ during the COVID-19 lockdown. Surprisingly, to not only myself but everyone in my life, I applied for the scholarship without any hesitation or second thought of what it might mean. I highly doubted I would qualify anyway.”

She received the Futures for Frontliners scholarship and was accepted to ̨ʹٷվ. At age 32, she said she was terrified and worried about being the oldest person in her classes. She realized, though, that all she could do was her best and dive right in.

“It’s been a long, rough road here,” Ridgeway said. “For some of you, your road is just beginning. For others like me, we’ve been driving for a while now, with Michigan-sized potholes we didn’t think we could make across. I know because there’s been too many times that I’ve nearly not made it myself. Wherever you are on your road, keep going. You’ll never be ready. You’ll never be ready for all the things that life will throw at you. Through deaths, heartbreak, new family members, weddings, and everything in-between. Look for hope. Not just on the mountaintops, but in the valleys as well. I promise, it’s there too.”

In addition, Biology Instructor Michelle Gibson, of Greenville, received the Leslie K. Morford Faculty Recognition Award; Health Careers Lab Supervisor and Adjunct Instructor Nancy Seals, of Carson City, received the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award; and Christa Baldwin, of Stanton, was honored with the college’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

Candidates for degrees and certificates included:

Associate of Applied Science – Accounting

Crystal

Marcy Baker, honors.

Greenville

Claire Scott, high honors.

Ionia

Kasondra Triggs, high honors.

Rodney

Morgan Weedmark.

Associate of Applied Science – Agricultural Operations

Saranac

Emily Mutschler.

Associate of Applied Science – Business Management

Crystal

Marcy Baker, honors.

Fenwick

James McGraw; Claudia Medrano.

Greenville

Sawyer Bowers; Autumn Eldridge, high honors; Jordan Wilson, honors.

Stanton

Madison Holland, honors; Christopher Moss.

Associate of Applied Science – Business Marketing

Greenville

Sawyer Bowers.

Stanwood

Madison Morgan-Crater, high honors.

Associate of Applied Science – Computer Network Administration

Big Rapids

Michael Church, honors.

Associate of Applied Science – Computer Networks & Systems

Crystal

Andrew Tissue.

Associate of Applied Science – Criminal Justice

Greenville

Haley Nauta, honors.

Howard City

Courtney Fliearman, honors.

Six Lakes

Brittany Cooper.

Sumner

Frank Funsch.

Associate of Applied Science – Digital Arts

Edmore

Laura Boerma, honors.

Gowen

Michael Beard.

Grand Rapids

Tanner Boonstra.

Greenville

Valerie Coon; Ailey Neal, honors; Paul Nowak III, honors.

Kent City

Reta Burdette, high honors.

Associate of Applied Science – Early Childhood Education

Belding

Kelsey Bartholomew, honors.

Coral

Waverly Burns, high honors.

Fenwick

Mariah Sorensen.

Greenville

Mici Bos, honors; Kathrine Wilson, high honors.

Associate of Applied Science – Education Support

Cedar Springs

Eleanor Colvin.

Associate of Applied Science – Engineering Technology

Ionia

Joshua Trierweiler, high honors.

Associate of Applied Science – Industrial Automation Maintenance

Howard City

Robert Gerwig, honors; Zachary Johnson, high honors.

Associate of Applied Science – Medical Office Administration

Carson City

Elizabeth Miller.

Ionia

Shannon Kelly, honors.

Sheridan

Vivian Ridgeway, honors.

Stanton

Samantha Swan.

Associate of Applied Science – Nursing Professional Track

Belding

Mackenzie Geister, honors.

Carson City

Leah Springsteen.

Cedar Springs

Mabel Brooks.

Fenwick

Courtnee Nicholson.

Greenville

Faith Campbell, honors.

Hastings

Annamarie Beck.

Howard City

Kiana Hackbardt.

Ithaca

Mary Everts.

Lyons

Melissa VanDerske.

Saranac

Emily Mulnix, honors.

Stanton

Alyssa Gillson, honors.

Associate of Applied Science – Office Administration

Greenville

Amber Ridgeway, high honors.

Pierson

Grace Ebenhoh.

Sand Lake

Heather Secor, high honors.

Associate of Applied Science – Registered Nursing (ADN)

Belding

Mackenzie Geister, honors.

Carson City

Leah Springsteen.

Cedar Springs

Mabel Brooks; Trevor Johnston.

Crystal

Miguelita Avery.

Fenwick

Heather Moore; Courtnee Nicholson.

Grand Rapids

Christianna Hultink; Alexandra Michael.

Greenville

Faith Campbell, honors; Anna Dutmers; Noah Gager, honors; Robin Kleck; Hailey MacMillen, honors; Alexandra Swanger, honors; Hayley Zoerman.

Hastings

Annamarie Beck.

Howard City

Kiana Hackbardt; Emily Simmons, honors.

Ithaca

Mary Everts.

Lakeview

Kirsten MacDonald.

Lowell

Andrew Meacham.

Lyons

Melissa VanDerske.

Newaygo

Dana Crawford, honors.

Pierson

McKenzie Crandall, honors.

Portland

Rebecca Snarski.

Rockford

Amanda Wilson, honors.

Saginaw

Steven Hermann.

Sand Lake

Samantha Oakes.

Saranac

Emily Mulnix, honors; Jessica Ricket, honors.

Six Lakes

Zoe Helmer.

Stanton

Chelsey Birman, honors; Haley Edwards; Alyssa Gillson, honors; Johnathon McCracken.

Associate of Applied Science – Skilled Trades

Belding

Travis Colter, high honors.

Edmore

Timothy VanBlaricum III, honors.

Associate of Applied Science – Web Developer & Programming

Trufant

Parker Wheaton, high honors.

Associate of Applied Science – Welding

Edmore

Kyle Deal.

Sand Lake

Zachary Patin, honors.

Trufant

Kevin Brecker.

Associate of Arts – MiTransfer Pathway Art

Gowen

Trynity Green.

Associate of Arts – MiTransfer Pathway Psychology

Fenwick

Royce Spencer.

Greenville

Jack Cooper, high honors; Charlie VanderMel, honors.

Ionia

Brian Chartrand, high honors.

Associate of Arts – MiTransfer Pathway Social Work

Fenwick

Ana Jennings, high honors; Brooklyn Plaisier, honors.

Associate of Arts – MiTransfer Pathway Criminal Justice

Sidney

Grace Choponis.

Associate of Science & Arts

Alma

Sarah Headley.

Belding

Teague Griffioen; Justin Taylor.

Big Rapids

Brittany Brown; Celestine Hiltunen, honors; Megan Raison.

Blanchard

Kayla Fisher; Gabrielle Gilman, honors.

Cedar Springs

Ana Bauer; Rachael Kren, high honors.

Edmore

Wyatt Cook, high honors; MaLinda Johnston; Gabriella Krzymicki, high honors; John Mazurkiewicz IV; Celena Rosset, honors.

Fenwick

Chloe Haring.

Gowen

Sandy Dang; Trynity Green; Adison Nichols, honors; Jakob Phillips, high honors.

Grand Rapids

Ethan Christensen.

Greenville

Annika Barnes; Garrett Bell; Mici Bos, honors; Onyx Bromley, honors; Jessica Butler; Taryn Creasap, honors; Tyler Cripps; Rhiannon Cummings, high honors; Josephine Lake, honors; Dylan Linton; Benjamin Peacock, high honors; Alexandra Seng.

Howard City

Joseph Huizing; Kendra Matzen, honors; Daniel Shadley.

Hubbardston

Hannah Dalton; Karyssa Suchek, honors.

Ionia

Madalyn Bush, high honors; Amanda Fleming; Austin Murray.

Lakeview

Kimberly Carstens, high honors; Gavin Holmes, honors; Kasey Shilling.

Lowell

Hannah Diamond, high honors; Oliver Grilley.

Maple Rapids

Walker Eyer, honors.

Muir

Damon Jackson.

Pierson

Marjorie Starr, honors.

Reed City

Jasmine Plum.

Rockford

Jacob Fitzmaurice.

Saint Johns

Gabriella Andersen, honors.

Sand Lake

Brian Corbett.

Sheridan

Sophia Allenbaugh, high honors; Jasmine Delafuente; Harold Joslyn; Kristin Lacy, honors; Cailin Lambart, honors; Colten Lambart, high honors; Shelbie Ramirez, honors; Ivy Ridgeway, honors; Trenton Shaffer, high honors; Amber Wubbeling, high honors.

Sidney

Grace Choponis.

Six Lakes

Kathryn Porter, honors.

Stanton

Megan Brokaw, high honors; Amanda Johnson, honors; Austin Laper; Emily Throop, high honors; Alyssa Walwark, honors; Nathan Winters-Horton; Rainier Woodman, honors.

Stanwood

Destiney Covey

Vestaburg

Alexys Cannady, honors; Whitney Hoover, high honors; Dylan Jones-Wrisley, high honors; Brady Kilchermann, honors; Michaelann Turner, honors; Lily Walker.

Wyoming

Caroline Garcia.

Certificate – Apprenticeship Training

Cedar Springs

Christopher Carr, high honors; Bill Hammer III.

Grand Rapids

William Patterson.

Lakeview

Theodore Grant, honors.

Morley

Brian Olsen, high honors.

Pierson

David Hoekstra.

Sheridan

Tonya Lucier.

Sidney

Mitchell Mills, honors.

Stanton

Jared Fountain, high honors.

Certificate – Business Management

Stanton

Christopher Moss.

Certificate – Criminal Justice/Corrections

Sumner

Frank Funsch.

Certificate – Liberal Studies

Belding

Justin Taylor.

Blanchard

Grayson Austin, high honors; Gabrielle Gilman, honors.

Coral

Sydnie Nielsen, honors.

Edmore

Gabriella Krzymicki, high honors.

Gowen

Mackenna Gunderson, honors; Jakob Phillips, high honors.

Grand Rapids

Tanner Boonstra; Ethan Christensen.

Greenville

Garrett Bell; Taryn Creasap, honors; Rhiannon Cummings, high honors; Lindsay Muniz; Benjamin Peacock, high honors.

Howard City

Caleb Nave, honors; Madison VanCleave.

Ionia

Madalyn Bush, high honors; Amanda Fleming; Austin Murray; Joshua Trierweiler, high honors.

Lakeview

Kimberly Carstens, high honors.

Lowell

Hannah Diamond, high honors.

Reed City

Jasmine Plum.

Saint Johns

Gabriella Andersen, honors.

Sand Lake

Brian Corbett.

Saranac

Abby Bushre, honors; Emily Mutschler.

Sheridan

Colten Lambart, high honors; Vivian Ridgeway, honors; Trenton Shaffer, high honors.

Sidney

Grace Choponis.

Stanton

Austin Laper.

Stanwood

Destiney Covey.

Vestaburg

Alexys Cannady, honors; Whitney Hoover, high honors; Dylan Jones-Wrisley, high honors; Brady Kilchermann, honors; Michaelann Turner, honors.

Certificate – Medical Assistant

Howard City

Jan Harmon.

Certificate – Skilled Trades – Machinist

Fenwick

James Brumbley, honors.

Certificate – Welding Technology

Lowell

Adam Yuhas, honors.

Pewamo

Clyde Hawbaker, honors.

Media contact:
Shelly Springborn
Director of Communications and Public Relations
shellys@montcalm.edu
989-560-0833