We’re proud to be able to share some highlights from our springtime community college commencement ceremonies across Virginia. With 23 colleges to share, we needed to break things up into three blog posts.
In this story, we feature Southside Virginia through Wytheville Community College.
For Blue Ridge through Laurel Ridge Community College, click here.
For Mountain Empire through Reynolds Community College, click here.
Southside Virginia Community College:
May 13, 445 graduates walked across the stage at SVCC’s 53rd commencement ceremony. Nearly 4,000 guests attended the event on the college’s Keysville campus. Student commencement speaker Darleen Ferguson embodied perseverance. She’s 75 and first enrolled in 1992. “I’m not finished learning,” she said. “It’s never too late to further your education.” Mrs. Ferguson will be enrolled again at SVCC in the fall.
Southwest Virginia Community College:
SWCC hosted its 2023 commencement ceremony on May 12 on the college’s main campus. The college celebrated 560 students who earned degrees, certificates or diplomas. You can view a recording of graduation here.
Tidewater Community College:
TCC family and friends gathered on May 8 to celebrate more than 1,800 graduates. Virginia Lt. Governor and TCC Alumna Winsome Earle-Sears led the graduates in saying, “I did it! I did it! I did it.” Earle-Sears is seen above on the left with Dr. Marcia Conston, TCC President. Earle-Sears told the crowd, “Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined from where I sat as a student graduating from TCC that one day I would be before you as second in command in the former capital of the Confederate states. Here I am.”
Virginia Highlands Community College:
VHCC held three ceremonies on its Abingdon campus on May 12 to honor more than 500 graduates who earned 745 certificates, diplomas and degrees. “We have so much to celebrate this year,” VHCC President Dr. Adam Hutchison said. “We are extremely proud to celebrate the hard work and achievements of all VHCC students,” said Hutchison. You can view video here
Virginia Peninsula Community College:
VPCC held its 54 th commencement ceremonies May 12 and conferred degrees and certificates to 713 graduates. Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon, president at VPCC told the crowd, “Graduating from college is no small feat. Your accomplishment today is a really big deal. Don’t let anyone tell you that this is not a significant accomplishment. We are very proud of you. If graduating college was easy, everyone would do it.”
Virginia Western Community College:
VWCC’s 2023 graduation ceremonies on May 12 celebrated the achievements of 381 students who earned 554 degrees and certificates. Student speaker Ashley Rodriguez-Zacarias, seen above on the right, had excelled in Virginia Western’s dental hygiene program and made it her mission to expand access to dental care to the local Latino community, developing plans to provide Spanish language translation services at the college’s dental hygiene clinic.
Wytheville Community College:
Wytheville Community College:
WCC conferred 564 degrees, certificates and diplomas during its graduation ceremonies on May 13. Graduates included 59 Dual Enrollment students. WCC’s Dual Enrollment Program is one of two Virginia Community Colleges and one of 134 colleges nationwide to receive the NACEP accreditation.
For Blue Ridge through Laurel Ridge Community College, click here.
For Mountain Empire through Reynolds Community College, click here.
