| Posted
5-10-08
Western Wyoming College Graduates 350
Rock Springs (WWC) -- Approximately 350 students will be recognized for completing their degrees and certificates at Western Wyoming Community College during Commencement Ceremonies on May 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the Rushmore Gym.
This year's commencement program will include performances by the WWCC Piano and Flute Ensembles and WWCC Musical Theatre Students Ricardo Ramirez and Katelyn Vercimak.
Four Western Wyoming Community College students will address their fellow graduates at the Commencement Ceremony, May 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the Rushmore Gym. Named the 2008 Outstanding Graduates, Lacey Megeath from Evanston; Tesfaye Deboch from Ethiopia; Paige Brog from Freedom, Wyoming; and Toshiko Abe from Japan will deliver short commencement addresses.
Outstanding Graduates are nominated by WWCC faculty and staff. They must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours at Western. They must also demonstrate involvement in campus and/or community activities, leadership skills and a positive attitude.
Lacey Megeath, the Outstanding Outreach Graduate earned a 4.0 grade point average while majoring in general studies through the WWCC Evanston Outreach Center. She plans to continue her education at the University of Wyoming, majoring in business. She has been a Red Cross Disaster Action Team Leader in Evanston, and a member of both the Community Emergency Response Team and the Western Edge programs in Evanston. Of her Western experience she says, “It was transforming. I started out as a shy person with little confidence in my skills and intelligence. I am leaving with a sense of accomplishment knowing that I can achieve anything I put my mind to.”
Tesfaye Deboch earned a 3.9 GPA majoring in Economics and math and will transfer to the University of Wyoming this coming Fall. He was nominated by six people, including three English teachers. Deboch has been very involved at Western. He served as a senator in the Associated Student Government, Baptist Collegiate Ministries President, International Club Vice President and was a staff editor of the Mustang Express, the student newspaper. He was also in the WWCC Honors Program and was involved with his church in the community, helping with a variety of events on and off campus. “I have learned academics as well as global understanding,” he said of his time at Western. “Now I am ready to move forward and take a step in my life.”
Paige Brog hails from Freedom, Wyoming. She earned a 4.0 GPA while majoring in Pre-Pharmacy and has been accepted into the PharmD program at Idaho State University.
She was actively involved in activities on and off campus playing varsity volleyball at WWCC for two years and receiving numerous academic and sports awards through the National Junior College Athletic Association. She was also active in intramural sports, sang in the WWCC Women’s Ensemble and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, a national honor society for Junior Colleges.
She was involved in church activities and served in the LDS Student Association Council. In addition, she played City League volleyball and coached the Rock Springs High School Junior Varsity Soccer Team.
Of her Western experience, Brog says, “My time spent here at WWCC has been challenging, but the experience has allowed me to grow and become a person that I would not be had I not come to Western.”
Toshiko Abe, from Japan, earned a 4.0 GPA while majoring in sociology. She plans to continue her education at a university majoring in sociology and international business. While at Western, Abe was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, vice president of the International Student Club, a senator in the associated student government, a student ambassador, a peer tutor and she worked in the library and children’s center.
She says that her experience at Western was a turning point in her life. “My family and friends in Japan told me that I became more positive, open-minded, active and so forth.” She continued by saying, “My experiences are all pieces of a big picture. What I experienced at WWCC made me turn to the right direction that allows me to see my future clearly.”
This year's graduates include 22 international students from nine countries and 63 students graduating through WWCC's Outreach programs. Western has outreach centers in Baggs, Big Piney, Bridger Valley , Cokeville, Elk Mountain , Evanston , Kemmerer, Pinedale, Rawlins, Saratoga and Star Valley.
“WWCC is proud to provide higher educational opportunities for students throughout our geographic area” said Christine Lustik, Director of Distance Education. “Our outreach coordinators work very hard to help our students complete a college degree. It is rewarding to watch the students graduate knowing they worked so hard via distance to complete this goal.”
In addition, Troy Archuleta, academic coordinator for the University of Wyoming Outreach School on the WWCC campus will recognize the UW Sweetwater County Outreach graduates.
There will be a reception for all graduates and their families in the WWCC Atrium following the ceremony.
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