More students than ever before participated in Waubonsee Community College’s graduation Saturday, according to the school.
More than 350 students participated in two ceremonies that were held on the Sugar Grove campus after two years off site, according to Waubonsee. In all, 1,083 degrees were conferred over the weekend.
The ceremonies were held in the college’s new field house, which opened in March 2015. The college had been holding graduation at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora and at its Erickson Hall gym and athletics facility before that.
“This is a momentous occasion, because today marks the first time we host these ceremonies in our new field house,” Waubonsee President Christine Sobek said, according to a statement from the college.
Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman, a Waubonsee graduate, said in a commencement address those in attendance should never miss an opportunity to further their education, according to the college. She said her constant pursuit of professional development and degrees helped her stand out from her peers.
She also talked about her beginning days as a police officer, and about using the criticism of a commanding officer as fuel while she studied for a lieutenant’s test, according to the college.
“Adapting is good, but altering your identity to fit in is not,” she said, according to Waubonsee.
Ziman told graduates to assess the worst case scenario when considering a new opportunity, and decide whether to accept that, according to the college.
“Without courage, you’ll stay in your comfort zone,” she said.
Student speaker Anna Dutton, from Oswego, said she came to Waubonsee “reluctantly” on a scholarship, according to a statement from Waubonsee, but her perspective soon changed.
She talked about faculty who had shared their passions and challenged her in their classrooms, and said she admired many classmates who had faced challenges that made hers look “microscopic,” according to Waubonsee.
“Little did I know two years ago that I won the lottery when I chose Waubonsee,” she said, according to the college’s statement. “I can say that because of the relationships I gained here, the experiences and the clarity I now hold for my future.”
