WNC graduates record number of students

Western Nevada College’s Class of 2024 produced a record number of graduates who applied to receive degrees and certificates of achievement between its Carson City and Fallon ceremonies this month.

WNC, celebrating its Carson City graduation at the Marv Texeira Pavilion at Mills Park on Monday, announced 617 graduates who were approved to receive 692 degrees and certificates. Its Jump Start program also showed 168 students who achieved their associate degrees before graduating with their high school degree, thanks to the dual enrollment credits they earned.

Monday’s ceremony offered the National Anthem by Georgia McKnight of the Western Nevada Musical Theatre Co., and a musical performance by other members of the WNMTC. Suzanna Stankute, 2023-24 president of the Associated Students of Western Nevada, made her second appearance at the ceremony after speaking last year.

Graduates before the ceremony shared various plans about life after making their walk across the stage.

Ashley C. Vestal, receiving her associate of business, served in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear machinist’s mate but said she wanted a degree to become more marketable to employers. She also previously taught at a school in South Carolina. Now she plans to transfer to the University of Nevada, Reno to get her bachelor’s in business. She already has a job lined up with the Nevada State Fire Marshal, she said.

“I loved (the program at WNC),” she said. “Most of my teachers were great. I’ll be the first person in my family to graduate with a degree. I have my whole family here to support me. … Being able to not only have such a strict background in the military and something that’s more applicable to the job market (will help).”

Brisa Andrade, also finishing with an associate of business degree, said as a Carson City resident the program was a smart financial decision and would transfer to UNR.

“I’m trying to get my bachelor’s in marketing and just get a job in the area,” she said. “I loved WNC. I used to work here. (The staff) is great. You really do feel like they care. … (I like that) it’s one step closer to my future.”

Natalie Gillis, also graduating, spoke with the Appeal Friday about receiving Margaret Hoffman and Pennington scholarships, which assisted with her nursing program at WNC. Gillis, who previously became a licensed practical nurse and sought a registered nurse program to make the next step up, chose WNC because she lived in Carson, she said. She will complete her program at UNR in December. She had been taking up to 22 nursing credits each semester.

“I was simultaneously attending UNR and doing my BSN at WNC,” she said. “(The program’s) very intensive, but I feel like it needs to be in order to be adequately prepared. I feel really confident with the education that I received to be great.”

Gillis said she was also pleased with the job skills training she received from WNC to help with resume building, mock interviews and additional resources. Although she noted there are a few nursing faculty leaving, she was pleased to receive personal attention.

“I got the good end of the stick,” she said. “The teachers I had were really involved, really dedicated and would go above and beyond on and off hours.”

Gillis has a job lined up at Renown Health’s clinical decision unit when she completes her education.

Susan Trist, program director of disability support services, provides accommodations to students who have visual impairments or are deaf. Trist said she works with all learning issues to help students adapt.

“It’s so exciting to watch the students that I’ve met from day one, and they’ve persevered and completed all their requirements,” she said. “It’s the best day. Working with the students is my favorite part. Graduation, I just love the bagpipes and seeing the students walk across the stage and to see the joy that they have.”

Trist described one student who is working toward an associate of science degree in engineering.

“He loves the stars,” he said. “He has telescopes at his house. He’s a natural researcher and a Paralympian. He’s great.”

She also referred to a student who was born blind who began in 2007 who graduated last year who read in Braille and listened to books in audio, receiving information orally to complete his studies.

Capt. Shane Tanner, who assumed command of the Naval Air Station Fallon in 2022, encouraged graduates in his commencement address to consider the qualities of scholarship, service, leadership and character in their daily lives as they pursue their next steps.

“Listen and listen actively,” he said. “Ask questions. Be curious. Challenge the assumptions of the world around you and always pursue objective truths. Be open to others challenging your assumptions. This is where the most learning often occurs.”

He urged them to follow as a means of leading by example, to serve in humility and to build trust.

“Your actions are your words,” he said. “Be bold. Lean forward and fear not. Seek out and solve the great challenges of our day. Dare to be wrong. Be ‘the man in the arena,’ as Teddy (Roosevelt) so famously extols.”

Fallon’s graduation takes place 9 a.m. Thursday in the Venturacci Gym.