Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
GOGEBIC COMMUNITY College faculty and audience members applaud the green-capped 2016 graduates as they enter the gymnasium's for Friday's commencement ceremonies.
IRONWOOD - Thunder and flashing lights occurred both inside and outside the Gogebic Community College Lindquist Center gymnasium at Friday's graduation ceremonies.
The inside stuff was flashing light bulbs from cameras, while the outside thunder and light show came from Mother Nature.
GCC president James Lorenson was nearly drowned out by the thunder as he began to introduce the 82nd GCC commencement speaker, Dr. Randy Smith, president of the Rural Community College Alliance.
Smith, from Oklahoma, donned a cowboy hat during his presentation and often quoted fellow Oklahoman Will Rogers.
"I'm just an old Oklahoma cowboy with a lot of gray hair," he said, referring to Rogers as his "hero from Oklahoma."
Smith laid out a four-point plan for students' success.
Smith said students should have both an "attitude of gratitude" and enthusiasm. "It's much easier to achieve a goal when you have enthusiasm," he said.
"Lend a hand whenever you can. When a fence needs fixing, do it right now," he said.
Lorenson noted Smith often testifies before Congress on junior college matters and was appointed by President Obama's administration to America's College Promise Advisory Board.
Smith said he's familiar with many junior colleges and said GCC "is one of the best in the nation," with an excellent faculty.
"Treat people with respect and do your best," Lorenson told the graduates as the ceremony was wrapping up.
He referred to the faculty and staff as the "heart and soul" of the college and congratulated Mary Grace Loreti on her retirement from GCC's allied health division.
The recipients of the 218 degrees included 42 associate of arts students, 44 in associate of applied science, 25 for associate of applied business, 17 for associate of applied technology, seven for associate of science and 93 certificates of completion.
A total of 46 students in the graduating class received high honors, with grade point averages of 3.75 or higher, and 40 were listed with honors, including GPAs of 3.5 to 3.74.
Patriotic musical selections by the Gogebic Range Concert Band, led by Larry Gabka, drowned out the thunder outside during the ceremony, which wrapped up in just over an hour.
GCC custodian Rod Smith said a backup lighting system would have kicked in if the electricity would have gone out from the storm, but it wasn't needed.
