Muskegon Community College’s 86th Commencement exercises will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, in the L.C. Walker Arena, where 179 graduating students will participate in the ceremony.
MCC nursing graduates Eric Howard, who was one of only 20 students in the nation named to the 2014 USA Today All-USA Community College Academic Team, and Kathy Davis, a mother of eight children and one of only 20 students nationally to receive the prestigious Frank Lanza Scholarship, will deliver remarks on behalf of the MCC Class of 2014.
Dr. Preston Pulliams, a 1966 MCC graduate and the 2014 MCC Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient, will address the graduates. He was a vice chancellor who oversaw the 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, and was president at Portland (Ore.) Community College, at Orange County Community College in Middletown, N.Y., and at the Highland Lakes Campus of Oakland Community College in Waterford, Mich.
MCC President Dale K. Nesbary, Ph.D., will give introductory and closing remarks. The invocation will be provided by MCC Board of Trustee member Rev. Ann Oakes of the Tabernacle Church of God. The macebearers are Vilene Rogers, Daniel Bialas and Janice Alexander, who are retiring after serving MCC for 34 years, 27 years and 13 years, respectively.
Diana Osborn, vice chair of the MCC Board of Trustees, will confer the degrees, while MCC Vice President for Academic Affairs and Finance Teresa Sturrus will present the graduates. Director of Nursing Pamela K. Brown will award the nursing pins. Laurence Visconti, vice president of the MCC Faculty Association, will announce the Faculty Association Scholarships. Kimberly Maguire, vice president of Patient Care Services at Mercy Health Partners, will announce the Hadden Award winners.
Providing music will be the MCC Wind Ensemble directed by Daniel M. Meyers, the MCC College Singers directed by Thomas Clark, and the Muskegon Regional Pipes and Drums.
Tickets are not required. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.