With an inspiring reflection on their accomplishments, an emotional nod to the families and educators who supported them, and a mandate to apply themselves, confidently, in pursuit of a better world, Yavapai College’s Spring 2023 graduating class crossed the Sedona Performing Arts Center stage Saturday and entered an exciting new phase of their lives.
“Finding the courage to believe in yourself, and surrounding yourself with those that believe in you, is essential.” Commencement speaker Ekklesia Breed advised.
A 2022 YC Nursing School graduate, who is now Director of Nursing at Haven Health Camp Verde, Breed urged graduates to draw confidence from their achievements and apply it to the world around them. “It will enable you to create positive change in your community and inspire others. Together, we can create a brighter future for ourselves and those who need us.”
Yavapai College held three Spring commencement ceremonies over the weekend for nearly five hundred graduates who completed their degree or certificate programs in the Fall 2022 or Spring 2023 semesters or are on-track for a summer graduation. The two Verde Valley ceremonies were held on Saturday – 9 a.m. for degree recipients and noon for certificate recipients – at the Sedona Performing Arts Center.
Graduates were told to savor their accomplishments. “It took me six long years to achieve my dream of becoming a [Nurse],” Amanda Vivanco told certificate recipients. A 2021 Nursing graduate, Vivanco transcended setbacks and self-doubt to become the Director of Nursing at Haven Health Sedona. Remembering what you’ve already overcome, she said, strengthens you for the challenges ahead. “Your degrees provide you with the tools to achieve your dreams. Don’t be afraid to take risks and fail. They are a natural part of the learning process. Remember, as Vince Lombardi said, ‘it isn’t whether you get knocked down. It’s whether you get up.’”
Overall, 620 Yavapai College students graduated this Spring, completing 807 degree and certificate programs. An additional 448 students completed 544 degree and certificate programs last fall. The graduating class showed an astonishing diversity of age: Students as young as fifteen and as old as eighty-four earned degrees or certificates this past term. One hundred and twenty of this year’s graduates were under the age of 18, while 36 were over the age of 55. Each and every graduate was a success story.
“I don’t know if I’m going to get through this without crying, but I’m going to try.” Student speaker Cheyenne Gabbard said. The Air Force veteran and single mom told fellow graduates about the ‘Village’ of support she received – from her children, her mother, her fiancé and teachers – during the 782 days between her acceptance letter and her Nursing degree. “Each one of us has had to face some type of challenge, whether personal or academic, but we’ve overcome those challenges. The perseverance my cohort has shown was inspirational. After all the deadlines, tears and laughter, I am honored to stand before you and tell you, ‘We did it!’”
The 2023 Class displayed an energy and joy that seemed to pop against the austere academic background, as graduates strode beneath the banners of Yavapai College’s six schools, shaking hands, moving mortarboard tassels and basking under supportive applause.
“There isn’t any day more special, more exhilarating or more fulfilling than Commencement Day,” Yavapai College President Dr. Lisa Rhine said. “Never let it be said that dreaming is a waste of one’s time. In dreams, we plant the seeds of our future.”
