Graduates gathered at Kenai Central High School on Thursday for Kenai Peninsula College’s 53rd annual commencement ceremony. Adorned in caps and gowns, they were honored in the auditorium at the high school — before faculty, family and friends.
Graduating with an associate degree in health services was Courtney McRorie. She said that her years of college were shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic — first with online courses and then with social distancing.
“But I got the hang of it,” she said. “Multitasked; school, life and being a mom and making it all work.”
McRorie said she was excited to get out of the classroom and into the medical workforce — helping real people rather than practicing on friends and dummies. Her sights were set on infant pediatric work.
Medical assistants, she said, are “in demand.”
Valerie Cazares graduated with her GED.
“I decided that I wanted to move on with my next step in life,” she said.
She took all of the tests in a week, she said — and cleared all of the requirements. That process behind her, she said she’s enrolling in hair school.
“I feel really accomplished,” she said. “I knew what I wanted. So I pushed as hard as I could to get to that point. To move on with my goals.”
Kyle Rudolph is graduating with a degree in process technology. He said he works in the oil field already and the degree was his next step to moving up in his career — toward running and producing oil as an operator.
Rudolph’s college journey started early as he took college courses while attending Mat-Su Career & Tech High School. He said that with his degree he would seek an operator internship, then try to move up by picking up additional skills.
“It’s cool to finally be here,” he said. “It’s kind of hard to picture doing all the school work and just imagining this night — now that we’re here, it’s all paid off.”
Jacob Lee Roberts said he was graduating with a bachelor’s in history and a minor in psychology. He said he doesn’t have a wholly concrete plan for what happens next.
College started for Roberts in 2017. He graduated with an associate degree in 2019 and was on track for a graduation in 2021 — “but COVID.”
He said he was worried that his graduation would continue to be delayed because of financial concerns — but he secured some scholarships and was able to see his degree through this year.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Roberts said. “I’m really thankful that I finally got to graduate — it was a lot of hard work.”
Shelby Fuller said that Thursday’s commencement was a big step on a longer journey.
She graduated with a general associate degree in arts — on her path to a bachelor’s of arts and history. She said she’ll complete that degree online through the University of Alaska while remaining in the central peninsula.
“It’s been a long journey,” she said. “I went back to school after having my son — both my husband and I work and he’s also going through school. We’re constantly busy. This is a really fun night to celebrate a milestone.”
For more information about Kenai Peninsula College, visit kpc.uaa.alaska.edu
Kenai Peninsula College Degrees and Certificates Conferred
Associate of Arts
General Program
William J. Brady
Cheyenne D. Friedersdorff
Rosemary B. Kauffman
Ethaniel G. Lavea
Claire M. Merill
Brendon E. Mowery
Sean H. Morgan
Kaija T. Okkonen
Mystique K. Ross
Associate of Applied Science
General Business
Abigail L. DiPaolo
Antonina Z. Matveev
Industrial Process Instrumentation
Logan C. Anderson
Gavin T. Wallis
Megan E. Garrett
Paramedical Technology
Noah M. Babin
Dana R. Goodman
Frazier J. Groseclose
Stephen P. Hartley
Nicole C. Prior
Sidney Rosenquist
Charles Willoughby
Process Technology
James A. Anderson
Donovan F. Andrews
Timothy A. Bosch
Barney J. Brickel
Adam J. Caswell
Cody G. Cook
Daniel D. Gross
Kiltey G. Gilbert
Marcella Lea
Lily S. Luke
Logan M. Miller
Lisa J. Nugent
Kyle M. Rudolph
David A. Sheffler
Shayne L. Sparrow
Robert S. Spalding
Dillon R. Winn
Human Services (UAA)
Barbara J. Baughn-Bookey
Health Services (UAS)
Courtney N. McRorie
Bachelor of Business Administration
Business Administration (UAS)
Robyn L. Chai
Medical Assisting Certificate
Courtney N. McRorie
State of Alaska & National Welding Certifications
Structural Aluminum, GMAW
Kael J. Aamodt
Dakota N. Bittick
Hamilton C. Cox
Matfey I. Reutov
Pipe, SMAW
Evan Appelhans
Dakota N. Bittick
Sam M. Chytla
Hamilton C. Cox
Matfey I. Reutov
Structural Steel, SMAW
Kael J. Aamodt
Dakota N. Bittick
Braxton D. Cheesman
Sam M. Chytla
Hamilton C. Cox
Stephen D.J. Morgan
Garret N. Moore
Jacob L. Nabholz
Aiden C. Partridge
Matfey I. Reutov
Samuel J. Ward
Structural Steel, FCAW
Kael J. Aamodt
Dakota N. Bittick
Braxton D. Cheesman
Sam M. Chytla
Hamilton C. Cox
Stephen D.J. Morgan
Jacob L. Nabholz
Matfey I. Reutov
Welding Technology
Dakota N. Bittick
Hamilton C. Cox
Sam M. Chytla
Hannah S. Habermann
Matfey I. Reutov
Petroleum Technology
Adam J. Caswell
Marcella Lea
Certified Nursing Assistants
Chevelle Abel
Alina Basargin
Benjamin Castrellon
Kiana Delacruz Castillo
Genesis Castro
Davida Coe
Frenlee Ann Dagomos
Christine Danahey
Victoria Franco
Cheyenne Friedersdorff
Alexis Giles
Felicia Gonzales
John Hamilton
Alana Houlihan
Jamie Jamieson
Allie Knudsen
Neonilla Kusnetsov
Alexsandra Kuzmin
Laressa Landers
Halle Lapp
Jenessa Lee
Logan Loomis
Judith Loosli
Malaina Maal
Jennifer Morris
Brylee Niland
Jasmin Perez
Ruth Pichardo
Javin Schroeder
Charles Torzillo
Ruby Touya
Tanner Ussing
Krystin Yeager
GED Graduates
Jean C. Acuna-Elizondo
Patrick T. Anderson
Nichelle Bliss
Helen C. Chipps
Nancy D. Elder
Jessica L. Emmerson
Markus E. Fuhrman
Taylor A. Ihde
Bron A. Isaac
Kate N. Isaac
Tristan W. Jenkins
Neonilla Kusnetsov
Jaden L. McCarthy
Tristen Nelson
Tanner L. Saulls
Joseph A. Sylvester
Darren Tivnan
Apryl Wakaliuk
Dena’Ina Language Instruction Certificate
Yvonne M. Flynn
Occupational Endorsement Certificate Marine Mammal Biology
Madeline I. Butz
Gracie E. Campbell
Jessica Daniels
Kayla N. Doucette
Jordan M. Harrison
Zoe E. Hosford
Jamie Hoy
Mickleejay L. Nohr
Genevieve A. Pietrzak
Kenna R. Robinson
Samantha R. Sciarratta
Caroline Senter
Josephine C. Shostak
Serena A. Tierra
Samantha E. Trauger
Karsen J. Wendelin
Occupational Endorsement Certificate Conservation Biology
Emma Erickson
Rachel E. Gilman
Spencer R. Gunter
Valerie Cazares, left, walks into the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium for Kenai Peninsula College’s 53rd annual Commencement on Thursday, May 11, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula College graduates are staged ahead of Kenai Peninsula College’s 53rd annual commencement on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula College graduates are staged ahead of Kenai Peninsula College’s 53rd annual commencement on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula College graduates proceed into the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium for Kenai Peninsula College’s 53rd annual commencement on Thursday, May 11, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Graduates and their families fill the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium for Kenai Peninsula College’s 53rd annual commencement on Thursday, May 11, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula College graduates are staged ahead of Kenai Peninsula College’s 53rd annual commencement on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula College graduates proceed into the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium for Kenai Peninsula College’s 53rd annual Commencement on Thursday, May 11, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
E-Wallet Purchase (Add Funds)
Term Subscription