Both ceremonies will also be livestreamed on Clark State’s website.

The Clark State College class of 2022 will celebrate graduation with an in-person commencement ceremony Saturday, May 14 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The 10 a.m. ceremony will include graduates of the School of Arts and Sciences
and the School of Business and Applied Technologies. The 1 p.m. ceremony will include graduates of the School of Health, Human and Public Services.

“As we come to the end of the academic year, it is a time to reflect on the challenges and opportunities presented,” said Dr. Jo Alice Blondin, president of Clark State College. “After two years of virtual commencement ceremonies, I am thrilled to confer more than 660 degrees and certificates in person. These graduates possess the determination, resilience, and commitment to persist to realize their dreams. It is indeed a celebration of the remarkable spirit that each student embodies.”

Alaska resident Louisa Carol Dennis will graduate from Clark State with an Associate of Applied Business. She will be traveling to Ohio to attend the graduation ceremony.

“I picked Clark State for a few reasons,” said Dennis. “The prices were listed. Some schools that offered court reporting wouldn’t list it online. It was an online school (option), so it allowed me to remain in Alaska and do it. It was accredited and it was easy to get a hold of people and apply.”

Dennis, originally from Ohio, is already working as a freelance court reporter for Pacific Rim Reporting based out of Anchorage, Alaska.

“I love Clark State. The teachers I had were amazing. Ms. Hennigan was always so encouraging and helpful. She made a world of difference for me while in school,” said Dennis. “Every teacher was helpful and accessible which I was very grateful for. Even getting a hold of the cashier’s office or bookstore was easy which is huge in today’s world where so many things are automated. It was a great experience and I’m thankful Clark State made my dream a reality.”

The Clark State graduating class of 2022 also includes a record 52 high school students who will graduate with their high school diploma along with their associate degrees.

Ava Hess, a graduating senior at Global Impact STEM Academy has also earned an Associates of Science from Clark State. She will be attending the University of Kentucky majoring in Public Health this fall.

“By participating in the CCP program, I got enough [general education credits] out of the way that I can minor in theater,” she said. “This way I can focus on two different passions of mine at once. The CCP program challenged me academically as well as gave me a leg up when applying to colleges.”

Hess said she found her Clark State courses to be more challenging, but it was also a good experience for her.

“Being challenged kept me focused and excited for class,” she said. “I’m very thankful for the CCP program. It gave me a great understanding of so many topics and helped me prepare for a long-term college environment.”

Emily Lefevers will be the student speaker at the 10 a.m. commencement ceremony. She is graduating with an associate degree in accounting and will continue her education at Arizona State University in the fall where she will study elementary education.

Lefevers is an active member of Phi Theta Kappa where she served as the Recording Officer and then transitioned into the role of Vice President of Leadership. She is also a member of TRIO, Student Senate and the Student Ambassador program. Lefevers works as a Peer Educator in the Student Academic Support Center. She is a recipient of the Eagles Award in the honors program,
as well as a Coca Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar from Phi Theta Kappa.

Also selected as a student speaker is graduate Tara Johnson. Johnson will speak at the 1 p.m. commencement ceremony. She is graduating with an Associate of Applied Science in Physical Therapist Assistant. She plans to use the knowledge she acquired at Clark State to work in geriatrics after passing her state boards exam this July.

The Clark State class of 2022 features:

The Clark State commencement ceremony program and list of graduates can be viewed as a PDF file at: https://bit.ly/3yfGYNM

Both Commencement ceremonies will be live-streamed on Clark State’s website at:  https://www.clarkstate.edu/academics/graduation/2022-graduation/