50th graduating class at FVCC full of exceptional stories
Flathead Valley Community College will honor its 50th graduating class in a commencement ceremony on campus this evening. The 368 individuals who will be recognized for completing graduation requirements during the 2017-18 academic year have worked hard and made many sacrifices to get to this day.
Some of our graduates will transfer to a four-year university or college this fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering, accounting, computer science, natural resources and other fields. Thanks in part to personalized attention from outstanding faculty, these graduates are well prepared for the academic rigors that lie ahead.
Many other graduates will remain here in the Flathead Valley and serve the community as our nurses, paramedics, heavy equipment operators, machinists, early childhood educators and more. They, too, are well prepared for this next chapter in their lives.
No matter where they are headed from here, each of our graduates has a unique story, inspiring us to follow our dreams, work harder, believe in ourselves and never give up. I would like to highlight a few of these remarkable individuals.
Despite a turbulent childhood, Christina Hokanson knew she wanted to go to college after high school. At 19, she enrolled in college but struggled with math and lacked the support she needed to be successful. Someone suggested to Christina that she should rethink her goal of obtaining a college degree. The suggestion that college might not be for her just made Christina more determined to complete a college education. Tonight, Christina will graduate with an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Coding. But the journey has not been easy. Christina’s husband, also an FVCC graduate, suffers from a debilitating chronic illness, and her son has a disability that requires weekly medical appointments. The family has made multiple extended trips to hospitals in Washington and Minnesota over the past two years, and much of Christina’s studying took place inside hospital rooms. Christina has also worked two to three jobs to help pay the bills. A less determined person would have thrown in the towel. But thanks to supportive instructors and advisers, as well as scholarships made possible by a generous community, Christina received the extra boost she needed to persevere toward her goal of obtaining a college degree. Christina will enter the local workforce, and because of her family’s medical struggles, she hopes to pursue an advanced degree in health care.
Ezra Llewellyn is another exceptional graduate. Tonight he will receive an Associate of Science degree and will transfer to Montana State University to pursue a degree in Industrial and Management Systems Engineering. A dedicated father of two children, Ezra’s path to MSU has had its twists and turns. He originally studied Heavy Equipment Operation at FVCC and afterward went to work in the Bakken oilfields, where he spent long days and nights living on an oil rig. When he was laid off from his job in 2015 as a result of weak oil prices, Ezra decided to return to college and pursue his interest in engineering studies. He graduates tonight not only with high honors, but also with the distinction of being a 2018 New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar. Ezra was selected for this highly competitive national award based upon his score in the All-USA Academic Team competition and his leadership, service and other significant endeavors. He cites his children as the greatest motivation for his pursuit of excellence.
Ian Caltabiano will be the youngest graduate recognized at tonight’s ceremony. At 17 years old, Ian is graduating from both high school and college this spring. When Ian was 9 years old, he enrolled in his first class at FVCC, Introduction to Mandarin Chinese. Since then he has been a regular and welcome presence on campus. He graduates with an Associate of Arts degree and will transfer to MSU this fall to study computer science and accounting. His goal is to complete his bachelor’s degree within two years. Eventually he plans to utilize his talent for numbers and statistics as an actuary in the insurance industry.
Stories like these remind us how important the college is to our community. I commend all of our graduates on their hard work, commitment and success. And I thank you, the citizens and taxpayers of our extraordinary community, for making FVCC an exceptional college where learning, innovation and creativity come together to improve the world around us.
Karas is president of Flathead Valley Community College.