GCC marks 84th graduation

IRONWOOD - With the hard part completed over the past months and years, Friday was the payoff for the graduates taking part in Gogebic Community College's 84th annual commencement ceremony.

Following a welcome from interim GCC president Erik Guenard and an introduction by GCC Board of Trustees chair John Lupino, David Linquist Jr. gave the commencement address.

Linquist, the director of licensing and athletic properties at the University of Minnesota, has longstanding ties the college - not only graduating from the school, but being the son of the man the building hosting the ceremony was named after.

Among the pieces of advice he gave to the graduates was to think for themselves, relish the road of life, to be bold, be persistent and take risks. He told the soon-to-be alumni to think of their career trajectories less as ladders and more as jungle gyms.

"As you start your post-Gogebic Community College career, look for opportunities - look for growth, look for impact and look for mission," Linquist told the graduates. "Move sideways, move down, move on and move off. Build your skills, not your resume.

"If I had mapped out my career while I was sitting where you are, I would have missed my career."

After the commencement address; the graduating students who had earned honors were recognized, followed by the graduates receiving their diplomas.

Approximately 240 degrees and certificates were to be awarded, according to the college, including 52 Associate of Arts, 57 Associate of Applied Science, 20 Associate of Applied Business, 19 Associate of Applied Technology, 14 Associate of Science and 78 certificates of completion.

The ceremony ended with a color guard from the Luther L. Wright High School's JROTC program retiring the colors and the graduates left the gymnasium to the sounds of the Gogebic Range Concert Band, led by Marie Eggleston.

A small reception was held in the student center.