Hocking College will graduate approximately 1,000 students who are expected to receive degrees and/or certificates in three ceremonies on Friday, May 9, 2014 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 10, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at the Hocking College Student Center Multiplex in Nelsonville, Ohio.
Graduates of the School of Allied Health and School of Nursing will receive diplomas at the 7 p.m. ceremony on Friday. Graduates of the School of Natural Resources and School of Public Safety Services will graduate on Saturday at the 10:30 a.m. ceremony. The 2:30 p.m. Saturday ceremony will graduate students from the McClenaghan Center for Hospitality Training; School of Arts, Business and Information Technology; and the School of Engineering Technologies.
Tabitha Cox, a Class of 2013 graduate, has been selected to serve as the commencement speaker at Friday evening’s ceremony. Cox is a Nursing major who has turned her own experiences as a patient in the medical field into motivation to overcome many struggles and graduate top of her class as a leader in the medical field. She will speak to the graduating students and audience about her journey from an unhealthy, struggling young woman to a strong, passionate leader.
Emily Main, a Class of 2014 graduate, will speak at Saturday morning’s commencement ceremony. Main is a Landscape Management major who allowed her many passions to guide her through a long journey of discovering her destined path. Main will speak about her beginning at the University of Toledo, to her emergence as a leader on the Hocking College campus in both Landscape Management and Campus Crusade for Christ.
Denise Frasure, a class of 2014 graduate, will be the closing commencement speaker at Saturday afternoon’s final ceremony. Frasure is an Addiction Counseling major, who turned her personal experiences with addiction into positive outreach for the community. Frasure will speak about her time as a successful worker, wife and mother and her unfortunate shift into drug addiction, emphasizing the role Hocking College played in her road to recovery.
Student award recipients include Julia Decker, Michelle Herris, Kaitlyn Mohler and Shelbi Wilson for Excellence in Student Employment; Jeffrey Adams, Andrew Blosser, Tonya DeGraw and Emily Main for the Richard Elston Award; Tabitha Cox, Katelynn Dearth, Mary Sanders and Rachel Shurgin for the Student Life Award; and Jamie Ellen Frolicher, Kiara Ivory, Angela Perrigo and Marie Silva for the “We are One Hocking” Award.
Graduates, their guests and the college community are invited to enjoy a “Sweet Success” reception following each ceremony including an assortment of cupcakes, cookies and beverages. In addition, Rhapsody Restaurant on Nelsonville Public Square will offer a special graduation weekend menu for Friday evening and Saturday afternoon into the evening.
