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Montcalm Community College awarded 241 degrees and certificates May 1 during its 59th annual commencement ceremony in the gymnasium on the college’s Sidney campus.
Scott M. Keonigsknecht, Ed.D., Superintendent of the Clinton County Regional Education Service Agency, and Libby Berry, MCC student, addressed the graduates and their guests.
Berry began her speech by addressing her unique journey to graduating from MCC. Berry, a homeschooled student from Sheridan, started her Centurion journey at age 15 as a dual enrolled student.
“I remember sitting down in the very back, hoping nobody saw me, then looking around, and feeling at home,” Berry began. “There was community here. There was opportunity here. There was an atmosphere of students filled with potential, and instructors who saw that, and encouraged it.
“I wasn’t exactly comfortable, it was a whole new place,” she added. “And I definitely wasn’t confident yet, but something about MCC felt right. Like I had stepped into a place that was going to change me, even if I didn’t know how yet.”
Berry discussed the growth she’s made since arriving at MCC and credited the college with helping her take the next step in her life.
“Some of us have faced struggles; some of us have celebrated huge achievements,” Berry said. “Some of us experienced changes we would have never expected and crossed bridges that once seemed impossible. And somewhere between the assignments, the stress, the grades, the friendships, and the moments we didn’t think we’d get through; We grew, and that’s what today represents.”
Berry closed her speech by encouraging her fellow graduates to take the life lessons they learned throughout their college journey, both inside and outside of the classroom, and apply them to their lives in a meaningful way.
“To the MCC faculty and staff, our families and everyone who supported us — thank you for being the foundation of our success,” Berry said. “This hasn’t just been a school; it’s the community where I grew up. And today, it’s where our next chapter begins. Congratulations, Class of 2026!”
Dr. Koenigsknecht started by recognizing MCC faculty, staff and the families of the graduating class and their contributions. He then shared his own educational journey — coming from the small town of Fowler and graduating from Lansing Community College in 1991.
“Spending my first two years there was the best decision I ever made,” Dr. Koenigsknecht said. “As a community, you are so blessed to have Montcalm Community College right here in Montcalm County. Of the 83 counties in Michigan, there are only 28 community college districts and most of them are in more urban settings.
“This institution is a shining light for this community,” he added. “It not only provides high quality post-secondary educational opportunities, it also stimulates economic development and drives workforce development. It is a true asset whose worth is beyond measure. Never forget how valuable Montcalm Community College is for this county.”
Dr. Koenigsknecht’s main piece of advice to the graduating class was, “things are not always as they seem,” and he spoke to the predictability and routine nature of their early years.
“The world you are about to enter does not contain the same guarantees that you’ve experienced up until this point,” Dr. Koenigsknecht said. “No, the world that awaits you, the one that is often referred to as the real world, is not predictable at all. There are no guarantees, let alone recesses or proms or planned courses of study. And in this world, the real one, things are not always as they seem, especially with the onset of artificial intelligence. The technology alone floods our news feeds, our social media and the internet with photos, stories, and videos that may or may not be real. No, nowadays, things are really not always as they seem.”
He proceeded to tell three stories to help illustrate that things are not always as they seem. At the end of the stories, he offered a cash prize of $100 to a graduate who could remember what his first piece of advice was. The recipient of the prize set the stage for Dr. Koenigsknecht’s second piece of advice.
“Here is your money. Wait, that’s only a fifty-dollar bill, and I said I would give you a 100,” Dr. Koenigsknecht said. “Oh right, that brings me to my second bit of advice that I will close my address with this evening. The second bit of advice is, ‘Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see.’
“Thank you again for the opportunity to speak this evening,” he added. “Congratulations to the class of 2026 and good luck in your future endeavors. I wish you the best.”
Candidates for degrees and certificates included:
Associate of Applied Science - Accounting
Alma
Riley Bright, honors.
Big Rapids
Jack Ruggles, high honors.
Edmore
Jacee Moore.
Fenwick
Scott Flanagan, high honors.
Greenville
Donica Bignall; Georgina Gurrustieta; Macy Ingersoll, high honors; Aubree Neumann, honors; Marleigh Worden, honors.
Howard City
Sara Taylor, high honors; Brooke Thorington.
Ionia
Angelica Sayers, high honors.
Sand Lake
Jesse Empie, high honors.
Associate of Applied Science – Agricultural Operations
Belmont
Joel VanKempen, high honors.
Elwell
Benjamin Cary, honors.
Howard City
Sidney Ives, honors.
Ithaca
Nicole Hollabaugh, honors.
Lenox
Evan Plonka, high honors.
Morley
Lauryn Dailey, honors.
Saranac
Savanah Mager.
Sheridan
Cortney Hill.
Associate of Applied Science – Business Entrepreneurship
Greenville
Peyton Troyer.
Associate of Applied Science – Business Management
Clarksville
KayCee Karrar Main, honors.
Greenville
Melissa Ward, high honors.
Houghton Lake
James McBride, high honors.
Ionia
Amber Carlson, honors; Kayla Ruid, high honors; Alixzandra Vasquez.
Lakeview
Emma Kosinski, honors.
Mason
Zachary Johnson.
Mecosta
Chelsie Benjamin.
Muir
Ashley Doty.
Six Lakes
Michelle Zerka, high honors.
Stanton
Julie DeJohn, high honors; Adam Tipton, high honors.
Associate of Applied Science – Business Marketing
Gowen
Melissa Ketchum, high honors.
Paris
Makenna Rautio, high honors.
Trufant
Katelyn Edwards.
Associate of Applied Science – Criminal Justice
Edmore
Mackenzie Mortensen.
Gowen
Peyton Willhite, high honors.
Greenville
Connor Erskin.
Lakeview
Drake Syrjala, honors.
Associate of Applied Science – Digital Arts
Cedar Springs
Olivia Ellick, high honors.
Fenwick
Paige Bliss.
Greenville
Leah Dougherty, honors; Manuel Zaccheus.
Ionia
Katie Farlee, honors; Mary McQuarrie, honors.
Lakeview
Shiloe TerHaar, high honors.
Lowell
Skye-Ann Sturgeon.
Stanton
Beth Ely, honors.
Associate of Applied Science – Early Child Education
Greenville
Maria Calero; Jordan DeGeest; Emma Rewa, high honors.
Orleans
Elise Christensen, honors.
Sidney
Kenadee Roper.
Stanton
Arianna Stedman.
Vestaburg
Bryttani Wrisley.
Associate of Applied Science – Education Support
Grand Rapids
Jarod Schoenwandt.
Lakeview
Ayla Evans, honors.
Orleans
Sidney Helder, honors.
Associate of Applied Science – Industrial Automation Technology
Lowell
Adam Yuhas, high honors.
Pierson
Dale Scarberry, high honors.
Associate of Applied Science – Information Technology Cybersecurity
Elwell
Danielle Wernick, high honors.
Gowen
Joseph Gonzalez, honors.
Greenville
Zane Bigelow.
Ithaca
Nikkolas Wanless.
Associate of Applied Science – Information Technology Infrastructure Management
Crystal
Torri Evans, high honors.
Greenville
Logan Burns, honors.
Associate of Applied Science – Information Technology Network Administration
Greenville
Zachary Yanakeff Sr., high honors.
Stanton
Roman Blatt.
Associate of Applied Science – Medical Office Administration
Stanton
Alicia Downing; Kamiella Hilden.
Associate of Applied Science – Nursing Professional Track
Fenwick
Lukas Schafer, honors.
Gowen
Adison Nichols, honors.
Greenville
Jacquelyn Karnes; Micah Merren, honors.
Kentwood
Shelby Straw, honors.
Mount Pleasant
Richard Hartley, honors.
Associate of Applied Science – Office Administration
Blanchard
Emily Shick.
Associate of Applied Science – Registered Nursing (ADN)
Belding
Elizabeth Powers; Love Wisniewski, honors.
Cedar Springs
Logan Tidey, honors.
Coral
Meagan DeHate, honors.
Edmore
Felisha Bandfield, honors.
Fenwick
Lukas Schafer, honors.
Gowen
Adison Nichols, honors.
Grand Rapids
Allyson Rodewald.
Greenville
Kendell Alcalar, honors; Alayna Carew, honors; Jacquelyn Karnes; Micah Merren, honors; Alec O’Connor; Morgan VanNortrick.
Ionia
Kullan Granger; Jessica Heintzelman.
Kentwood
Shelby Straw, honors.
Lake Odessa
Morgan Gorman, honors.
Lowell
Elyse Bosscher, honors.
Mount Pleasant
Richard Hartley, honors.
Muir
Olivia Bailey.
Newaygo
Kimberly Murphy, high honors.
Pierson
Zachary Schofield.
Rockford
Reese Gonzales, honors.
Saranac
Kelsey Stickney, high honors.
Six Lakes
Brooke Dillon; Skyler Teaker, high honors.
Stanton
Sharlene Otto, honors.
Trufant
Nathan Schiner, honors.
Vestaburg
Danielle Coty, honors.
Associate of Applied Science – Skilled Trades Machinist
Orleans
Ricardo Ramirez II, honors.
Associate of Arts – MiTransfer Pathway Social Work
Belding
Kaycee Shields, honors.
Greenville
Alexandrea Stone, honors.
Associate of Science – MiTransfer Pathway Biology
Greenville
Shane Krouse Sr., high honors.
Associate of Science & Arts – Associate of Science & Arts
Branch
Jaden Gomez.
Belding
Autumn Baker; Hunter Baker; Taylor Boldt; Bryce Brevard; Drew Donovan; Cayden Edmonds; Benjamin Kinsey, high honors; Mackenzie Zahm.
Big Rapids
Dawson Dunn, high honors; Mason Dunn, honors.
Carson City
Nina Easey, high honors.
Cedar Springs
Kenneth Mitchell, honors.
Coral
Brandon Porter.
Crystal
Jaydon Stevenson.
East Lansing
Ryan Clingenpeel.
Edmore
Paige Hansen; Lydia Jenison; Aaron Ploughman, high honors.
Elwell
Taylor Gager; Grace Wernick, high honors.
Fenwick
Kaitlyn Austin; Ethan Hopkins, honors.
Flushing
Kennedy Schilling.
Gowen
Makenzie Enbody; Amaya Farr, honors.
Grand Ledge
Grace Riley.
Grandville
Josiah DeMeester, high honors.
Greenville
Mitchell Bianchi; Zhian Briggs; Erica Buchner; Taylen Carver, honors; Heather Coe; Jonathan Dillingham; Jakob Glessner, high honors; Barrett Gunther; Caryl Liscum; Emmett Meade, high honors; Cassidi Pinckney; Christina Rawlings; Erin Rittersdorf; Katheryn Vansolkema, honors; Ashlyn Young, high honors; Manuel Zaccheus.
Howard City
Alexandra Hunt, honors; Jonell Puff.
Ionia
Hogan Ackerson, high honors; Bethany Carlson; Sophia Friedrich-Wolthuis, high honors; Mason Jammer; Erin Lalley, high honors; Lilyanrose Martin, high honors; Kaylee Schmid, high honors.
Lakeview
Petra Mark, honors; Aron Palmer, honors; Gabriel Tisdel, honors.
Lyons
Amber Rux.
Newaygo
Daniel Fontaine Jr.
Orleans
Katelyn Bignall; Elise Christensen, honors.
Sand Lake
Briley Andres, honors; Madalyn Crawford, high honors; Morgan Duddles, high honors.
Saranac
Holly Race, honors; Gwendolyn Wolfgang.
Sheridan
Libby Berry, high honors; Kali Hollinshead; Raegan Holsted; Jael Hoskins, honors; Alanna Kent; Emily Putnam.
Sidney
Alison Johnson; Eden Stewart, honors.
Six Lakes
Ella Boney; Zoe Nicholson, honors.
Stanton
Janae Behrend, high honors; Kyran DeLong; Zachary Petersen.
Vestaburg
Abigail Davis, high honors.
Associate of Science & Arts – MiTransfer Business Concentration
Greenville
Andrew Badder, high honors; Elijah Martin, high honors; Kensington Tiffany, high honors; Brooklyn Yates, honors.
Vestaburg
Keegan Shafer.
Wyoming
Madileena Longoria.
Associate of Science & Arts – MiTransfer Criminal Justice Concentration
Breckenridge
Jillian Blair.
Crystal
Jaydon Stevenson.
Greenville
Ava Smith, honors.
Vestaburg
Tyler Williams, honors.
Associate of Science & Arts – MiTransfer Psychology Concentration
Cedar Springs
Hannah Reed, honors.
Fenwick
Haylee Bruinooge, honors.
Greenville
Adam Korson, high honors.
Sand Lake
Sandra Dymerski, high honors.
Vestaburg
Colette Joslyn, high honors.
Associate of Science & Arts – MiTransfer Social Work Concentration
Greenville
Molly Sprague.
Howard City
Caitlin Galvin, high honors; Amber Valdiviezo, high honors.
Ionia
Imelda Velasquez.
Lakeview
Kelsey Geister, honors.
Stanton
Ashleigh Cardenas.
Apprenticeship Training Certificate
Belding
Kyle Noble, honors.
Gowen
Ryan Christensen, honors.
Middleton
Jessy Green, high honors.
Sheridan
David Bradley II, high honors.
Sunfield
Hunter Sandborn, high honors.
Business Management Certificate
Stanton
Brayden Bonga, high honors.
Digital Arts Certificate
Edmore
Kayla Walters, high honors.
Industrial Automation Technology Certificate
Lowell
Adam Yuhas, high honors.
Liberal Studies Certificate
Belding
Bryce Brevard; Drew Donovan; Cayden Edmonds; Benjamin Kinsey, high honors.
Edmore
Aaron Ploughman, high honors.
Fenwick
Lukas Schafer, honors.
Greenville
Jacquelyn Karnes; Emmett Meade, high honors; Alexandrea Stone, honors.
Howard City
Alexandra Hunt, honors.
Ionia
Hogan Ackerson, high honors.
Lakeview
Kelsey Geister, honors.
Lyons
Amber Rux.
Maple Rapids
Lynnae Podolak, honors.
Orleans
Elise Christensen, honors.
Sand Lake
Jesse Empie, high honors.
Stanton
Braelyn Bunting, high honors.
Trufant
Nathan Schiner, honors.
Vestaburg
Colette Joslyn, high honors; Tyler Williams, honors.