Wayne Community College honored its most recent graduates with a Turn the Tassel Celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 15.
The occasion allowed Summer 2021 and Fall 2021 curriculum (college credit) graduates to participate in a COVID-19-safe event alternative to a formal commencement.
During the drop-in event, the graduates wore their caps and gowns, individually walked in to the “Pomp and Circumstance March,” were announced with their credentials, had their photo taken receiving a diploma from Interim President Patty Pfeiffer, and turned their tassels to the applause of up to 10 guests.
They did not have to wait in lines or listen to speeches.
Afterward, they were given a yard sign, T-shirt, and picture frame kit and were able to meet with their instructors and take pictures with various versions of the bison mascot.
An unverified total of 398 individuals who earned 562 total credentials (degrees, diplomas, and certificates) were eligible to participate.
Among them are 84 students who graduated with honors (graduating from a diploma or associate degree program with a 3.5 cumulative grade point average or higher) and 10 students who graduated with a 4.0 grade point average.
After going through the structured portion of the event, Latina Bonaparte-Lee, a graduate of the Medical Assisting program, searched the clusters of faculty members for her favorite instructor, Heather Odom, who she proclaimed, “the best.”
Bonaparte-Lee is also among the best, having earned straight As which gave her slots on the college’s President’s List and the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
“I was a little scared when I started,” said Bonaparte-Lee who was 50 years old when she began the program. She explained that she soon settled into the coursework and “I worked so hard.”
She spent a lot of time the college’s library. “I brought my daughter from school and we studied and cried,” she said. “It was hard.”
That work paid off. Since completing the program, she has taken and passed on her first try, the American Association of Medical Assistants’ Certified Medical Assistant exam, and has multiple job offers.
Seeing her mother struggle and succeed has impressed the now 12-year-old Liliana Rose Bonaparte. “She is striving for As now, not Cs,” Bonaparte-Lee said.
Austin Howard started college while he was still a high school student, allowing him to earn his associate in applied science degree at 19. He was working toward the career he dreamed of and earned spots on the President’s List along the way.
Howard completed the Automotive Systems Technology GM-ASEP (Automotive Service Education Program) and has already started working at Doug Howell’s Auto Service.
Jazmine Chambers had her infant son in her arms and a full complement of other relatives with her for the event. Her grandmother was with her in spirit and represented on the back of her decorated cap.
“She was my inspiration,” Chambers said of her grandmother Peggy Evans. “I know she is proud of me.
Evans passed away in May of this year and Chambers’ son, Jairee Mumford, was born just weeks later.
Chambers earned an associate in arts degree and hopes to attend East Carolina University to study social work.
In a recorded message to the graduates, Pfeiffer said, “We commend you for your perseverance in obtaining your education during one of the most unique and difficult times in recent history.”
“While many of your peers chose to put college off during the pandemic, you choose to pursue your educational goals,” she said. “I am so proud of what you were able to accomplish during your time at Wayne Community College. I know it wasn’t easy but you stuck with it and look where you are now.”
This is the fourth “Turn the Tassel Celebration” the college has held.
The event was streamed live on the college’s Facebook page @wayneccnc and can still be viewed there. A video recognizing all of the graduates was uploaded to www.waynecc.edu/graduation.
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves 10,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 165 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.