IVCC announces Nicki McVey as commencement keynote speaker

About 200 students who completed degrees or certificates are expected to participate in the Illinois Valley Community College 59th annual commencement ceremony at noon on Saturday, May 17, in the gymnasium.

This year’s commencement ceremony begins one hour earlier than usual, as does the registered nurse pinning ceremony that takes place the same day at 10 a.m. in the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre.

Nicki McVey, a nursing graduate turned philanthropist, will be the keynote speaker. McVey lives in Geneva, where she is a nurse and is enrolled in a graduate program to become a nurse-practitioner. Remembering her own struggles as a single mother and college student, she and her husband Doug established scholarships to assist IVCC students pursuing healthcare degrees.

The ceremony also will include remarks from incoming Student Trustee Danica Scoma and outgoing Student Trustee Emma Garretson, as well as IVCC President Tracy Morris. The crowd will also hear international student Zixuan “Maggie” Yang’s winning Paul Simon Contest Essay.

A reception will follow immediately after the ceremony.

The ceremony will be live streamed. To view, visit at ivcc.edu/commencement.

Ceremonies for nursing, dental, paramedics and adult education completers also are scheduled in coming weeks.

• The first graduation ceremony for paramedics will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 8, in the Cultural Centre. Each paramedic will receive a certificate and a customized challenge coin. A total of 25 students are expected to graduate from day and night programs, two of the largest classes ever.  
• The Adult Education recognition will be at 6 p.m. May 21 in the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre.  
• The pinning ceremony for practical nurses will be at 5 p.m. Monday, July 14, in the Cultural Centre. 
• A pinning for dental assistant graduates is scheduled at 5 p.m. July 31, in the Cultural Centre. Also at that time, dental hygiene students (who complete their program in December) will be awarded their white lab coats in a ceremony.