(Lamar, Colo.) – Lamar Community College (LCC) recognized their 2022 graduates during the college’s 83rd Annual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 7.

The ceremony took place in the LCC Wellness Center’s Lopes Gymnasium with a packed house of family, friends, staff and faculty in attendance to share in the celebration.

“Today is such a special day, and it is also our very first commencement in person in our gym since the pandemic,” said LCC President Dr. Linda Lujan during the opening of the ceremony. “And today we’re going to be recognizing and honoring our pandemic cohorts for their commencement.”

The first two speakers of the ceremony included LCC Student Body President Maddie Thompson and student Aliana Gutierrez. Thompson and Gutierrez were noted for their many personal and school-wide accomplishments at LCC, and both are members of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society.

The commencement address was powerfully delivered by LCC graduate and current LCC professor Mittie Helm.

Helm is a proud LCC alum, earning her associate in arts degree in business at LCC before transferring to Chadron State College in Nebraska to earn a bachelor of arts degree in business administration and a master’s degree in business administration.

Helm was also voted “Faculty Member of the Year” at LCC for 2021-22.

Also honored were retiring Faculty Senate President Dr. David Frankel and LCC graduate and distinguished Alumni of the Year, late Chicano activist Ricardo Falcon.

The 83rd LCC commencement ceremony was Lujan’s last, as she’ll be retiring in December. She had several positive things to say about LCC students during her final commencement address.

“Today is also a very exciting day for me, because I will be retiring in December…and YOU are my last class,” said Lujan. “Graduates, on behalf of every member of the LCC family, I wish you a lifetime of success. Be proud of being an LCC alum. And when you think about all you have learned and experienced, remember the people up here who made your learning journey so successful. We wish you all the very, very best.”

Lujan had similar sentiments toward LCC faculty.

“This is simply the most amazing group of faculty members and staff that I’ve ever had the privilege of working with in my almost 40 years in higher education,” she said. “They care about students, they care about their communities and they have a passion for learning and excellence. I could not be more proud of them, and I know our graduates were the beneficiaries.”

Frankel certified the graduating class during the ceremony, Dean of Academic Services Greg Cash and Dean of Student Services Teresa Turner presented degrees and certificates.

The ceremony was live-streamed and the recording can be viewed on the college website. To watch the recorded event, click here: https://youtu.be/1eVmddbHrNE

2022 LCC Graduates

ASSOCIATE OF ARTS
Clarisa Acosta Φ
Roseada Ashby
Jeanne Elizabeth Barth
Brooks Bergenheier
Drew Kaeden Chamberlain
Rhiannon Cousins
Jamilet Cruz Φ
Nancy Darbyshire Φ
Aiden Davis
Keira Dean
Asiah Figueroa
Yosselin Gomez
Aliana Gutierrez * Φ
Joshua Jones Jr
Kaitlyn La Cost
Tanner Lallmann **
Cyrus Madrid *
Gabrielle Marquez
Ross Martin * Φ
Nicholas T. Meyer
Zebulon Perdue
Brianna Perez-Hernandez
Cailey Genevieve Reid ** Φ
Samuel Reyes-Lopez ** Φ
Ethan Settles
Cameron Sisneros
Mai Le Waters
Ian Weil
Deon Williams

BUSINESS
Carson Carere *** Φ
Michael McGinnis
Dylan Sean McTaggart
Cade Wurst *** Φ

CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Alyssa Abitia *** Φ
Lilly Hicks *
Risa Segura

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Faith Johnson * Φ

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Bianca O’Bryan

ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE
Randi Crandall **
Megynn Fierro-Vargas
Will Osborne *
Julissa Adan ** Φ
Arianna Aguirre
Althea Kara Angeles
LisaMarie Begay
Emmalie D. Byrne
Baily Dawson
Tyler Dorn
Maria Flores
Jayda Hernandez
Nasya Madrid-Lefebre
Xavier Mendoza *
Kalysta Minton-Holland
Kaden Moya
Abagail Nidey
A’Dasia Porter
Haven Quintana Φ
Jonathan Rink **
Taelyn Sicklebower
Britnie Simcox
Ethan Smith Sena * Φ
Chloe Stevens
Andres Torrez
Ryan Trinkaus *
Sloane Vigoren
Kevon Wiggins
Kayik Wildcat ** Φ

PHYSICAL DISTINCTION
Brianna Ransom *** Φ

ASSOCIATE OF GENERAL STUDIES
Demetrio Archuleta
Savannah Bandy
Thurbil Bile
Rachel Billings *
Zoey Lynn Byrne ** Φ
Vincent J. LaConte
Ty Wade Piner
Kaitlin Reynolds
Cristina Rojas Acevedo
Savannah Stum
Griffin Webb
Laurie Ybarra

AGRICULTURE
John Goemmer *
Gabriela Noemi Gomez Trejo
Wyatt Stecklein *
Maddie Lin Thompson ** Φ
Wyatt C. Wollert Φ

ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE

AG PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
Katy Rose DeWitt *
Meaghan Greenwall ***

BUSINESS
Morgan Widener

COSMETOLOGY
Tess Camp ** Φ
Reygan Gibbs *** Φ
Shawnique Longoria *** Φ
Malea Martinez ** Φ
Mykenzie Penick **
Kailey Ramsay * Φ
Alexis Smith *** Φ

EQUINE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Kaitlyn Barrero **
Alexandria Dainko ***
Emma Rothbauer
Jenna Saleeby
Abigail Schmidt *
Keelin Wright **

FABRICATION WELDING
Giuliano Figlio
Ross Gruenloh ** Φ
Adrian Lopez
Gabriel N. Martinez
Richard Sandoval Jr.

HORSE TRAINING MANAGEMENT
Kaitlyn Barrero **
Alexandria Dainko ***
Kayce Edwards
Meaghan Greenwall ***
Haidyn Phillips *
Emma Rothbauer
Abigail Schmidt *
Marcie Southfield

NURSING
Kayla Bronson ** Φ
Sheridan Lynn Choat Φ
Madelynn Doman **
Alexander Haverly
Ellie Jennings * Φ
Brittany King
Chloe Longwill
Erin Mahler * Φ
Zane Perdue
Kaitlei Salgado
Judith Sanchez
Melissa Eileen Schleicher * Φ
Madison Nicole Silvey
Mariah Rose Smith *
Emily LeMarie Smith Sena
Jordan Lind Spacek
Romana Syed
Vanessa Trujillo

CERTIFICATES

AGRICULTURE
Philip Rawers

BARBER
Jacob Martinez
Benjamin Rubio Jr

BARBER ENDORSEMENT
Kailey Ramsay Φ

BUSINESS
Jonathan Rink

CARPENTRY ESSENTIALS
Angel Camacho
Trevor Cramblet
Ralson Descheny
Renee Krieger
Marileyn Ramos
Adan Yanez

CONSTRUCTION EXTERIOR BUILDING
Angel Camacho
Ralson Descheny
Renee Krieger
Nathan Millican
Marileyn Ramos
Adan Yanez

CONSTRUCTION TRADES ESSENTIALS
Darrian Adame

COSMETOLOGY
Angela Chacon
Iyesha Chacon
Patience Chanelle Crane
Jenea Gallegos
Joanna McDowell
Tiffany Nunez
Destiny Sena

EARLY CHILDHOOD DIRECTOR
Bobbie Bakun
Shaena Riehl

EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER
Bobbie Bakun
Shaena Riehl

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN – BASIC
Joshua K. Boudreau
Brad Brewer
Franklin E. Cave
Aaron Chairez
Mark Dieffenbach
Faith Headlee Φ
Hope Headlee
Kala Hernandez
Elijah Neilsen
Corey Reamy

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN – ADVANCED
Jenifer Rae Black
Kailey N. Gillen
Zachary Joseph Potts
Jose Corral

EQUINE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Madison Bays
Kylee Christensen
Ral’Shaun Descheny Φ
Jadie Duvall
Shay Glaser
Katrina Hamilton
Cerenity Keating
Joey Parks
Samantha Schuttler
Kayla Siedler

FUNDAMENTAL HORSE TRAINING
Heather Blanchard
Brylee Brevik
Mackenzie Chambers
Ral’Shaun Descheny Φ
Jadie Duvall
Demiah Hernandez
Anna Kuhn
Aryanna Minemyer
McClane Rider
Wyatt Stecklein

HAIRSTYLIST
Courtney Sneller

HEALTH & WELLNESS
Jose Armando Rodriguez
Kayik Wildcat Φ

MARKETING TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST
Raven Cahill

NAIL TECHNICIAN
Joanna McDowell

NURSE AID
Diana Castro
Deseree Curioca
Crystalyn Felan
Alexis Felix
Josiah Files
Sandra Lopez
Aliyah Maria Macias Φ
Diego Martinez
Laura Yajaira Mendoza
Jessica Mulske
Joseph Scott
Roque Torres

PRACTICAL NURSING
Tanaia Hansen
Aalia Jaramillo Φ
Cody Reynan
Yolanda Rodriguez
Shauna Slone Φ
Hailee Yakish

VETERINARY SCIENCE
Celestina Charette
Gabriela Noemi Gomez Trejo
Yahel Yajahyra Ortiz
Maddie Lin Thompson Φ

WELDING ADVANCED
Ross Gruenloh Φ
Dillon Hall
Adrian Lopez
Gabriel Martinez
David Saldana
Noah Sheffield
Latrell Stine

WELDING BASIC
Joshua Anderson
Braden Cook
Xavier Duran
Dominic Esparza
Tyrique Jara
Braxton Mayhew
Ty Michael
Kyle Scott
Cooper Tixier

WELDING INTERMEDIATE
Braden Cook
Xavier Duran
Riley Harmon
Christian La Cost
Westin Langston
Gabriel Sanchez
Christopher Torres

HONORS DISTINCTION KEY
*** Summa Cum Laude 4.0 GPA
** Magna Cum Laude 3.99-3.75 GPA

• Cum Laude 3.50-3.74 GPA
  Φ Phi Theta Kappa Member