The ICC seal hung high above the gymnasium floor during commencement. REID HARMAN|HARBINGER
EAST PEORIA — Today, hundreds of Illinois Central College students were formally recognized for completing their course of study at ICC. At this year’s commencement, speeches were given, students were awarded and everyone was encouraged to feel proud of what had been accomplished by these graduating individulas.
This commencement ceremony took place between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. this morning in the practice gym at the CougarPlex. It was the first in recent ICC history to have been a combined ceremony for both the winter and spring graduates. It also was the first commencement at which ICC had required tickets for entrance. Both of these operational changes could have seemingly caused a shortage of available seats for attendees, but it may have actually been the most organized and orderly ceremony in years according to ICC Campus Police Chief Tom Larson. No guests had to be turned away due to lack of seating and many people arrived more than an hour before the ceremony began.
Commencement was, for some, the last time that they will put foot on ICC property, but for everyone it was simply a time to enjoy the fruits of their academic labor. The college organized several stages to the event, including lining up speakers and awards before the conferring of degrees and beginning and ending the whole occasion with music from students.
Many of the elements of one commencement ceremony are the same as in any other, so in an effort to show the personal side of today’s ceremony, the rest of this article will be a display of photos taken during and after the event.
The approximately 300 student attendees follow the commencement marshals down the center isle before taking their seats. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERThe ICC Vocal Jazz group sang the national anthem at the beginning of the ceremony and the ICC Alma Mater at the conclusion. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERPeoria-native Carl Cannon gave an inspirational speech about the importance an educational experience can have in a person’s life and how everyone can leave a positive influence on their environment. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERGraduate Michele Donnan give ICC President John Erwin a hug and kiss after she was handed her degree. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERDavid Lewis, right, shakes the hand of Provost William Tammone. Lewis has worked for ICC as a housekeeper for more than a decade and today got his degree. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERThe graduates stand after they receive their degrees and the ceremony nears its end. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERThe ICC faculty and staff, lead by student marshal Jordan Barth, center in blue, applaud the graduates after the degrees have been conferred. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERCommencement marshal and graduating student Megan Small carries the American Flag to lead the staff, faculty and graduates out of the gymnasium to mark the end of commencement. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERGraduating Marques Brown, left, was one of the two student of the Year recipients. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERCouple Nigina Sultanova, left, and Rustam Ulmasov both graduated in the presence of their son Usmon. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERThese students are all graduates of ICC’s sign language interpreter program, hence they call themselves “terps.” Left to right in caps are Adam Reisch, Toni Castro, Professor Sue Sanders, Jackie Langdon, Phoebe Huebner, Cassie Lucchesi and Kristen King. REID HARMAN|HARBINGEROne nursing student used their graduation cap to show her appreciation for her family. REID HARMAN|HARBINGERStudent of the Year Trevor Mileur and graduate Megan Small lose the cap and gown after the ceremony ends. REID HARMAN|HARBINGER
Siblings Marissa and Christian Brown and her dog Freedom think about their futures after all attended today’s commencement. REID HARMAN|HARBINGER
