BLINN RECOGNIZES 133RD GRADUATING CLASS

  

Blinn’s Class of 2015 includes more than 450 graduates

More than 450 graduates were recognized Friday evening during Blinn College’s 133rd commencement ceremony at Brenham High School.

“When you came to us, our responsibility as an institution of higher learning was to present you with thoughts and ideas, challenge your thinking and encourage you to think critically,” Dr. Ana M. “Cha” Guzmán, interim district president, told graduates. “Today we acknowledge your scholarship, tenacity and perseverance.”

The ceremony included three student speakers – Braden Kropp for the Brenham campus, Shelly Acree-Havran for the Bryan campus and Brooke Vinklarek for the Schulenburg campus.

The College recognized Theresa Wahrmund, TEACH Program director; Linda Bow, English and Philosophy Department head; and Shelley Pearson, Radiologic Technology Program director; winners of the 2014 Blinn Professional Association Teaching Excellence Awards, and also honored its recent retirees: Cynthia Griffith, vice president for instruction for technical and workforce programs; Harold Nolte, district president; Joan Richards, apartment manager; Marvin Tate, associate director of resource development; Wanda Cartwright, residence hall coordinator; Esther Landry, administrative assistant; Lola Hutson, business office assistant director; Lori Krchnak (Kuehn), academic affairs assistant; Nancy Roesler, instruction for academic programs administrative assistant; Robert Ferguson, computer science instructor; Esther Quantrill, humanities instructor; Charles Heller, natural science instructor; Sally Deuermeyer, communication instructor; Gary Ivy, mathematics instructor; Victoria Sharpe, natural science instructor; Charisse Richarz, humanities instructor; Edwin Ueckert, criminal justice instructor; Rosemary Degner, fine arts instructor; John Holman, natural science instructor; Virginia Machann, humanities instructor; Melissa McClennen Davis, humanities instructor; Linsey Oates, humanities instructor; GayeLynn Thomas, humanities instructor; Daniel Wagner, mathematics instructor; and Karen Osterholm, social science instructor.

Blinn has earned a statewide reputation for academic quality and affordability. Its academic transfer rate regularly ranks among the highest in the nation and is approximately 20 percent higher than the state average. Out-of-district students who take 30 credit hours at Blinn in 2014-15 will save approximately $4,000 in tuition compared to the average Texas public university (48.8 percent).

Registration is currently available for Blinn’s May Minimester and Summer and Fall semesters. For enrollment information and to learn about financial aid opportunities, visit: www.blinn.edu.

(Story and photo courtesy Rich Bray, Blinn Information)