Since junior high school, Abigail Bucks, of Mitchell has been connected to Western
Nebraska Community College. She would visit the campus while her older brother worked
as a tutor and quickly felt right at home.
Bucks enjoyed being a part of the campus, so much so that she wanted to pursue taking college courses during her freshman year of high school. Since her school didn't allow freshman to enroll in dual-credit courses, she started homeschooling.
"I really loved the library and the campus," Bucks said. "Even though I was only 13 or 14 at the time, I didn't feel out of place here on campus."
One of her first courses at WNCC was 'World Civilization I' with instructor Royce Ammon.
"I was engaged and I actually felt like my learning was being facilitated," Bucks said. "I wasn't stuck in a class where I felt like I had to hold back."
After that first class, Bucks was hooked and felt like she had found her passion. This spring, Bucks will graduate from WNCC with an associate's degree in social science, and earn her high school diploma at the same time. She plans to attend Black Hills State University, in Spearfish, South Dakota, to pursue a degree in history with a minor in political science.
Her experience at WNCC influenced her so much that she wants to make education her career, and hopes to teach at the college level some day.
"Every class at WNCC has made me feel like I can be who I am in the classroom, because learning is fun and the instructors sincerely want you to learn," she said. "My success was truly in their best interest. I felt valued and welcomed as a student here."
Bucks is one of 296 students who will be receiving a degree, certificate, or diploma from WNCC. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, WNCC will not host a commencement ceremony. Instead, the class of 2020 received a special graduation package that included a diploma cover, a tassel, a graduation program booklet, alumni pin, and other gifts to help commemorate their time at WNCC. In addition, WNCC has created a graduation video that will be released on the official WNCC YouTube channel, Saturday, May 9 at 3 p.m.
A list of the graduate candidates is as follows:
Associate of Arts:
Colorado
Aurora - Bethany Fuchs; Amy Yareli Romero Avila
Brighton - Abriana Lynn Ramirez
Fort Collins - Jordyn Brann
Nebraska
Alliance - Taylor Dudley; Robert Herrera; David Jeffrey Strang; Mary Weingart
Bayard - Emily Doremus
Benkelman - Rebecca Earnest
Bridgeport - Diana Sparks
Chadron - Pamela Rose Fisher; David Michael Johnson
Dix - Elizabeth Williams
Gering - Zzyzx Richard William Brown; Oscar Gonzalez; Zoee Yvonne Knaub
Harrisburg - Joshua Boston
Kimball - Cortny Sinks
Lyman - Vania Lisbeth Jaimes Salgado
Minatare - Yesenia Ramirez; Gilberto Rodriguez II
Mitchell - Abigail Bucks; Kathleen Lucille Converse; Lissa Janae Eureste; Joseph Schumacher
Jr.
North Platte - Scott Dike
Oshkosh - Karissa Chizek
Scottsbluff - Olivia Armstrong; Sorcha Colerick; Rebecca Dewitt; Candace Fisher; Mireya
Garcia; Blake Greckel; Alicia Hastings; Ashley Heimbouch; Alyssa Marie Leach; Aurora
Linz; Nathan Loomis; Daniela Lopez; Logan Lund; Yazmin Aidee Marquez; Emily McDaniel;
Tyler Reinpold; Isabel Vasquez; Jennifer Wimmer
Sidney - Elizabeth Borgmann; Adriana Falcon; Kelsey Miller; Jake Alan Osborn; Ashley
Swires
Other States
Rockford, Illinois - Kenneth Strawbridge
Garden Plain, Kansas - Taylor Joplin
Rapid City, South Dakota - Aries Ottesen-Wills
Laredo, Texas - Gabriela Christian Canavati
Magnolia, Texas - Kyler Austin Harris
Toeele, Utah - Lindsey Allie
Laramie, Wyoming - Emily Lane Bahmer
International
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil - Ruam Carlos Felisberto Barbosa
Vinhedo, Brazil - Tayna Mendes Bertani
Victoria, Canada - Emma Charlie Glawson
San Felipe, Mexico - Karla Palomares Jasso
Amere, Netherlands - Lisa Francisca Hendrika Robin Haferkamp
Niamey, Niger - Mainaram Moussa Abary
Associate of Fine Arts
Nebraska
Sargent - Abaigeal Elizabth Aislinn O'Connor
Associate of Science
Colorado
Centennial - Ethan Quincy Miller
Erie - Hunter Nelson
Fort Collins - Kendall Glasgow; Brandon Rollinson; Chandler Young
Thornton - Hannah Baesler
Westminster - Elliot McNeave; Allison Parker
Nebraska
Alliance - Sara Green; Matti Tunheim
Banner County - Courney Mae Knisley
Bayard - Jakob Huck
Bridgeport - John Sherwin Cataraja; Teresa Gonzalez
Broadwater - Amber Evelyn Rosas
Chadron - Julianne Dickerson; Daniel Smith
Chappell - Tabetha Hayes
Dalton - Jessica Powell
Gering - Sheridan Cristann Blanco; Tori Hoagland; Sarah Lang; Heather Osmond; Jacob
Samuel Thomas
Gordon - Anna Thompson
Melbeta - Austin Abbott
Mitchell - Alyssa Dishman
Morrill - Jessica Adams
Omaha - Gage Duda
Oshkosh - Brexton Robertson; Kayleen Sullivan
Scottsbluff - Janine Renee Bastien; Wendi Callenius; Luis Delgado; Roberto Emmanuel
Fernandez; Elizabeth Celeste Garrett; London Harris; Nevaeh Heinold; Nicholas Kindvall;
Allison Leever; Braden Dean Lofink; Martina Lucius; Danielle Martinez; Lisbeth Morales;
Gabriel Cezar Saturno; Beverly Deeann Strauch; Jessica Valles-Diaz
Sidney - Matthew Benzel; Jennifer Kae Gorman
Utah
American Fork - Samantha Davis; Tylar Davis
South Jordan - Sidnee Hogan
Wyoming
Sheridan - Jerimiah Marchington
Torrington - Kaylea Rising; Adia Sherbeyn
Other States
Mesa, Arizona - Theodore Allen
Atwater, California- Alexandria Coward
Florida City, Florida - Welinton Mariano Mota
Wesley Chapel, Florida - Hayley Sandra Munday
Carlsbad, New Mexico - Alexis Aragon
Blanchard, Oklahoma - Tamra Coonce
Tulsa, Oklahoma - Sarah Peterson
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Tishara Morehouse
International
Belo Horizonte, Brazil - Caroline de Freitas Vieira; Rafaella de Oliveira Ornelas;
Rafaela Cristine Passos De Souza Silva
Bluemenau, Brazil - Bernardo Torres
Sao Paulo, Brazil - Vinicius Gregorio
Varna, Bulgaria - Yuliyana Mihaylova Valcheva
Quesnel, Canada - Preston Mullen
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - Luis Alcantara
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Hermela Tamirat
Banjul, Gambia - Jariatou Sarjo Jallow
Accra, Ghana - Maxwell Owusu
Lagos, Nigeria - Adedayo Moses Adebanjo; Oluwamayowa Samuel Oladipupo; Oluchukwu Theresa
Udunna
Gurabo, Puerto Rico - Ana Costas
Al Shearia, Sudan - Mustafa Ali Adam Jumaa
Norwich, United Kingdom - Daniel Adam Mattyasovsky
Associate of Applied Science
Nebraska
Alliance - Elijah Budd; Rona DeBoer; Julie Sheldon
Chadron - William Cogdill
Chappell - Susan Mitchell
Crawford - Trevor Michael Morava
Elwood - Brittany Krzycki
Gering - Pamela Altamirano; Anne Fox; Charles Gannon; Tyler Leggott; Adrianna Rae
Russell; Destinie Selena Savala; Daniella Schafer
Lincoln - Niki Mata
Mitchell - Andrea McDaniel
Morrill - Amy Gomez; Elva Lutz
Scottsbluff - Jana Fiesterman; Alvera Razo Linz; McKenzey Ramirez
Sidney - Kinley Laye Vowers
Wyoming
Lingle - Tyler Hunt
Torrington - Katherine Cole; Holly Marie Smallman
Wheatland - Crystal Anderson
Other States
Conifer, Colorado - John Andrew Betsch
Mount Vernon, New York - Ehime Isibor
Greenville, North Carolina - Charissa Johnson
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Nakeria Cook; Danielle Spencer
Huron, South Dakota - Brenna Tallmon
International
Colonou, Benin - Oslin Melchisedec Kpade
Lagos, Nigeria - Tolu John Adedoja
Associate of Occupational Studies
Nebraska
Gering - Tyler Baird
Sidney - Jared McMaster
International
Manilla, Philippines - Woo Bin Bae
Incheon, Republic of Korea - Gyerye Han; Yechan Ma
Seoul, Republic of Korea - Minseok Jun; Hankil Kim; Dongryeong Ko
Jimyo-Dong, Republic of Korea - Simwon Kim
Associate Degree of Nursing
Nebraska
Alliance - Devan Marie Collins; Nicole Dunovsky; Kirsten Robinson
Bayard - Sarah Leonard
Bridgeport - Susana Lopez; April Lyon
Chadron - Kinsie Hanson
Chappell - Brandy Collins
Gering - Veronica Castaneda; Dara Dappen; Karlea Alice Eckert; Jaclyn Nolde Scottsbluff
- Nichole Campbell; Brittany Dawn Farro; Sandhaya Subedi
Sidney - Kaylee Sue Deal; Ashley Fritz
Other States
Wray, Colorado - Cesar Perez-Gonzalez
Greensboro, North Carolina - Ismaila Bah
Yoder, Wyoming - Michelle Maderak
International
Bridgetown, Barbados - Natasha Ekomaye
Certificates
Colorado
Brush - Payton Schott
Holyoke - Dustin Carrick; Colby Purkeypile
Fleming - Nathaniel Lousberg
Nebraska
Alliance - Mary Weingart
Bayard - Justin Barnes; Casey Renner
Bridgeport - Jared Daniel Reynold
Crawford - Brady Aschwege; Travon Bass
Gering - Antonio Carrera Arriaga; Seth DeBoer; Francisco Javier Gurrola; James Klemp;
Logan Murdock; Jakob Wolfe
Hyannis - Vonn Dubs
Kimball - Damian James Hallett; Zachery Wagner; Steven Michael Wittrock
Melbeta - Amber Lee June McNees
Mitchell - Kyler Kautz; Keaton Shoemaker; Garrett Wade Tinsley
Palisade - Paxton Gleason
Scottsbluff - Fidel Aguilar; Jana Fiesterman; Domingo Galindo; Jerry William Gonzales;
Leeann Gonzales; Christopher Gutierrez; Cody Hagen; Blake Hill; Megan Lindley; Julian
Manual Morales; John Murdock; Raymond Palmer; Ana Candelaria Reyes; Raphael Rios;
Andres Rodriguez; Jinlee Sayaloune; Megan Scheer; Braxton Sell; John Spehar; Anthony
Stricker; Adam Von Lintel
Sidney - Brian Hoffman
Wyoming
Burns - Austin Washburn
Cheyenne - Tyler Christiansen
Lovell - Jack Steed
Wheatland - Peyton Call
Other States
Des Moines, Iowa - Osman Akiyo
Pratt, Kansas - Daniel Livingston
Ephrata, Pennsylvania - Isaac Keith
Hermosa, South Dakota - Roy Weller
Diplomas
Colorado
Sterling - Christopher Dayton Cullip
Thornton - Hannah Bailey
Nebraska
Alliance - Amanda Myers; Jessie Nelson; Tosha Postell; Trevor Ridenour; Tiesha Saldivar;
Rebecca Standage
Chadron - Larae Coats; Abagail Dyer
Crawford - Lisa Aschwege
Gering - Gloria Hisquierdo; Kristi Hopkins
Harrisburg - Jennifer Rios
Kimball - Jo Dene Herman; Brenton Thornton; SanDee Underhill
Lisco - Baily Davis
Mitchell - Amber Sinner
Oshkosh - Alissa Starr Miller; Holland Suleiman
Potter - Stacie Schadegg
Scottsbluff - Danielle Darnell; Judy Gurrola; Taylor Mae Koros; Issah Mohammed
Sidney - Kaleigh Chavez; Daneal Dickinson; Crystal Dvorak; Heidi Nienhueser
Stapleton - Remington Cutler
Wyoming
Torrington - Kaylynn Soliz
Veteran - Tomi Youngs
International
Keumbu, Kenya - Dinah Omboga