A large crowd of guests celebrated the achievements of 157 graduates who participated in the ceremony. More than 320 students completed degrees or certificates this year.FREEPORT– On Saturday, May 13, Highland Community College celebrated the 54th annual Commencement in the courtyard between the Marvin-Burt Liberal Arts Center and Natural Science Center/Ray and Betty Stamm Health Science Nursing Wing.
The address to the class of 2017 was given by Dr. Karen Hunter Anderson, Executive Director for the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). Dr. Anderson has been with the ICCB since 1999 and became Executive Director in 2013. During her tenure at ICCB, Dr. Anderson has provided leadership and has served as an administrator for nearly all of the Board’s functions in the divisions related to workforce, career and technical education, student services, minority affairs, accountability and assessment, adult education, institutional research, education technology, international education, and academic affairs.
Dr. Anderson’s address focused on the theme of service as the graduates moved on to the next steps in their educational journey and careers.
“As you move forward, I want you to consider how you can serve more people in more ways — consider how you can serve your community, your family, and your friends — and how you can serve your college into the future,” she said.
Following the ceremony, Dr. Anderson said, “As a speaker, I am reminded of why we do what we do. It’s about recognizing accomplishments and telling the graduates that it’s all about their future as they step closer to a chosen career.”
Student speaker and former Student Trustee, Staci Hammer of Lena, stood at the podium and told her peers, “All of us here represent a vast amount of knowledge and courage. We can now take what we have gained and put it to important practice. The best way to reach your potential is to be yourself. The world needs a variety of talents.”
The greeting to the Class of 2017 was presented by alumna Margaret “Peg” Dittmar, Class of 1984, from Elizabeth. A dedicated lifelong learner, Peg received her B.S.N. from Rockford University in 2003 and M.S.N. from Northern Illinois University in 2005. She currently serves as a nurse practitioner at Midwest Health Clinic.
“Highland was the basis for me to be where I am today,” said Dittmar. “For you, this is just the beginning. You’ve just opened the doors to more opportunities. No matter how old you are, those opportunities will persist,” said Dittmar. “You will learn something new every day, and you will have a journey that is unlike anyone else’s.”
Associate of Science
- Claire Abele, Davis
- Rebecca Alexander, Chadwick
- Nexhbedije Aliu, Freeport
- Ryan Angell, Cedarville
- Hannah Badgett, Orangeville
- Dawn Berkeley, Shannon
- Chloe Blum, Freeport
- Hannah Bollon, Orangeville
- Keller Burkholder, Lanark
- Rachel Carlson, Freeport
- + Aidan Carr, Leaf River
- Fallon Chenong, Freeport
- Rachel Clay, Dakota
- Kadie Cross, Lena
- Jamie Curran, Warren
- # Kamryn Czysz, Freeport
- Kirstin Dach, Freeport
- Chelsea Decker, Lena
- Mikayla Dirksen, Forreston
- Abraham Doak, Leaf River
- # Marius Dornhagen-Schradermeier, Freeport
- Angela Edler, Lena
- Emily Edler, Leaf River
- Markus Edler, Forreston
- # Rachel Edler, Lena
- + Coleton Eubanks, Lanark
- Hannah Fehr, Rock City
- Alexander Feiner, Freeport
- + Whitney Felker, Byron
- Shannon Fleming, Dakota
- Emilee Fransen, Freeport
- Emily Freiburger, Pecatonica
- Jack Gaulrapp, Freeport
- Abigail Gill, La Plata, MD
- Angelique Goswick, Stockton
- Hiede Graves, Apple River
- Haley Greene, Pecatonica
- Amanda Gusloff, Winnebago
- Cortney Haight, Dubuque, IA
- Staci Hammer, Lena
- Zachary Harwick, Warren
- Brooke Haug, Stockton
- + Bailey Heckman, Shannon
- Jason Heller, Stockton
- Kelsey Hobson, Freeport
- Michael Hoeft, Freeport
- Tiffani Hoops, Freeport
- Tyler Hoops, Freeport
- Tiffany Horbaczewski, Lanark
- Amber Houghton, Durand
- D’Angelo Jackson, Freeport
- Tylor Jacobson, Dakota
- #Celena Josephitis, Forreston
- Zachary Kauffman, Ridott
- Brooke King, Freeport
- Caidin Kloepping, Baileyville
- Taylor Koehn, Davis
- Derek Kortemeier, Freeport,
- Mara Kuberski, Pickneyville,
- +Christopher Lafferty, Freeport
- + Ryan Lee, Forreston,
- Ziyi Liang, Freeport
- Trent Maher, Freeport
- # Kaitlyn Marquardt, Durand
- # Robert Meiners, Davis
- Brooke Mellen, Freeport
- Trevor Miller, Mt, Carroll
- # Samuel Morgan, Freeport
- + Abigail Mulholland, Elizabeth
- Brooke Olberding, Lena
- Adam Ortman, Warren,
- Melissa Owen, Orangeville
- Allison Palmer, Pearl City
- Grant Petran, Freeport
- + Glenn Petran, Freeport
- Kirsten Piehn, Freeport
- Kristen Rogers, Warren
- Brandon Rowe, Freeport
- Auston Rushing, Coloma, MI
- Hannah Sandstrom, Freeport
- Aspen Sandy, Lena
- Katey Shelly, Freeport
- Robert Shumaker, Orangeville
- Nicholas Simpson, Lanark
- Heidi Smith, Sycamore
- Mollie Steele, Elizabeth
- Blake Steen, Lanark
- Nathaniel Stukenberg, Forreston
- Mariah Thompson, Stockton
- Kyle Trumpy, McConnell
- Reese Vanderheyden, Stockton
- Ryan Walton, Freeport
- Lindsey Wardlow, Forreston
- Gunner Wenger, Warren
- John Werkheiser, Pearl City
- Michaela White, Pecatonica
- # Jennifer Wiegert, Pecatonica
- Jessica Willis, Freeport
Associate of Engineering Science
- Joseph Kohn, Monroe, WI
Associate of Arts
- Branden Aeling, Freeport
- Mevludije Aliu, Forreston
- Kristina Antonenko, Moscow, Russia
- Michael Arndt, Stockton
- Isaac Asche, Freeport
- Elizabeth Ascher, Forreston
- Aleah Bauer, Stockton
- Whitney Becker, Lena,
- Nathan Bethel, Nassau, Bahamas
- Jaclyn Boomgarden, Freeport
- # Emily Bullock, Pecatonica
- James Burnidge, Lena
- Skipper Bushey, Freeport
- Grace Cifonie, Freeport
- Josie Cobb, Freeport
- Nicole Dahm, Freeport
- Marshell Davis, Freeport
- + Allie Dawson, Freeport
- Timothy Dayton, Jr., Stockton
- Alexandria Donaldson, Freeport
- Grant Draper, Muscatine, IA
- Cara DuBois, Polo
- Heidi Duitsman, Forreston
- Lucinda Eastlick, Freeport
- Shannon Fleming, Dakota
- Halle Fransen, Freeport
- # Emily Freiburger, Pecatonica
- Abigail Gill, Lena
- Michaela Gilliam, Freeport
- + Amanda Gusloff, Winnebago
- Hannah Harshbarger, Davis
- Sierra Harwick, Warren
- Leah Hauser, Freeport
- Tanner Heppner, Clinton, IA
- Danielle Hinshaw, Byron
- Patrick Holland, Apple River
- Michael Horbaczewski, Lanark
- + Amy Huenefeld, Freeport
- Hannah Hunziker, Ridott
- Lauren Jacobs, Forreston
- + Alexander Jansen, Freeport
- Jennifer Janssen, Freeport
- Kori Kalkbrenner, Lena
- + Kolton Kramer, Freeport
- Victoria Kronenberg, Milledgeville
- Diamondnique Lacy, Freeport
- Ryan Lee, Forreston
- Ellie Lenkaitis, Winnebago
- # Kaitlyn Marquardt, Durand
- + Donna Massey, Freeport
- Joshua Meador, Lanark
- Ryan Nadig, Stockton
- Joseph Nagel, Freeport
- Giovonni Offard, Freeport
- Allison Palmer, Pearl City
- Alexa Patterson, Lanark
- Heaven Paul, South Wayne, WI
- Deven Raymond, Freeport
- Elizabeth Reeser, Pearl City
- + Tatum Regez, Freeport
- Andrew Reid, Lena
- + Stacy Sammul, Freeport
- Brett Santiago, Freeport
- Adam Schubert, Freeport
- Kaitlyn Shaw, Winnebago
- Bryant Smargiassi, Pearl City
- Jon Smith, Apple River
- Kyle Smith, Warren
- Kaitlynn Smith, Freeport
- Farrah Stubbe, Lanark
- + Anicka Stultz, Pearl City
- Darren Tippett, Lexington, KY
- Nichole Tobler, Davis
- Madeleine VanHamme, Freeport
- Lindsey Wardlow, Forreston
- John Werkheiser, Pearl City
- Katie Wingert, Kent
- Kelsey Zettle, Dakota
- Riley Zettle, Rock City
- Makenzie Zueger, Freeport
Associate of General Studies
- Lisa Bauer, Stockton
- Nathan Bethel, Nassau, Bahamas
- Brenda Boland, Freeport
- Sharlene Calvin, Freeport
- Frederick Clark, Mt, Carroll
- Josie Cobb, Freeport
- Alexandria Donaldson, Freeport
- Cody Drake, Freeport
- Angela Edler, Lena
- Kimberly Euler, Warren
- Kevin Hill, Freeport
- Danielle Hinshaw, Byron
- Jada Ivy, Detroit, MI
- D’Angelo Jackson, Racine, WI
- Angela Johnston, Freeport
- Deonte Jones, San Diego, CA
- Maurice McDonald, McAllen, TX
- Brenda Miller, Stockton
- Maurina Montoya, Warren
- Sonya Oefelein, Freeport
- Kelci Patterson, German Valley
- Megan Sheffey, Pearl City
- Daniel Skoumal, Juda, WI
- Taylor Slothower, Forreston
- Jacob Smith, Winnebago
- Sarah Vorwald, Freeport
- Elizabeth Walker, Lena
- John Werkheiser, Pearl City
Associate of Applied Science
Accounting
- + Ashley DeMeester, Freeport
- Melissa Duvall, Freeport
- Heather Kempel, Freeport
- Tamra Kurth, Apple River
- Heather Schiess, Lena
Agricultural Management
- John Donaldson, Oregon
- Anna Folgate, Pearl City
- Christine Krumm, Oregon
- Kolton Myrvold, Monroe Center
- Taylor Slothower, Forreston
- Zachary Stephan, Pearl City
- Blake Wetzel, Lindenwood
Automotive Mechanics
- Spencer Cruthis, Forreston
- Anthony Jackson, Freeport
- Jeff Pingel, German Valley
- Jonathon Schneider, Freeport
- Dillon Schoeny, Shannon
- Benjamin Schubert, Lena
- Brett Seffrood, Monroe, WI
- Faith Swartz, Dixon
Early Childhood Education
- Wendy Reusch, Stockton
- Pamela Wool, Freeport
Emergency Medical Technician
- Shelby Logemann, Stockton
Equine Science
- Kathleen Fox, Freeport
- Autumn Quinn, Janesville, WI
- Courtney Wilcox, Monroe, WI
Graphic Design
- Karen Gempeler, Monticello, WI
- Larissa Klemm, Monroe, WI
- Jessica North, Pecatonica
Information Technology Healthcare
- Catherine Cruthis, Forreston
- + Shana Pritchard, Forreston
- + Gwen Ramage, Freeport
- + Erin Welch, Forreston
- + Stephanie Wilken, Forreston
Information Systems
- Linda Book, Freeport
- Breanne Field, Mt, Carroll
- Jennifer Holcomb, Hanover
- Michael Miller, Savanna
- Christopher Wolter, Cedarville
Medical Assistant
- + Amanda Erbsen, Pearl City
- + Erin Foster, Savanna
- + Brianna Green, Freeport
- + Danielle Jones, Stockton
- + Rhonda Miller, Davis
- + Mandi Milliken, Freeport
- + Rebekha O’Rourke, Leaf River
- + Paige Rainwater, Davis
- + Melissa Steien, Stockton
Nursing
- Melissa Bradbury, Freeport
- Josie Cobb, Freeport
- Tiffany Cole-Endress, Pearl City
- Jennifer Conderman, Dixon
- Madison Eshleman, Freeport
- Brittani Head, Forreston
- Desiree Holz, Freeport
- Jackie Johnson, Argyle, WI
- Margherita Johnson, Forreston
- Jennifer Lane, Davis
- Lance Merrill, Mt, Morris
- Rebecca Molander, Leaf River
- Whitney Near, Mt, Morris
- Tracy Pizzolato, Freeport
- Latasha Sellers, Freeport
- Katey Shelly, Freeport
- Sara Sleeman, Elizabeth
- Brandi Smith, Hanover
- Lindsay Swalve, Freeport
- Allison Taylor, Davis
- Susanna Thompson, Warren
- Jillane Toelke, Dakota
- Kelly Tunney, Ridott
- Shayna Vanderheyden, Stockton
- Morgan Zimmerman, Rock City
Wind Turbine Technology
- Christopher Aspinwall, Pearl City
- Frank Baley, Rockford
- Michael Donegan, Freeport
Certificates
Accounts Clerk
- Ashley DeMeester, Monroe, WI
- Melissa Duvall, Freeport
- Heather Kempel, Freeport
- Tamra Kurth, Apple River
- Heather Schiess, Lena
- Thomas Wittbecker, Freeport
Accounting
- Ashley DeMeester, Monroe, WI
- Melissa Duvall, Freeport
- Heather Kempel, Freeport
- Tamra Kurth, Apple River
- Heather Schiess, Lena
- Thomas Wittbecker, Freeport
Agricultural Production
- John Donaldson, Oregon
- Anna Folgate, Pearl City
- Kolton Myrvold, Monroe Center
- Zachary Stephan, Pearl City
- Blake Wetzel, Lindenwood
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE – LEVEL I
- Spencer Cruthis, Forreston
- Anthony Jackson, Freeport
- Jeff Pingel, German Valley
- Jonathon Schneider, Freeport
- Dillon Schoeny, Shannon
- Benjamin Schubert, Lena
- Brett Seffrood, Monroe, WI
- Faith Swartz, Dixon
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE – LEVEL II
- Spencer Cruthis, Forreston
- Anthony Jackson, Freeport
- Jeff Pingel, German Valley
- Jonathon Schneider, Freeport
- Dillon Schoeny, Shannon
- Benjamin Schubert, Lena
- Brett Seffrood, Monroe, WI
- Faith Swartz, Dixon
CAD – MECHANICAL
- Kevin Hill, Freeport
CLERICAL BUSINESS
- Linda Book, Freeport
- Breanne Field, Mt, Carroll
- + Shana Pritchard, Forreston
- + Stephanie Wilken, Forreston
CLERK/TYPIST
- Linda Book, Freeport
- Breanne Field, Mt, Carroll
COMPUTER TECHNICIAN
- Christopher Arand, Freeport
- Rick Burrington, Freeport
- Troy Lieb, Freeport
- Jordan Vrazsity, Dakota
- Christopher Wolter, Cedarville
COSMETOLOGY
- Jennika Alber, Cedarville
- Alexandria Ankney, Dixon
- Susanna Bayer, Lena
- Larissa Gruendler, Forreston
- + Deziray Haight, Freeport
- Christina Myers, Elizabeth
- Shavonna Reed, Freeport
- Brenda Reynoso, Pecatonica
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
- Linda Piper-Ra, Freeport
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION – EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INFANT/TODDLER
- Pamela Wool, Freeport
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION – INFANT/TODDLER – LEVEL 3
- Pamela Wool, Freeport
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION – LEVEL 2
- Pamela Wool, Freeport
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION – LEVEL 3
- Pamela Wool, Freeport
EQUINE STABLE MANAGER
- Kathleen Fox, Freeport
- Cortney Huber, Freeport
- Autumn Quinn, Janesville, WI
- Courtney Wilcox, Monroe, WI
- Gretchen Wojtas-Johnson, Forreston
EQUINE MASSAGE THERAPIST
- Cortney Huber, Freeport
- Gretchen Wojtas-Johnson, Forreston
EQUINE RIDING INSTRUCTOR
- Kathleen Fox, Freeport
- Cortney Huber, Freeport
- Autumn Quinn, Janesville, WI
- Courtney Wilcox, Monroe, WI
EQUINE SCIENCE – GENERAL
- Kathleen Fox, Freeport
- Cortney Huber, Freeport
- Autumn Quinn, Janesville, WI
- Courtney Wilcox, Monroe, WI
GRAPHIC DESIGN
- Karen Gempeler, Monticello, WI
- Larissa Klemm, Monroe, WI
- Victoria Kronenberg, Milledgeville
- Jessica North, Pecatonica
INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS/CONTROLS
- William Baker, Rock City
- Darren Dennis, Rock City
- Cody Drake, Freeport
INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE
- Darren Dennis, Rock City
- Cody Drake, Freeport
MACHINE PROCESSES
- Cody Drake, Freeport
MEDICAL CODING
- Catherine Cruthis, Forreston
- + Shana Pritchard, Forreston
- + Gwen Ramage, Freeport
- + Laura Walls, Rockford
- + Erin Welch, Forreston
- + Stephanie Wilken, Forreston
NAIL TECHNOLOGY
- Brandi Rucker, Lena
- Crystal Scwartz, Stillman Valley
- Tiaira Walker, Freeport
PROFESSIONAL TAX PREPARER
- Ashley DeMeester, Monroe, Wi
- Melissa Duvall, Freeport
- Heather Kempel, Freeport
- Tamra Kurth, Apple River
- Heather Schiess, Lena
QUICKBOOKS PROFESSIONAL
- Ashley DeMeester, Monroe, WI
- Brenda Boland, Freeport
- Melissa Duvall, Freeport
- Kortney Hull, South Wayne
- Heather Kempel, Freeport
- Tamra Kurth, Apple River
- Heather Schiess, Lena
WELDING – BASIC
- Wendell Allen, Lanark
- Ethan Connors, Freeport
- John Donaldson, Oregon
- Quintin Heidenreich, Freeport
- Shannon McFadden, Lena
- Chevy Ottenhausen, Pearl City
- Brett Seffrood, Monroe, WI
- Kyle Trumpy, McConnell
- Jared Wiegmann, Freeport
WELDING AND FABRICATION
- Wendell Allen, Lanark
- Ethan Connors, Freeport
- John Donaldson, Oregon
- Quintin Heidenreich, Freeport
- Shannon McFadden, Lena
- Brett Seffrood, Monroe, WI
WIND TURBINE TECHNOLOGY – ADVANCED
- Christopher Aspinwall, Pearl City
- Frank Baley, Rockford
- Michael Donegan, Freeport
Contact Information
OFFICE OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS
2998 W. Pearl City Road
Freeport, IL 61032-9341
815-235-6121
Fax 815-235-6130