Winter '06 grads prepare for the future

Columbus State's winter quarter 2006 graduation started out with pomp and circumstance - and a lot of cheering.        

The audience stood as the faculty walked in, then stayed on their feet as 200-odd graduates filed down the aisles. Occasional bursts of cheering scattered around the hall as families spotted their graduates. Graduates got their diplomas to more shouts of encouragement -- as well as a half-dozen blasts of an air horn.

President Valeriana Moeller kicked off the ceremony with a jaunty, "Top O' the Morning." Although she acknowledged the St. Patrick's Day parade gathering down the street, she said she was glad to be at graduation.

"To me, the most rewarding, most inspiring celebration in Columbus is going on right here - your graduation," Moeller told the crowd.

Graduation took place at 10 a.m. March 17 at Veteran's Memorial, 300 E. Broad St. It unleashed more than 400 newly minted Cougar alums on the world. It also included a keynote speech from the college's outgoing provost and words from two students, both from Veterinary Technology.   

One student with a spirited support section was Mechelle Chevon Grant, who graduated with an associate degree in Mental Health/Chemical Dependency/Mental Retardation. Her father Michael, who brought a bunch of roses, said it made him proud to see her walk across the stage to get her diploma.

Mechelle planned to attend school in Delaware, said her mother Patty, but she started at Columbus State. The school's helpful faculty and strong program convinced her to stay.  

Mechelle is following her mother into the mental health field, Patty said. "She has a passion for helping people, just like her mother."

Columbus State's graduation is more exuberant than at most colleges, said Ken Conner, dean of enrollment services. No matter how many graduation ceremonies he goes to, Conner said he's still struck by what a milestone it is. The ceremony represents the culmination of years of work, as well as the start of the next phase.

"This is what it's all about," Conner said.

R. Michael Snider

Columbus State was known as Columbus Technical Institute in 1973, Snider told the crowd, and had about 2,200 students. These days, it has more than 22,000 credit students every quarter.

Snider said he had a lot in common with the day's graduates - he too was leaving Columbus State to go out into the world. He talked about students who made an impact in his life, and urged graduates to remember the difference they can make for others.

"The power of people in our lives is so amazing to me," he said.

Class valedictorian Bernie Dziedzic

Graduate Bernie Dziedzic gave the class remarks, and Shannon Klein led the assembly in the pledge of allegiance. Both students graduated from the Vet Tech program, and both graduated with perfect 4.0 records.

It's not the first time Vet Tech has produced both speakers, said Denise Mills, a Vet Tech professor. Vet Tech students often graduate with high marks, she said.

"So many of them come in knowing they're not going to make a lot of money," Mills said. "They're just here because they want to be here."

Dziedzic gave a moving speech about overcoming obstacles, speaking openly about personal demons and traumas that held him back. Everyone has obstacles, he said, but the best thing to do is acknowledge them and move through them.

"You no longer have to endure it, because if you're still here, you have endured it," Dziedzic told the crowd.

Dziedzic came to Columbus State after receiving a history degree from another college. After working several other jobs, he decided what he really wanted to do was work with animals. Vet Tech students learn to perform exams, diagnose illnesses and talk to pet owners under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

Dziedzic took about three years to get through the program, after spending the first year getting his general education requirements out of the way. He advised new students to consider doing that so they can focus more on their major requirements.

Reached before the ceremony, Klein said her Columbus State education gave her a lot of confidence in her skills. She's been with the same class of Vet Tech students for two years, and she got to know her classmates well.

Although she initially planned to be a veterinarian, Klein changed her mind to become a veterinary technician. After attending Ohio State University, she said going to a smaller college was "wonderful." At Columbus State, she said she always knows where to go to find help.

"These last few years have gone by faster than expected," Klein said.

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