More than 1,100 Columbus State graduates earn degrees this week
Campus News | Tuesday, May 5, 2020
A diverse group of Columbus State Community College students will earn degrees this week as Spring Semester 2020 concludes with final exams. Although the traditional commencement ceremony has been canceled, 1,112 students have petitioned to graduate. Those who meet final requirements will receive associate degrees.
Bobby Diamond, 19, arrived at Columbus State from Olentangy High School with a strong academic record and sharp volleyball skills. While her athleticism dominated the court with an All-American award for performance, Diamond’s mental skills were just as refined. The STEM student was named an All-American in academics.
“Being surrounded by passionate students that are wanting to do well in school helped create an environment of dedication,” says Diamond. “I realized who I am as a person and who I want to become thanks to the Columbus State experience.”
Diamond is graduating with an Associate of Science with an emphasis in welding and engineering – two of her passions. Diamond will transfer to Ohio State University for a bachelor’s degree in welding. The long-range goal includes studying at the Divers Institute of Technology in Seattle to earn an underwater welding degree.
Abby Kirov is one of Columbus State’s many non-traditional students. As a 29-year-old working adult, she turned to the College to earn a degree many years after high school. She will graduate with an Associate of Science in nursing.
Before arriving six years ago, she was already in the health care field, working at OhioHealth Heart & Vascular as a medical assistant. “The program was challenging as a new mom and full-time medical assistant. I shed a lot of tears, I missed important family moments, and worked harder than ever.”
Kirov remains with OhioHealth in the Med-Surg Fellowship to become a full-time nurse. The Fellowship is a nine-week program where she will work as a full-time registered nurse, closely monitored by managers and preceptors. It’s an orientation and onboarding process for placement into a high-need medical/surgical unit.
College Credit Plus graduates
The Columbus State spring graduating class includes 17 high school seniors who will
earn a high school diploma the same month they earn a college degree. The feat is
made possible by Ohio’s College Credit Plus (CCP) program. CCP allows students to
take Columbus State classes and earn high school and college credits simultaneously.
Abel Kifle Andebrhan, who will receive an Associate of Science degree, is one of those students
The 18-year-old from Pickerington North High School began taking Columbus State classes his freshman year. “College Credit Plus was a great option for me,” says Andebrhan. “I had to learn a lot about time management and to balance everything with work and social life, but I made it happen because it's important to me.”
Andebrhan is a first-generation college graduate in his family. They arrived in the United States from Eritrea in 1998, four years before his birth. He says his father stressed the importance of a college education. “My dad often talked about how important it was to get a head start on college. The College Credit Program allowed me to do just that.”
Andebrhan has received a full-tuition scholarship to Ohio State University (OSU), where he plans to study neuroscience and psychology. He is already involved with an Eritrean/Ethiopian cultural organization through OSU and says that he can have an impact as a role model to other students with similar backgrounds.
Says Andebrhan, “My goal is to repay the sacrifices my parents have made so that I can have a brighter future.”
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