The participationof Gov was a distinct honorthe first time in the 85-year history of MCC

Muskegon Community College’s recently held commencement marked the “end” of our academic year, and it was a wonderful celebration of the accomplishments of our students. With the number of graduates up 35 percent over last year, we are proud to be a part of a growing number of students succeeding here in Muskegon.

The participation of Gov. Rick Snyder was a distinct honor and represented the first time in the 85-year history of MCC that a sitting governor served as commencement speaker.

Student speaker Nicolas Chibanda stole the show. A native of Zimbabwe, Nicolas overcame incredible odds to succeed at MCC and looks forward to a future as a medical doctor. All in all, it was a memorable day for our graduates to celebrate with their friends and families.

The governor’s visit and message to the MCC community was challenging and insightful regarding the future of community colleges in Michigan. Clearly, community colleges have an important role to play. It is additionally clear that, despite this role, community colleges are part of the wider
debate over state funding for various components of our educational system.