300 Prescott Area graduates will walk Sunday, May 5, at Findlay Toyota Center
Prescott, AZ (April 25, 2024) – Three hundred hardworking Yavapai College students will officially assume the title of “graduate” next Sunday afternoon, when they cross the stage in Prescott Valley. Yavapai College’s fifty-fourth Commencement for Prescott Campus graduates will take place Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m., at the Findlay Toyota Center.
The largest of YC’s Spring commencement ceremonies, the Prescott area graduation will honor students who completed their degree or certificate programs in Fall 2023 or are on-track to complete their studies in the Spring or Summer of 2024. The Findlay Toyota Center ceremony will wrap esteemed alumni, distinguished faculty members, traditional pageantry and inspirational music around the conferral of degrees. Highlights will include:
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Dr. Selina Bliss, Arizona State Representative, District 1
Dr. Bliss taught in the Yavapai College Nursing Program for 30 years and recently retired to serve in the Arizona State House of Representatives. Yavapai College is a family affair as her father, Donald H. Sieh, moved the family to Prescott in 1971 for a teaching position in the English Department, a career that lasted him 25 years. With her father as an example, Dr. Bliss followed his footsteps by serving as Faculty Association President, as well as receiving Faculty Emeritus status.
FACULTY SPEAKER: Ms. Lauren McCrea, Emeritus Faculty
Lauren joined Yavapai College in 2000 as the Coordinator of Design Services in Marketing, and in 2006, she began teaching at YC and became the head of the Graphic Design department, where she introduced web design and online learning. She received a master’s degree in Instructional Design from the University of Wyoming and a bachelor’s in visual communication from the University of Northern Colorado. Lauren received the NISOD Teaching and Leadership Excellence Award in 2013 and received Emeritus status in 2023.
STUDENT SPEAKER: Ms. Heidi Howden, Class of 2024
Heidi was born in Phoenix, grew up in the mountains of Colorado, and moved to Prescott 15 years ago. Following the pandemic and after working as a therapist and esthetician, she decided to pursue an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree at Yavapai College, and she is concurrently earning her bachelor’s in nursing degree from ASU. The recipient of the 2024 Prescott Campus Provost’s Award, Heidi is a member of the YC College Honors Program; Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society; and the Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society.
The Findlay Toyota Center is located at 3201 N. Main St., in Prescott Valley. Live streaming of the ceremonies will be available at yc.edu. Students and parents are encouraged to use the hashtag #YCGradJoy on social media to share updates and images with family and friends.
Yavapai College operates six campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over 100 degrees and certificates, two baccalaureate degrees, student and community services, and cultural events and activities.
To learn more about YC, visit www.yc.edu.
