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Ceremony speakers announced
McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook Community College Spring Commencement is set for Friday at 10 a.m. at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center.
Donald E. Jackson, President of Hastings College and McCook College graduate will deliver the commencement address while MCC sophomore Lucile Archuleta will give the student address.
The Dr. Gene A. Budig Outstanding Faculty award will also be presented and musical selection will be performed by the MCC Singers, directed by Tiffany Gapp.
Donald Jackson was chosen to be the first recipient of McCook Community College's President's Award. A Cambridge, Neb., native, he began his postsecondary education at MCC. After receiving his Associate of Arts degree from "McCook College" on May 26, 1967, he transferred his credits to Hastings College "...to put him on course for a meaningful career."
He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Hastings College and a Master of Science in rehabilitation services administration from DePaul University in Chicago. He also has a certificate in physical therapy from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Jackson rose to chief operating officer of Easter Seals, Inc. Prior to that, he was president of Rehabilitation Systems, Inc., a multi-state health care corporation he founded. From 2007-12, he served on the Hastings College Board of Trustees and on the Hastings College Foundation Board. In the fall of 2012, Jackson became the vice president for advancement at Hastings College. He was named the college's 16th president on Feb. 4, 2013 - a position he currently holds.
Lucia Archuleta, a Colorado Springs native, is McCook Community College's 2016 Commencement speaker.
She came to MCC to play for the women's basketball team, enrolled in very difficult academic courses, maintains a 4.0 grade-point-average and set the school record for 3-pointers made during her basketball career on a team that set the school record for wins during a 29-4 year.
She served as team captain for both years and was selected to both the All-Conference and the All-Region Honorary Mention teams. Off the court, she has also excelled in academics. Archuleta was named Academic All-Region and Academic All-American.
On campus, she served as student ambassador, a Phi Theta Kappa member and a tutor for chemistry, biology, history and anatomy and physiology.
Archuleta plans to finish her college basketball career as a scholarship-awarded athlete at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha. She intends to major in human biology and eventually pursue a career in medicine.
For those who can't attend Friday's ceremony, it is available via live-stream web cast through MCC's Coaches aid channel at: http://coachesaid.com/school.aspx?school=19896