On Monday Spokane Community College (SCC) and Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC) graduated more than 3,600 students, including more than 1,200 SFCC graduates and more than 2,400 SCC graduates, at their general commencement ceremonies. At SFCC's 3:00 p.m. ceremony, the college's Chamber Singers received a standing ovation for their performance of the National Anthem and "Time" by Jennifer Lucy Cook, a piece that stirred nostalgia for the friends and classes being left behind and excitement for what's next.
For SFCC Running Start Graduates Gabby and Ella, it was their second graduation in two days, the pair having graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in the same building—The Podium in Spokane—the previous day. "It's very rewarding, and a little tiring because we just had our senior all-nighter last night," Ella said. The pair will attend Boise State and the University of Montana respectively in the fall.
Though many graduates will move on from Spokane Colleges, some will be right back on campus at the end of summer. A sizable portion SFCC’s Cybersecurity Defender AA graduates will return in the fall to start SFCC’s Cybersecurity Bachelor of Applied Science program.
SCC's graduation at 7:00 p.m. packed the house at the Podium with only a handful of seats free. The Cosmetology program's incredible 92 graduates formed a noticeable group in the crowd alongside the Fire Science graduates in their yellow fire helmets and the Culinary Arts graduates in their white chef's toques.
Among SCC's Surgical Technology graduates, several already had jobs lined up at Northwest Specialty Hospital and Sacred Heart. With final exams coming after graduation this year (among other circumstances), these graduates still have some work to do. "I fell off a ladder and missed two months," one of the Surgical Technology graduates said. "I still need to finish my clinicals, but, today, I'm graduating!"