Southwestern graduating Class of 2008 is listed

Commencement exercises for the Southwestern Oregon Community College Class of 2008 will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 13, in the Hales Center for the Performing Arts on the Coos Bay campus.

Southwestern Distinguished Alumna Fran Worthen, of Coos Bay, will deliver the graduation message and Faculty Senate Chair Bob Fields will speak to the graduating students on behalf of the faculty. Valedictorian Stacey Nelson will be the class speaker.

The Laker Club alumni association and Southwestern Student Support Services will be hosting an informal barbecue for all graduates, as well as their families, from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, at Oregon Coast Culinary Institute.

Nelson, this year’s valedictorian, is the daughter of Robert Nelson and Kay Nelson of North Bend, and graduated from Centennial High School in Gresham. She is completing an associate degree in nursing, having maintained a 4.0 grade-point average over the course of the rigorous program, all the while working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Nelson also has been active on campus, serving as co-president of the Nursing Club and as a member of Phi Theta Kappa, a global honors society focusing on two-year colleges.

After graduation, the 25-year-old plans to continue pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing through Oregon Health & Science University while continuing to live and work in the Bay Area. Nelson’s ultimate career goal is to become an obstetrics nurse and a midwife.

“I found close friends with the same common goal,” Nelson said. “Being named valedictorian is just kind of a good closure to what I’ve started here. I feel like everything I’ve done is being rewarded. I’m thankful for friends and family support, as well as the faculty and advisors.”

Members of the Southwestern Oregon Community College Class of 2008 – completing associate’s degrees or professional certificates – include: Andrew Adams, Jeffery S. Adkins, Trista Anderson, Megan Allen, Kevin Baker, John Baldwin, Marian Barnes, Peter Becker, Leona Bell-Michels, Samuel Benson, Michael Bigelow, Jerrod Biggar, Kristen Billings, James Billstine, Correen Bogardus, Garrett Bogs, John Bohanan, Emily Bouldin, Cole Brandeburg, Julie Brecke, Daniel Brook, Eric Brophy, Grace Brown, Renee Browne, Terry Brueckner, Jennifer Brunton, Lynda Buford, Christopher Cantrel, Chao Chen, Joy Christy, Jade Clark, Delpha Coffman III, Kristin Cohen, Tamara Cole, Kevin Comstock, Rebekah Conklin, Henry Corinne, Beverly Countryman, Tobin Cover, Cheryl Crockett, Susan Croswell, David Cowan, Derek Daugherty, Katherine Davenport, Kimberly Davis, Makenna Davis, Tyrel Dawley, Amy Debate, Rachel DeLong, Karen Devereux, Meaghn Dimler, Jeris Doyle, Emily Duckett, Amber Duke, Melinda Duke, Megan Ehnle, Kelsie Elam, Jill Eller, Megan Eng, Travis Erickson, Pamela Erm, Christopher Ernst, Jacqueline Examilotis, Megan Foord, Timothy Fox, Megan Franko, Sean Free, Kelly Froats, Tara Fyten, John Gazley, Katey Gerlach, Levi Goodman, Jezra Gouley, Melissa Grimes, Andrea Haaglund, Marjorie Hale, Kelley Hamilton, Phillip Hamilton, Hollie Hart, Dustin Hawk, Jason Hayes, Janice Haynes, Stephanie Heisler, Christine Hepworth, Ian Herring, Molly Herzig, Jonathan Hickman, Tracie Hiley, Christine Horst, Amber Howe, Logan Howe, James Huffman, Joy Jeffs, Lori Johannsen, Jennifer Johnson, Thomas King, David Laird, Brittany Larkin, Ashley Laverne, Xia Li, Chelsea Lucas, Kathleen Luce, Orion Malamed, Jessica Marcum, Tyler Marler, Kenia Marrero, Amanda McCarthy, Chrystal McLain, Nathan McCormick, Candace McGowne, Darci McNamee, Glen Meigs, Tracey Melgoza, Emily A. Metcalf, Jared Moe, Adrienne Morgan, Jennifer Muchmore, Masaya Murakoshi, Ryan Nagaoka, Galeno Navarro, Tara Neely, Stacey Nelson, Eric Norton, Shayni Ortega, Keith Ostrom, Fuyuka Otake, Christopher Pannone, Amber Park, Christopher Parlier, Leah Partmann, Sarah Partmann, Brandi Peabody, Douglas Peck, Raelee Peck, Gregory Pederson, Makayla Pedey, Fernando Pedraza, Randy Perdue, Heather Petitt, Mandy Prybylski, Melanie Quintana, Sandra Reents, Lindsay Reeves, Lacey Rice, Bethany Rieger, Benjamin Robinson, Vanessa Rodriguez, Annie Roman, Lindsey Rudder, David Russak, Deanna Russell, Christopher Ryer, Sabrina Sands, Cassie Schmidt, Tyler Schuldt, Michael Scott, Jacqueline Seaman, Selena Shanklin, Edward Shannon, Ria Shannon, Amy Sheets, Dominic Shreckengost, Brenda Siller, William Slack, Steve Smith Jr., Christina Spence, Ryan Spencer, Mary Spurlin, Thad Stanford, Ashley Streets, John Struve, Lindsey Swing, Annamaria Tadlock, Jenny Tausch, Marilyn Terry, Laura Thomas, Rachel Thorne, LaRee Thornton, Samantha Thornton, Electa Tripp, Joe Tripp, Laresa Truman, Bridget Twomey, Kameron Ulmer, Jeremy Van Buskirk, Judith Vaughn, Caitlyn Walker, Nanette Walker, Le Wang, Jessie Ward, Bobby Watkins Jr., Elisa Watson, Alison Weaver, Eric Weston, Daniel Wilmarth, Sherri Winn, Crystal Withnell, Sarah Wood, Michael Woods, Gail Woodward, Sirena Woodworth, Lisa Worden, Stacy Woytus, Haoliang Yang, Erica Zlataroff-Barton.

Press Release Date: June 2, 2008