Big Bend grads celebrate, praise college for programs and tech

Isidra Hernandez, right, helps Karissa Peralez with her cap and gown prior to commmencement ceremonies at Big Bend Community College. The school paid tribute to nearly 380 graduates during ceremonies Friday. <br>Brad W. Gary/Columbia Basin Herald

by Aimee Hornberger<br>Herald Staff Writer
| June 13, 2005 9:00 PM

College president announces official accreditation of nursing program at ceremony

MOSES LAKE — A sea of blue filled the inside of the Peter D. DeVries Activities Center for the graduating class of 2005 at Big Bend Community College Friday.

As family members waited for graduates representing 53 cities and towns in Washington to enter the center, the evening was for many a chance to celebrate a long-awaited accomplishment.

Mother Diane Edwards of Cheney waited to see daughter Gina Doremus, one of four children, walk proudly with her cap and gown.

"That's what our goal was, to go further in higher education," Edwards said of her family.

For the Elizalde family, daughter Stephanie is the first to graduate from college.

Stephanie's mother Nelda of Warden says there have been many cultural and financial barriers for her daughter to overcome in getting to this point.

"You have to work a little harder, (you) have to work past those barriers," Nelda said.

From balancing the responsibilities of being students, parents and working, graduates share some of the same sentiments about their time spent at BBCC.

Like graduate Angela Harman, who waited until her five children got a little older before deciding to go back to school to study nursing.

Harman credits the flexibility of BBCC faculty and programs in helping her continue her education and still tend to the needs of family.

Friday's graduation ceremony also brought mention of BBCC's most recent project which opened in January: the Grant County Advanced Technologies and Education Center.

Joe Auvil came to support his wife and BBCC graduate Christine, who also has had to juggle the responsibilities of being a student, mother and wife.

Those responsibilities are ones Auvil believes are becoming less of a burden for students as BBCC expands its programs and technological capabilities.

"It's certainly a good thing for the outlying areas," Auvil said of the virtual classrooms now available inside ATEC.

ATEC, the college's largest project to date, features a state-of-the-art dining facility; conference center and training rooms; research library; Paul Lauzier University Center, which provides additional office and classroom space where local students can earn baccalaureate and graduate degrees from Heritage University and Central Washington University; and the Eric and Catherine Peterson Gallery that serves as a display area for artwork.

During the ceremony, BBCC President Bill Bonaudi also shared recent news that the college's nursing program has been recommended to receive full accreditation status by the National League for Nursing.

After the ceremony, Bonaudi said such accreditation means graduates will be eligible for employment by the Federal government and can transfer to baccalaureate programs.

"BBCC is a resource for everyone," he said during the ceremony.