By Rhiannon Saegert/managing editor
Hundreds of students will walk across the stage toward their future at TCC’s commencement.
The ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. May 10 in the Fort Worth Convention Center.
Graduation outreach specialist Amy Dominguez said 1,434 out of 3,806 graduates plan to attend graduation. She said 151 students who finished their degrees in summer and 606 students who completed in fall are also included in that number.
NE student April Tyson will earn her Associate of Applied Science degree this semester. She said she is pursuing dental hygiene for its flexible schedule.
“I’ve been blessed with very good patients for the most part, so I’ve been very grateful for that,” Tyson said.
Dental hygiene students on NE depend on volunteer patients to earn credits. The patients have to be willing to stay for long visits on multiple occasions and sometimes drop out before students complete the course.
“This is probably one of the most competitive programs here,” she said. “It’s hard to get in, but it’s even harder to get through it. “
She will continue on to Texas Woman’s University to earn her bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene.
“I’m a Marine, so I’m trying to go to officer candidate school,” she said. “You need to have a bachelor’s for that.”
Cheridan Kirkpatrick, who will graduate this semester, was originally studying to become a paralegal but switched to software engineering. She said after she finishes school, she plans to combine her interests.
“I still want to pursue law after I get done with my engineering degree, so my goal would be to work as legal counsel for a major tech company,” she said.
NW career services helped her create her resume and secure an internship with Elbit Systems of America. She said she will miss the support and camaraderie of her NW student government colleagues and said getting involved with student organizations helped her succeed.
“It’s a great way to make friends and build a foundation,” she said. “When they’re interested in achieving higher goals like you are, they help you.”
Kirkpatrick plans to transfer to the University of Texas at Dallas to continue studying software engineering. In May, she plans to visit Paris to study abroad with NW Campus’ dance program.
