(ELKO, NEV.) It was caps, gowns, and tassels across the state and around the nation as Great Basin College celebrated commencements in Elko, Ely, Pahrump, and Winnemucca.
GBC proudly awarded over 500 degrees to 432 students in the graduating class of 2024. Many students were awarded two or even three different certificates and degrees this year for their diligent work. Many of our students are graduating with honors, including 318 students on the Dean's List and 275 with high honors (cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher).
"Our GBC graduates all have touching stories and they have overcome great challenges,” said Great Basin College President Joyce Helens. "We are all so proud of their success and know their futures are bright and that they will strengthen the communities they live in."
Health Science students also participated in "pinning" ceremonies in the days leading up to their commencement ceremonies. These ceremonies are steeped in tradition and provide students with the symbolic and sometimes literal "passing of the torch" as they enter their professional careers in the medical field.
Every graduation is special, but this year’s was particularly so.
Keeping it in the family was a possible theme of this year’s graduating class. In Ely, GBC welcomed the two youngest graduates ever to walk the stage. The brother and sister duo, at only 14 and 15 years old, both graduated with associate degrees while still sophomores in high school. Joining them are other family pairs including a mother and son also graduating in Ely, along with sisters in Pahrump.
As an institution, Great Basin College celebrated several milestones. Three faculty and staff members graduated with degrees from our own institution. A testament to their commitment to continued learning and pride in our college's quality of education. Two retiring tenured faculty members, Glen Tenney and Daniel Bergey, were honored for their years of dedication and service to GBC.
Thank you from everyone at GBC to Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Patty Charlton and several NSHE Board of Regents members for sharing your insights and encouraging our students with your support of and participation in our ceremonies.
There were many dignitaries attending the various events including leaders in education and communities who gave commencement addresses in support of GBC students and their families. In Winnemucca, Mike Rangel, Chief of Police for the City of Winnemucca, encouraged students to succeed while, CEO of NyE County Communities Coalition Stacy Smith praised students for their hard work. Ely Commencement speaker Adam Young, White Pine County School District Superintendent, stressed the importance of education. Great Basin College President Joyce Helens spoke of resilience and reminded the graduates, and all those in attendance on the Elko Campus, that “yes you can!”
"We proudly celebrate the achievements of our college graduates, a remarkable group of individuals who have demonstrated resilience, dedication, and intellectual curiosity. This moment marks the culmination of years of hard work, late nights, and relentless pursuit of knowledge,” said Dr. Amber Donnelli, incoming Interim President of GBC "Our graduates are not just receiving certificates and diplomas; they are stepping into the world as the next generation of leaders, innovators, and changemakers."