CLC hosts its 46th commencement May 16
The College of Lake County will hold its 46th annual commencement ceremonies May 16 in the Physical Education Center on the Grayslake campus, 19351 W. Washington St. Aaron Lawlor, chairman of the Lake County Board, will deliver the keynote address.
Commencement will consist of two ceremonies, one at 10 a.m. for transfer degrees (Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate in Engineering Science) and the other at 2 p.m. for Associate of Applied Science degrees and certificates. The CLC class of 2015 consists of 2,035 graduates.
Lawlor was elected chairman of the Lake County Board in December of 2012 at the age of 30, becoming the youngest board chairman in the history of Lake County. He has served on the county board since 2009 and is currently in his third term, representing District 18, which includes all of Vernon Hills and Indian Creek, as well as portions of Hawthorn Woods, Long Grove, Mundelein and unincorporated Lake County.
The ceremony will also include remarks by CLC President Dr. Jerry Weber; Dr. William Griffin, board of trustees chairman; Eva Gutierrez, president of the Student Government Association; and Jenny Lee, English instructor and winner of the 2015 Outstanding Full Time Faculty Member. CLC alumna Valerie Perron will sing the national anthem.
Admission to each commencement ceremony is free and open to the community. No tickets are required; seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Student Government Association will sponsor a complimentary reception for graduates, faculty and guests immediately after each commencement ceremony, with refreshments provided in the tent on Parking Lot 1. For more information, visit www.clcillinois.edu/graduation.
For the second consecutive year, commencement ceremonies will be streamed live over the Internet at www.ihigh.com/lancers. Graduates and their families may share their CLC graduation photos on the college's social media sites: Twitter (CLCNewsRoom #CLCgrad15) or Instagram (Collegeoflakecounty #CLCgrad15).
CLC's Class of 2015 comprises 2,035 graduates, of which 43 percent will earn an AA degree and 24 percent will complete an AAS degree. Another 6 percent will earn an AS, 1 percent will finish with an AES degree and 25 percent will complete a certificate.
Fifty-eight percent of the graduating class is female, and 42 percent is male. Fifty-one percent are ages 18-24, while 25 percent are ages 25-34 and 11 percent fall in the 35-44 age group.
The youngest participating graduate is 17-year-old Elena Fritsche of Mundelein, receiving an AA degree. Fritsche, who was home-schooled, plans to transfer in the fall to Cornell College in Iowa, where she will major in psychology and minor in philosophy.
"Serving as the president of the psychology club at CLC really helped me learn to network, lead a group and become organized," she said. "I've grown so much at CLC, I can't really put it into words."
Gutierrez, at age 18, is one of the youngest graduates. She served as president of the CLC Student Government Association during 2014-15. The Waukegan resident will attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign this fall, majoring in political science. Gutierrez said she plans to become an architect with a specialty in aquaculture.
The oldest participating graduate is Nancy Carlson, 71, of Highland Park, who is earning an AAS in health and wellness promotion. A founding member of CLC's student wellness club, Carlson also has developed a wellness outreach program for Maristella, a Libertyville-based ministry to homeless women and mothers with children.
Waukegan residents make up the largest percentage of graduates (12 percent), followed by Gurnee and Grayslake (both 8 percent) and Round Lake Beach (6 percent).