Waubonsee graduates return to Sugar Grove campus

Waubonsee Community College's annual commencement returned to the Sugar Grove campus Saturday, and it was split into two ceremonies to accommodate a growing number of graduates.

College officials said 352 graduates walked the two ceremonies. The college awarded 1,083 degrees. A total of 22,192 degrees have been conferred since the college's first graduation in 1968.

Waubonsee alumna and Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman delivered the commencement address. Ziman, a graduate of West Aurora High School, graduated from Waubonsee in 1994.

Anna Dutton of Oswego, a 2016 Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Bronze Scholar majoring in business, was the student speaker.

This year, the college's youngest graduate is 18-year-old Abigail Zedwick of Yorkville, while the oldest is 71-year-old Brian McIntyre of Ottawa.

Zedwick, who was home-schooled, completed her high school studies and earned an associate degree in less than three years by simultaneously taking dual-credit courses at Waubonsee. She maintained a high enough GPA to be in Waubonsee's Honors Program.

McIntyre, who overcame a lifetime of drug and alcohol addiction and is a two-time liver transplant recipient, earned an associate degree in human services.

Over the years, McIntyre worked a series of jobs and enrolled in college five separate times but never finished, until enrolling at Waubonsee in 2011. He plans to continue his education.

A certified counselor, DUI evaluator and substance-abuse evaluator, McIntyre owns Two Rivers Outreach in Streator, which offers DUI evaluations, risk-education classes and substance-abuse counseling.