TV news anchor headlines College of Lake County graduation
San Francisco television news anchor Catherine Heenan told College of Lake County graduates to ignore naysayers and chase their dreams, in her commencement address before a packed house Saturday at Waukegan's Genesee Theatre.
It was the first time the Grayslake-based college used the venerable 2,400-seat theater for graduation. The Class of 2010 had 1,362 graduates, although not all were at the commencement.
"Commencement is perhaps one of the most important days we celebrate as an academic institution," college President Girard Weber told the crowd.
Heenan, an evening anchor/reporter at KRON-TV in San Francisco, delivered the commencement address just before students received their diplomas. She's a 1974 graduate who went on to receive a bachelor's degree at Illinois State University.
Growing up in Zion, Heenan said, her parents encouraged her to give something a try even if everyone else believes it's too difficult.
That positive attitude was something she also found from instructors over her two years at the College of Lake County. Heenan worked on the campus radio station, student newspaper and participated in a theater program.
Heenan said all of the encouragement for her broadcasting goals deflected what she heard from a Chicago television news personality before she attended the college. She said the woman dwelled on how it was difficult to break into TV news.
"I had the training to not stop at the first roadblock," said Heenan, who told of how she pestered her way into her first news job at WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee.
Before she spoke, Heenan received the college's Illinois Outstanding Citizen Award that in previous years went to the likes of poet Gwendolyn Brooks and the Rev. Andrew Greeley.
Criminal justice Professor Frank Zera had a moment in the spotlight as well at Saturday's commencement. He was honored as recipient of the 2010 Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member Award, selected by the students.
"The thing that compliments me the most about this award is my teaching efforts have been recognized by you," said Zera, directing his remarks to the graduates seated in front of him at the college's 41st commencement.
Faith Johnson, 18, of Zion, received a certificate in emergency disaster management and was recognized as the youngest to participate in the graduation ceremony. The oldest attendee was Gaetana Johnson, 67, of Round Lake Beach, who received an associate degree in health information technology and a medical coding specialist certificate.
College board Chairman Barbara Oilschlager said the oldest graduate, 70-year-old Roberta Swisher of Gurnee, couldn't make the commencement. Swisher received an office professional certificate.