Tompkins Cortland Community College celebrated the 461 members of the Class of 2025 during commencement ceremonies Tuesday, May 21. It was the College’s 56^th commencement.

Professors Jake Jacob and Kimberly Sharpe, both retiring after long and distinguished careers, served as Grand Marshals and opened the ceremony. Roxann Buck welcomed the graduates and guests on behalf of the Board of Trustees, and Student Trustee Shannon Boyd offered comments on behalf of the student body. 

“This day represents more than the completion of credits. It’s the product of nights spent piecing together papers in the library, breakthroughs in classrooms and labs, heart-to-hearts in the student center, laughter over coffee in the Fireside Café, and times we paused to gather ourselves when things got tough. These moments, strung together, are what brought us here together,’ said Boyd. “TC3 gave us more than knowledge, it gave us perspective. It taught us how to show up, how to stay curious, and how to lead with heart. It taught us that even when the road is uneven, we can still keep going.”

As part of the ceremony, Julie Matijas, Mame Ndiaye, and Patricia Schaap were presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award. Matijas, a 2000 graduate with a liberal and arts and sciences: general studies, has built an impressive career in real estate in Cortland County. Ndiaye, a 2015 graduate in criminal justice, is now the Associate Director of Inclusive Enrollment at the Brooks School of Cornell University. Schaap, a 2004 graduate in human services, is the Director of Community Services for the Cortland County Mental Health Department.

President Amy Kremenek challenged the class to cherish their time at TC3, but to keep moving forward. “Undoubtedly you have memories of what it took to earn this degree. But I’d like to take a moment to leave the memory of those challenges behind and focus only on the future,” she said. “At the same time you rose to the academic challenge, you also adapted to new cultures, new people, new surroundings. This isn’t always easy, and I know it won’t always be easy going forward. But you’ve shown that you can adapt, that you can work with others, that you can learn from differences and find common ground.”

In closing, Kremenek congratulated the Class of 2025. “You are ready. Now the real fun and real work of your education begins,” she said in closing. “A world of possibilities is in front of you. Make the most of it.”