1965
THE VOICE OF WILKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
VOLUME 20, NUMBER 5
WILKESBORO. NORTH CAROLINA
MAY 17,1990
“T wenty-F ourth
Commencement
From The
President
Dr. Jim Randolph
President
Graduation is my favorite activity
of the school year. Yes, I like to
welcome the freshman students in
the Fall and I really do enjoy teaching
my classes, the Spring Fling, the
wrestling matches, the leg contest
(even if 1 didn’t win) and the many
other events that take place during
the year. But graduation is something
extra special.
Graduation is the time when we, as
an institution, acknowledge the ac
complishment of our students. It is
the time when we pay tribute to our
students and to the faculty and staff
for their hard work and dedication in
helping our students reach their goals.
The graduation ceremony is often
a rather solemn event; and well it
should be. After all, it has its origin in
the Dark Ages, which must have
been solemn indeed. However, this is
not always the case.
I remember the time at a college in
West Virginia when the table holding
the degrees began to collapse, but
was caught by a quick acting trustee.
Unfortunately, his foot gave way and
down he went, table, degrees and all,
in a big heap.
The very next year, at the same
college, a graduate tripped on the top
step and flew across the platform on
his stomach while reaching up for his
degree; all, by the way, to a standing
ovation from his fellow graduates. (It
turned out that he had practiced this
move for three days prior to gradua
tion. I gave him a 9.3 for originality.)
I also remember an experience in
Utah when the Governor of Utah,
Scott Matheson, was on campus to
deliver the graduation address. The
governor had joined us early to par
take in the pre-graduation picnic.
Apparently he was hungry, because,
as he moved down the serving line, I
overheard him ask the woman serving
if she would mind if he had another
piece of chicken. “Sorry,” said the
cln/^aou^ce'
woman, “I’m only supposed to give
one piece of chicken to each person.”
But I’m starved,” the governor
said.
“Sorry, only one to a customer,”
she responded.
Governor Matheson was a mild
mannered man, but obviously very
hungry. Before I could reach him to
settle the problem, he said, “Lady, do
you know who I am? I’m the governor
of this state.”
“Do you know who I am?” the
woman replied, “I’m the lady in
charge of the chicken. Now, move
along buster.”
Perhaps the most unique gradua
tion I ever had the pleasure to attend,
was, again in Utah, when the college
had Peterson Zeh, chairman of the
Navajo Nation give the commence
ment address. The college was located
near the Navajo reservation and
served a large number of native
Americans. Family members and
friends of the Navajo graduates came
to the ceremony in native garb, which
included turquoise squash blossom
necklaces, beautiful headdresses and
colorful boots. Part of the ceremony
was spoken in the Navajo language.
It was truly a memorable occasion.
Regardless of one’s background or
culture, graduation defines the end
of one chapter in one’s life and the
beginning of another. For our grad
uates a chapter has ended and a new
one begins. From all of us at WCC,
please allow me to offer our sincere
congratulations and warmest wishes
for continued success to all our grad
uates.
Oh, and by the way, thanks for
attending Wilkes Community College
1990 Graduates
The 1990 Commencement Ceremony for Wilkes Community College will be
held on Friday, May 25,1990, at the John A. Walker Community Center. Two
hundred eighty two degrees will be awarded on this occasion.
The memebers of the graduating class and their programs of study are as
follows:
Associate In Arts - COll
Jennifer Marie Absher
Tranche Brenda Adams
Susan Lynne Alspaugh
William Gregg Anderson
Phillip Preston Barker
Tina Louise Bauguess
Donna Maria Billings
Carol Anne Blackburn
Angela Denise Bowlin
Dan Roger Bray, Jr.
Darryl Andrea Brown
Sharon Nicole Brown
Ramona Lee Burke
Kimberly Jane Byrd
Jeffrey Scott Cashion
Joy Ann Hash Choate
Rebecca J. Cowles
Helen Lynn Daniels
Kelly Marie Dorsett
James Frank Elledge
Kimberly Barns Eller
Jonathan Lyn Francis
Carol Ann Frazier
Iris P. Hilton
Daniel Ray Holbrook
Michael William Holbrook
Lisa Gail Horton
Angela Dawn Huffman
Brian Keith Huffman
Ivan Darryl Johnson
Maitri Klinkosum
Laura A. Larmon
Ray Lawhorn
Julie Ann Martin Lipford
Carolyn Eller Long
Ellen Michele Mitchell
Susan Jane Mitchell
Wendy Dawn Moser
Mary Geraldine Payne
James Earl Pennington, Jr.
Rebecca Elizabeth Porter
Daniel Howard Pugh
Traci Michelle Reynolds
Tamera Dare Rogers
Michael Steven Roope
Wayne Bronson Russell
Christopher Antonio Sanders
George Montgomery Shaw
Angela Dyan Shew
Brenda Jo Shew
Tina Christine Sparks
Dennis Michael Triplett
Julie Ann Tucker
Julie Lynn Vandervort
Kerry Lynn Wagoner
Jeffery Dean Wallace
Joy Michelle Welborn
Michelle Lynda West
Kathy Marie Williams
Kimberly Lynn Wyatt
Continued on page 3
From The Dean
of Instruction
As we near the end of another
school year, we can sense the excite
ment of those who will graduate. We
can take pride in what has been
accomplished as well as regret that
we did not do all of the things we
wanted to do.
The year has been busy with
change. Some of the academic depart
ments have been combined while
some have experienced name and
staff changes.
The college implemented its Pro
gram Review policy this school year,
and five programs were selected for
review. The results of that effort will
be sent to the college administration
and Trustees for action in July. The
faculty, chairpersons, advisory com
mittees and many other individuals
have worked hard to make this ac
tivity a success. Emphasis has been
on Institutional Effectiveness here as
well as at our sister institutions. Five
programs will be selected annually to
insure that every program will be
reviewed every five years.
Planning is underway for the 1990-
91 school year. Scheduling, funding
requests and other needs are currently
being developed. Continuing Educa
tion is developing new programs to
meet the needs of the people in our
service area including Wilkes, Ashe
and Alleghany. We are excited about
our new facilities in Alleghany County
and the potential for growth in our
service area.
It has been a good year for the
college-made possible by a dedicated
student body, faculty and staff.
Tony Randall
Dean of Instruction
WILKES
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
1965
EXCELLENCE
IN EDUCATION
1990