On May 12, the Coon Rapids Campus Commencement saluted 673 candidates for graduation. In addition, the ceremony highlighted the college and its achievements in education over the last 40 years.

ARCC President Patrick M. Johns paid tribute to the dreams and visions of those who helped found the college, and the generations of students who have attended in pursuit of their own dreams.

“Many of you will leave Anoka-Ramsey Community College and start your careers, while others will continue on with your education,” Johns said. “Whichever path you choose, you are realizing a dream and creating a new dream.”

James H. McCormick, Chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, also honored those who founded the college, and then challenged new graduates to work as ARCC’s founders had worked on behalf of Minnesota.

“As a community college graduate, you now can play a significant role in spreading the word about the importance of making college possible for all Minnesotans,” McCormick said. “Tell others about the great education you received here, and remember to contribute your time and talent to maintaining its excellence.”

Keynote Speaker former Vice President Walter F. Mondale, who had spoken at the college’s first Commencement back in 1967, turned the spotlight on the college’s achievements.

“Look how you’ve grown,” Mondale said. “For our own good, we must prove what it takes for America to achieve and that's why I love what you're doing here at Anoka-Ramsey Community College.”

Prior to Commencement, student nurses on the Coon Rapids Campus took their first steps towards graduation in the May 11 Nurses Pinning Ceremony. A total of 135 students received their nurses’ pins and recited the Florence Nightingale Pledge at the ceremony.

In the days leading up to graduation, outstanding students and faculty received recognition on the Coon Rapids Campus. ARCC English Faculty member Dorothy Sauber received this year’s Honored Faculty Member Award from the Coon Rapids faculty for her outstanding dedication and service to the college and the faculty association.

On May 3, outstanding students received their due at the Student Awards Ceremony. Eight activity awards and thirty-two academic discipline awards were bestowed on high-achieving sophomores, freshmen, and even some high school seniors who attend the college through the Post-Secondary Educational Opportunity program. The Outstanding Student of the Year award went to sophomore Leah Dodds of Ramsey, Minn., who is among the first class of ARCC students to earn the new Associate of Fine Arts degree in Music. An accomplished pianist, she plans to attend Augsburg College this fall, where she has won a full scholarship to major in Piano Performance.

In previous weeks, three luncheons were held to enable ARCC scholarship recipients to meet with members of the Coon Rapids Campus Foundation and the donors whose gifts fund their scholarships. Recipients attending these celebratory events were able to thank those who helped fund their scholarships. The donors, in turn, were able to learn first-hand the impact their gifts can have.

At each event, scholarship recipients were allowed to say a few words of thanks. As one scholarship recipient explained: “As a single mom with two children, a job, and college, I struggled. When my new husband lost his job 2 weeks after we were married, I refused to give up completing my degree after having pulled my kids all along the way with me. Then the scholarship award letter arrived in my mail. It made all the difference. I could continue.”