Congratulations to Riverland Community College students who are graduating today.

Two ceremonies will be held in the Austin Campus Gym. One ceremony will start at 3 p.m. and the other at 6:30 p.m., according to James Douglass, Riverland Community College’s communications director.

There are 518 students graduating from the college’s fall, spring and summer semesters. For each ceremony, there are around 238 who are walking, with 110 students in the career technical programs walking at the 3 p.m. ceremony, while the 128 students graduating with their associate’s degrees walking in the 6:30 p.m. ceremony.

“The commencement ceremony is the culmination of the dedication, commitment and self-sacrifice demonstrated by our students,” Douglass said. “The Riverland community celebrates their success and wants to provide a memorable event in honor of their achievements.”

About 60 percent of students will receive their two-year degrees, while about 40 percent will receive their degrees, certificates and diplomas from various Riverland career programs.

The age range of this year’s graduates is between 17 and 67, with about 42 percent of graduates being 22 years old or younger. Of those graduating, 435 students (85 percent) have taken at least one online course.

There are also 29 students who are post-secondary-enrollment-option students graduating from both Riverland and their respective high schools.

This year, the keynote speaker for both ceremonies will be Dr. Mark Ciota, chief executive officer for Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and Austin. The student speaker for the 3 p.m. ceremony will be Gabriel Crombie from Faribault, while Deandre Raggs of Minneapolis will act as the student speaker for the 6:30 p.m. ceremony.

Kim Hansen, accounting instructor, will be giving the faculty welcome at both ceremonies, and an honorary degree will be presented to Gary Ray of Austin.

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Commencement 2019 Programs by Ceremony

3 p.m. Ceremony

• Agribusiness
• Agricultural Sciences
• Automotive General Service Technician
• Automotive Service Technology
• Carpentry-Commercial
• Carpentry-Residential
• Computer Technology
• Cisco Network Associate
• Cosmetology
• Criminal Justice-Corrections
• Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement
• Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement Non-POST
• Cybersecurity
• Diesel Technology
• Electrician-Construction
• Emergency Medical Care Services
• Farm Business Management
• Fire Science Technology
• Fire Services
• Food Science
• Food Science Technology
• Fundamentals of Network Security
• Fundamentals of Voiceover IP
• Human Resource Development
• Industrial Maintenance and Mechanics
• Leadership
• Machining
• Management Info Systems Transfer Pathway
• Manufacturing Skills Standards (MSSC)
• Massage Therapy
• Medical Assistant
• Microsoft Systems Engineer
• Nursing
• Phlebotomy Technician
• Practical Nursing
• Precision Agriculture
• Public Safety Dispatch
• Radiography
• Social Media Marketing
• Supervising and Managing
• Supervisory Management-AS Degree
• Supervisory Management-AAS Degree
• Tax Preparer
• Truck Driving
• Web Developer
• Web Developer: Game Design
• Web Page Design
• Welding
• Wind Technology Operation and Maintenance

6:30 p.m. Ceremony

• Art AFA
• Associate of Arts
• Associate of Arts with Agricultural Science Concentration
• Associate of Arts with Business Concentration
• Associate of Arts with Elementary Education Concentration
• Associate of Arts with a Food Science Concentration
• Associate of Arts with Global Studies Emphasis
• Associate of Arts with Honors Program
• Associate of Arts with a Music Emphasis
• Associate of Arts with Ph Ed/Coaching Concentration
• Associate of Arts with a Theatre Emphasis
• Applied Technology
• Accounting
• Accounting Clerk
• Accounting Transfer Pathway
• Administrative Assistant
• Bookkeeper
• Business
• Business Transfer Pathway
• Chemistry Transfer Pathway
• Coaching
• Exercise Science Transfer Pathway
• Global Studies
• Health Sciences Broad Field
• Health Unit Coordinator
• Human Services
• Medical Administrative Assistant
• Medical Receptionist
• Medical Secretary
• Musical Theatre Transfer Pathway
• Personal Trainer/Athletic Coaching
• Psychology Transfer Pathway
• Theatre Transfer Pathway