Northwest Indian College Breaks Graduation Record
Northwest Indian College breaks its graduation record with a total of 185 degrees and awards conferred in 23-24 school year. The previous record of 150 was hit last year.
This year’s Commencement marks the eighth consecutive year of the College graduating 100 or more students.
“Congratulations to this year’s graduating class of 2024! You are one of 185 graduates this year – a record for NWIC! This year’s graduating class, which represented the eighth consecutive year of over 100 graduates, included 47% of our students graduating with honors and our first cohort of graduates in the Behavioral Health Aide program. I also want to highlight and celebrate the 24 GED/High School+ graduates as well. These milestones for our graduates and the College, overall, is a testament to our dedicated faculty and staff campus-wide and so I want to thank and acknowledge our NWIC community for your collective efforts to create an environment in which our students can build their knowledge and skills and strengthen their identity grounded in culture that is unique to the Tribal College experience,” President Guillory said. “To our graduates: continue to make your ancestors proud and keep moving forward and never give up. We are proud of you.”
The 2024 Commencement Ceremony was held Fri. June 21 in the new Health and Wellness Center at the Lummi Main Campus for the first time. Over 300 students, faculty, staff and community members in attendance.
The event kicked off with a welcome from NWIC’s first female Commencement Master of Ceremonies Rayanne Morris, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Compliance and the first graduate of the Native Studies Leadership program in 2013. Calling of the Witnesses was led by NWIC Board of Trustees Vice Chair Ted Solomon. The Lummi Blackhawk Singers then led a procession of the veterans and flags, graduates and faculty followed by welcomes from Board of Trustees Chair Destiny Petroske and President Justin Guillory.
University of Oklahoma Professor Robin Zape-tah-hol-ah Starr Minthorn was the keynote speaker followed by the student speakers: Tribal Governance and Business Management graduate Lila Brockie and Native Studies Leadership graduate Meghan Peters.
The candidates for graduation were announced by various faculty and staff and the Class of 2024 was presented by President Guillory. The event concluded with the witnesses sharing good words and a closing song from the Lummi Blackhawk Singers.
To view the ceremony gallery, visit the NWIC Facebook page.
