Every commencement ceremony tells hundreds of individual stories.
At Washtenaw Community College’s graduation celebration in May, those stories included first-generation college graduates crossing the stage to cheers from proud families, parents completing degrees while raising children and working full-time jobs, and students who arrived seeking a fresh start, a new skill or a more affordable path to a bachelor’s degree.
In all, 2,715 individuals graduated from Washtenaw Community College as part of the Class of 2026, collectively completing 1,688 associate degrees and 2,234 certificates.
But commencement is also about something larger than individual achievement. Graduation day is a reminder of what a community college returns to the community that supports it.
Those graduates represent nurses caring for local patients, skilled trades professionals helping build and maintain our region’s infrastructure and cybersecurity experts protecting businesses.
There are now newly minted radiographers, dental assistants, advanced manufacturing technicians, entrepreneurs, software developers, first responders and educators strengthening the local economy and improving quality of life throughout Washtenaw County.
That is the role community colleges play.
As WCC celebrates its 60th anniversary, this year’s graduates join nearly 60,000 alumni who have earned more than 89,000 degrees and certificates over the college’s six decades.
WCC exists to create opportunity for students and to meet the needs of the community. The two are inseparable.
When local employers need highly trained workers, WCC responds. When residents need affordable access to higher education, WCC provides it. When industries evolve, the college adapts programs to prepare students for the jobs and careers our region depends on.
That mission matters now more than ever.
For many students, WCC represents an affordable pathway at a time when the cost of higher education remains a national concern. Others come to WCC seeking short-term credentials or workforce training that can quickly lead to stable, in-demand careers.
The community benefits from every one of those success stories. A strong community college contributes to economic development, workforce readiness and social mobility. It helps local businesses grow. It helps families build financial stability. It helps communities attract employers who depend on a skilled workforce.
Every graduate I greeted on the commencement stage represents more than a personal milestone. They represent talent staying in our region, essential workers entering the workforce, future business owners launching ventures and community members prepared to contribute in meaningful ways.
Commencement celebrates achievement. It also offers a glimpse of the future our community is building together.
And for 60 years, that future has started at WCC.
Tags: Class of 2026, Commencement, Graduation, June 2026, On The Record, President's Column, Workforce Development