EDWARDS, Colorado – The day of graduation is a day filled with emotion – all of the time, effort, studying, financial stress of going to college, energy and dreams of someday graduating become a memory, and the dreams of what the future holds become a reality.

For the graduates of Colorado Mountain College, Saturday was their day to shine and think about their futures. The theme of the graduation was to “be the change you wish to see,” inspired by the quote from Gandhi.

Peggy Curry, chief executive officer of the Edwards CMC campus, told graduates Saturday that this accomplishment carries great value because it expands the possibilities for the future.

Colorado Mountain College handed out more than 150 associate degrees and professional certificates Saturday, and for many of the graduates, the journey has only just begun.

Jessica Trujillo, for example, hasn’t even graduated from Eagle Valley High School yet but she walked across the stage at Battle Mountain High School on Saturday and accepted her Associate of Arts diploma from CMC.

Trujillo represents the very kind of education CMC provides – an education where busy people within the community can make the time to pursue their goals. Trujillo, 18, a busy high school student, took dual-enrollment classes and has just one summer class left before she officially earns her degree.

She has her sights set on Regis University, which she plans to attend this fall, and then perhaps law school after that.

Trujillo said it feels awesome to not only graduate but also to know she saved her parents some money.

Nayeli Hernandez earned her Associate of Arts business degree Saturday and gave the graduate address. She talked about challenging fear and how making it to graduation means all of the graduates have already done exactly that.

“The bad new is there are more challenges to come the rest of our lives,” Hernandez said.

But that shouldn’t stop anyone from continuing to pursue their dreams, she said. It’s time to leave the past behind and be responsible for the future, she said.

“It’s normal for you to fear what you don’t know,” Hernandez said. “Now it’s in our hands to decide how to form our own destiny.”

Graduates such as Rebecca McFarland already have their destinies in mind – McFarland told faculty that she plans to be the first person to earn a bachelor’s degree from the Edwards CMC campus, which will begin offering bachelor’s degree programs in the fall.

State Rep. Millie Hamner, who was appointed to the state House of Representatives in the fall when Christine Scanlan went to work for the governor’s office, gave the commencement address and told students the best way to be the change they want to see is to care about what they do in life.

“You’ve already demonstrated that you care by being here today,” Hamner said. “Your journey continues as you receive your diplomas and certificates.”

Associate of Arts

Rachel Arrigo

Allison Baptist

Matthew Durbin

Bailey Gates

Nicholas Lovell

Odil Macias

Jeffrey Maus

Amanda Musyl

Eric Thoades

Camille Sawtelle

Krista Schumacher

Tarrah Suman

Michael Terrell

Jessica Trujillo

Airam Gonzalez

Dylan Washburn

Associate of Arts, Business

Nereyda Blanco

Yadira Chavira

Joel Donzalez

Nayeli Hernandez

Araceli Ramos

Rebecca McFarland

Connie Parra

Associate of Arts, Early Childhood Education

Rhonda Lee

Majorie Montiel

Associate of Arts, Elementary Education, Mesa State Agreement

Laura Hannum

Juana Palacios Serna

Associate of Science

Lana Hymes

Associate of Science, Biology

Valerie Alpin

Kylara Hosman

Colton Sobieski

Associate of Science, Environmental Science

Jamison Bair

Associate of Arts, Visual Arts

Renata Marshall

Associate of General Studies

Dylan Cox

Jennifer Gallegos

Elena Hernandez

Kimberly Ozerkan

Associate of Applied Science, Culinary Arts

Jacob Walker

Mark Wohl

Associate of Applied Science, Early Childhood Education

Marie Barajas

Virginia Trujillo

Associate of Applied Science, Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic

John Avery II

Rebecca Cherry

Eric Daninger

Walter Hutton III

Timothy Lavin

Associate of Applied Science, Fire Science Technology

John German

Andrew Schmidt

Sean Turley

Associate of Applied Science, Medical Assistant

Samantha Schaub

Associate of Applied Science, Resource Management

Jacque Clark

Certificate, A+ Computer Technician

Mark Luzar

Certificate, Accounting

Fara Denhart

Certificate, Automotive Service Technology, Brakes

Paul Avila

Keith Carrieri

Dustin Eachus

John Ellis

Joseph Hawley

Jason Klatte

Slade Lyon

Rafael Macias

Roberto Ramos

Rayman Rivera

Joseph Salazar

Antonio Serna

Hector Serna

Ian Talbot

Brooke Tulk

Zachery Wamboldt

Craig Wilmers

Certificate, Automotive Service, Technology, Suspension and Steering

John Ellis

Samuel Farnen

Mariah Loud

Brooke Tulk

Craig Wilmers

Certificate, Certified Nurse Assistant

Yessenia Almanza

Teresa Avila

Ashley Baker

Tara Chenoweth

Melissa Denton

Richard Dom

Charlene Halsey

Betzabe Justo

Farrah Lane

Carl Lipp

Natalie Maes

Angela Phillips

Karalea Platt

Arielle Richard

Erica Ross

Nadia Schaffino

Brittany Taggart

Certificate, Culinary Arts, Apprentice Cook

Justin Johnson

Certificate, Early Childhood Education, Director

Jeaninne Carty

Karen Chandler

Nora Seng

Certificate, Early Childhood Education, Group Leader

Jeaninne Carty

Certificate, Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic

Miguel Arias

Rebecca Cherry

Zurette Glickman

Shawn Kiefner

Morgan Murri

Stephen Ramsey

Aaron Resnick

Steven Wille

Certificate, Emergency Medical Technician-Basic

Fall:

Ann Adair

Eric Blitzstein

Ivette Caballero

Ashley Darrough

Evan Disser

Corey Gonyea

Jason Hamrick

Christopher Heftka

Benjamin Hill

Jason Holt

Jeffrey Layman

Robert Matthews

Zachary Miller

Andre Mora

Patrick Murphy

Jamee Nowlin

Kimberly Ozerkan

Ian Peluso

Slavina Rindone

Jennifer Silva

Joel Vaughan

Spring:

Lawrence Benway

Brian Blomquist

Neil Bunker

Brendan Campbell

Geralyn Campos

Sara Davies

Mathew DeVito

Anthony Feit

Michael Friel

Tricia Molloy

Christine Murray

Danielle Niehls

Margaret Olson

Travis Owens

Kendra Pardee

Quinn Parsons

William Ponder

Gregory Shaw

Robert Smith

Amelia Van Dyke

Andrew Vonesh

John Wawro

Certificate, Real Estate

Bruce Barth

Phillip Hoyos

Katie Morris

Jay Peterson

Jason Plante