Spoon River College held their 64th Commencement Thursday, May 8, at the Multi-Purpose Building in the MidAmerica National Bank Gymnasium on the Canton Campus. A total of 430 degrees and certificates were awarded, with 173 students participating in the ceremony. Several students as well as two faculty members were recognized for their achievements.
President of Spoon River College Dr. Curt Oldfield welcomed guests and congratulated the graduates. “This is your day to celebrate your commitment to learning. We are proud of the effort and dedication you invested to pursue your education, and your perseverance to make this day possible. I hope you will be lifelong learners, desire to strive for excellence academically, personally, and professionally, and that you made lasting friendships.”
Oldfield also acknowledged the family and friends who supported students’ efforts throughout their educational journey and who often attended various student events. “Seeing supporters at these events make us keenly aware that we don’t succeed alone.”
Also providing welcome remarks were Kevin Meade, Chair of the SRC Board of Trustees, Bridget Loftus, Chair of the SRC Faculty Association, and 2025 graduate Margaret Toothaker, who spoke on behalf of the student body.
Missy Wilkinson, Dean of Student Services, recognized members of the Phi Theta Kappa All-Illinois Academic Team. Those students were Samantha Ayala, Amanda Koll, Bre Rawley, and Sarah Davis. Also recognized were members of the Phi Theta Kappa Nu Delta Chapter who earned a perfect 4.0 GPA. They were Tatum Featherly, Jena Goforth, Addison Haskins, Ella Hootman, Taylor Malott, Brent Skiles, Rebecca Strode, Sarah Stufflebeam, Stephen Stufflebeam, Ryan Sweet, and Haley VanDeVenter.
Students recognized for their service in the military were Gage Coursey, Ted Eifert, Whitney Holtz, and Shawn Orr.
Six high school dual credit students were recognized for receiving their college degrees ahead of their high school graduations. They were Paige Anderson, Mackenzie Bunting, Ella Hootman, Abigail McCartney, Aubriana Putman, and Brent Skiles.
Logan Booth, Student Trustee, presented two Student Achievement Awards, which are given to students who have shown initiative, personal growth, and progress toward their academic and personal goals, as well as active participation and success in extracurricular activities.
The recipient of the Transfer Degree Student Achievement Award was Amanda Koll, and the recipient of the Career and Technical Student Achievement Award was Alyssa Gilstrap.
President Oldfield presented Pay It Forward scholarships for up to 5,000 each to Ryleigh Moser and Shyler White. These awards, courtesy of an anonymous donor, were introduced last year to empower SRC students in achieving their academic and career goals, encouraging a spirit of giving back to local communities, and developing a culture of “paying it forward” to the next generation of SRC students.
Holly Norton, Vice President of Educational and Student Services, presented faculty awards for teaching excellence. Rebecca Werland (English) was the recipient of the Spoon River College Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award and Illinois Community College Trustee Association Outstanding Full-Time Faculty nominee, and Sarah Etter (Nursing) was the recipient of the H. Truman Standard award.
Chloe Heath and Landry Smith. served as Student Honor Guards.
Pictures of the event will be posted on the Spoon River College Facebook page.