RLC commencement ceremony held

May 14, 2008 10:01 am

— From Rend Lake College

INA – Rend Lake College officials announced during the college’s annual commencement ceremony Friday night that 1,191 associate degrees and certificates are to be conferred upon 717 students. Of those, 63 percent are associate degrees for completion of a two-year program at the college.
President Mark S. Kern told the crowd that it was the largest commencement audience in the history of the college. He welcomed founding Board of Trustees Member Dr. Allen Y. Baker and his wife Stella back to the campus. The former Pinckneyville couple now reside in Clearwater, Fla.
Baker took the stage and induced a standing ovation with the announcement that he and his wife are giving the Rend Lake College Foundation $100,000 to establish the Dr. Allen Y. Baker and Stella Baker Scholarship Fund.
The keynote speaker at the RLC Commencement this year was 2006 RLC Alumnus of the Year Chris Johnson — a Mt. Vernon native and member of the RLC Class of 1998. Johnson is manager of the Walgreens Distribution Center in Mt. Vernon and a member of the RLC Foundation Board of Directors.
Johnson had the audience cheering one moment and tearing up the next as he spoke of his experience graduating from RLC alongside his wife. He said it was “one of the proudest moments of his life” having his daughters there to see mom and dad take the steps across the stage and accept their diplomas.
“This group is taking one more step toward securing their future,” Johnson said. “I, for one, applaud you for that.”
Many of the 717 students announced Friday night were awarded more than one certificate or diploma.