Mat-Su College celebrates 2024 graduation

PALMER — Matanuska-Susitna College graduates were honored during the 2024 Graduation Commencement held Friday, May 10.

“Congratulations graduates and may your futures be filled with success, happiness, and fulfillment,” Mat-Su College Director Dr. Marie Gardner said.

Some 2024 MSC graduates earned degrees for categories such as associate of applied science, and associate of arts while others earned certificates for categories such as refrigeration and heating, veterinary assisting,

University of Alaska System President Pat Pitney commended the 2024 graduates for making it to this important milestone through their personal perseverance mixed with support from faculty, friends and family.

“That's a big achievement,” Pitney said.

Pitney encouraged the graduates to follow their dreams wherever they take them but she also strongly urged them to stay in Alaska.

“The more people we have graduating like you, the better our state will be,” Pitney said.

Palmer City Manager John Moosey was this year's keynote speaker. He told the graduating class that they're standing on a “threshold of new beginnings.”

Moosey offered numerous words of encouragement and parting wisdom with the following themes: seek opportunities and meet them when they arrive, be original, own up to your own mistakes and learn from them, and help others. He said the last theme is the most important and quoted American author, salesman, and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar: “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

“People are in need. You can be the person to help them with that need,” Moosey said.

Student Commencement speaker Blainey Dunyon congratulated her fellow graduates for following through with their ambitions to pursue higher education while overcoming whatever challenges came their way.

“Your hard work, resilience, and dedication has brought you to this pivotal moment and it is a testament to your strength and determination. You should all be immensely proud of your achievement,” Dunyon said. "Let us never stop learning.”

For more information about the Mat-Su College, visi matsu.alaska.edu.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com