Wallace State Celebrates Adult Education and Workforce Graduates

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College celebrated the success of students who have earned their high school diploma, certifications and industry-recognized credentials through the college’s Adult Education and Workforce Development programs. 

Collectively, more than 2,100 individual industry-recognized credentials, certifications and degrees were awarded, including 69 high school diplomas, 279 Alabama Career Essentials and 817 Skills for Success certifications. 

“Graduates, we congratulate you as you conclude this passage of life’s journey and embark on the next,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “Continue to set your aspirations high and to be a role model to others. On whatever scale you act, you have the power to make a difference.”

“While each of you may have traveled a different path to be here tonight, your accomplishments are great, and Wallace State is honored to have been a part of your journey,” said Suzanne Harbin, Vice President for Advancement and Innovation. “You have shown it’s never too late to learn, to evolve and to pursue your dreams. You have demonstrated that learning is a lifelong journey and that with determination, we can continually grow and improve ourselves.”

GED graduate Brandon Osborne was chosen as guest speaker for the ceremony. 

“Brandon Osborne is a man who understands that true leadership is born out of personal transformation,” Harbin said in her introduction. “For over a year, Brandon has been a vital part of the Living Free Recovery program, where his dedication didn’t just change his own life—it began to inspire everyone around him.” 

Osborne suffered from addiction and made decisions that led to time in jail, shattered relationships with loved ones and bleak thoughts of the future. 

“Even in the darkest seasons, there is still purpose,” Osborn said. “There is still hope. And there is still a reason to keep moving forward.

“Education is one of the most important gifts a person can pursue,” he added. “It opens doors, creates opportunities and changes entire generations. Education is more than books, grades or classrooms. It’s the decision to grow, to challenge yourself and to believe that your future can be greater than your past.”

Osborne plans to continue his education with plans to study business management, human behavior and social psychology.

Student Success Stories Highlighted

As is tradition at Wallace State commencement exercises, several students were recognized for their successes during the ceremony.

Jason Miller was recognized for his “never quit” attitude. “Event when the tests were difficult and the results weren’t what he hoped for on the first try, he didn’t see a setback; he saw an opportunity to study harder and push further,” Harbin said. 

Connor Woods was recognized for his work ethic. “Even after long, physically demanding days working cattle, he remained committed to improving his future by attending GED classes in Oeonta,” Harbin said. “His dedication to bettering himself, despite the challenges he faced, speaks volumes about his character.”

Emily Arriaga completed the Medical Terminology certification course through Wallace State’s Center for Career and Workforce Development. “Emily views this milestone as a critical steppingstone on her journey toward a career in Health Information Technology,” Harbin said. 

Christian Colvin is a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) graduate who entered the program during a financially difficult time in his life. “The transformation that followed has been nothing short of a whirlwind,” Harbin said. “Since completing the program and securing the position he worked so hard for, his life has shifted with remarkable speed.”

Kimberly McCormick’s education was interrupted while she battled cancer, missing two years of school due to her treatments. She completed her GED at Wallace State in only four weeks but continued to come to class to help her classmates. “Kimberly has been a vital part of several of her classmates completing their GED,” Harbin said. McCormick received a scholarship to Wallace State that will support her plans to earn an associate degree in horticulture, with future plans to earn a master’s degree in botany. 

Emmy Dodd earned a veterinary assistant certification through Skills For Success, one of five students from Hartselle High School and among the first to be offered the opportunity. 

Karen Scott was recognized as the Outstanding GED Student of the Year. Scott mastered a new language as an Advanced English Language Learner and completed her GED. “Her persistence in mastering every subject…is a testament to what can be achieved with unshakeable drive,” Harbin said. 

Astrid Aguero was named the ELS student of the year. Aguero holds a business degree from Venezuela but strived to master the English language with the ultimate goal of opening her own business. “She has a deep-seated passion for the care of others,” Harbin said. “Her long-term dream is to combine her business expertise with her heart for service to open an assisted living facility for the elderly.”

Several students were presented with special scholarships. Christopher Lane Kilgo and Maykel Morffi were presented with Oden Family Scholarship. Hope House of Oneonta presented scholarships to Payton Lindsay. Wallace State scholarships were presented to Kimberly McCormick and Cade Mims. Each ACE and GED graduate also received a tuition waiver valued at $564 that can be used at any Alabama community college. 

 

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Awards were also presented to Adult Education and Center for Career and Workforce Development faculty. Adult Education instructor Juanita Hill was named the recipient of the Gold Star Teacher Award. The Workforce Teacher of the Year for the Center for Career and Workforce Development was presented to Sydney Pair. 

 

For more information about Wallace State’s Adult Education program or courses offered through the Center or Career and Workforce Development, visit www.wallacestate.edu/adulted or www.wallacestate.edu/workforce or call 256.352.7429 for Adult Education or 256.352.7456 for the Center for Career and Workforce Development.

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a Rising Star for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.