ROANOKE – Virginia Western Community College will hold its Commencement ceremony Friday, May 9, at the Berglund Center.
The ceremony, which will honor graduates from the fall 2024 and spring and summer 2025 semesters, starts at 6:30 p.m. There are 423 students expected to attend, with 549 degrees and certificates being awarded.
“Virginia Western’s graduates are prepared to meet the needs of this region while they experience the benefits of investing in their own education and training,” said Dr. Robert H. Sandel, president of Virginia Western. “We are eager to celebrate their success at Commencement.”
Dr. Sandel, who is retiring June 30, will be this year’s keynote speaker. He will be introduced by Dr. David Doré, Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS).
The most tenured president in the VCCS, Dr. Sandel has served 24 years as Virginia Western’s fourth president. Before that, Dr. Sandel was president of Mountain Empire Community College for more than nine years and served more than 20 years in the South Carolina Technical College System. His leadership has helped Virginia Western become a forward-thinking community college, inspiring individual, community and economic transformation.
Two Virginia Western students were selected to participate in Commencement events. Michelle Brown will serve as Student Rehearsal Speaker. Brown is graduating with an Associate of Applied Science in Technical Studies, having completed studies in Automotive, Electrical Wiring and Building Trades. Onaca Umak will address the audience at the ceremony as Student Welcome Speaker. Umak is graduating with an Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology.
Virginia Western’s commencement will be viewable online through YouTube livestream. The link for the event is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vjRcu6jA5M
