Rockford Career College graduation June 5

By Susan Johnson
Copy Editor

Rockford Career College will hold its graduation at 9 a.m., Saturday, June 5, in the auditorium of Heartland Community Church in the old Colonial Village Mall. Valedictorian will be David Crowell, who will graduate with an AAS degree in massage therapy.

Crowell is particularly notable because he is totally blind and has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his studies at the college.

Jeff Swanberg, director of College Relations, said of him, “It is a really inspirational story. He is filled with desire and has been a tremendous leader and an example for all the people in his class, and the entire school.”

According to numbers, Swanberg said, “there are 157 graduates over this past year, and we are expecting 105 to be at the ceremony from summer ‘09 through spring of 2010.”

Steve Gibson, president of the college, will open and close the ceremony. Dr. James Devaney, the president and CEO of ARED (American Higher Education Development Corporation) will also say a few words to the graduates. Devaney is from New York City.

The department chairs and program directors will be awarding the diplomas.