Macomb Community College to celebrate its 108th commencement May 5

Two students to share their Macomb experience during the ceremony

Macomb Community College will hold its 108^th commencement ceremony at the Sports & Expo Center on Macomb’s South Campus in Warren on Friday, May 5, at 7 p.m. The college will award approximately 1,400 associate degrees for the 2023 winter semester, with an estimated 480 students participating in the ceremony.

“Commencement is a great day for our graduates and their families,” said James O. Sawyer IV, president, Macomb Community College. “Each graduate has achieved a milestone that opens up a world of possibilities for their future. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing our students successfully achieve their academic goals and advance to the next stage of their life journey.”

Two of the graduating students will share their personal stories of success at Macomb during the ceremony.

“I enrolled at Macomb Community College so that I could earn my associate degree and prove to myself that I could have everything that I had once given up on,” said Scot LaNear, 31, of Sterling Heights. “Able to take advantage of online, hybrid, in-person and accelerated eight-week courses, I was able to complete my program in just 18 months. … My journey to this moment was far from the easy and guaranteed path that a young naïve boy thought he was on.”

LaNear is graduating with an associate of arts degree in pre-social work with a certificate in community leadership. He plans to first pursue a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree in nonprofit administration.

“It was my time to be built up, and that’s exactly what happened when I came to Macomb Community College,” said Dina Sommerville, 44, of Shelby Township, who returned to college in response to the Michigan Reconnect program and the decision to invest in herself. “It's not important when you start; it's important that you recognize when it's your time. It's never too early, and it's never too late.”

Sommerville is graduating with an associate degree in business administration and will be continuing at Full Sail University pursuing a bachelor’s then a master’s degree in marketing or graphic design.

About Macomb Community College

Macomb Community College (www.macomb.edu) is about transforming lives and communities through the power of education, enrichment and economic development. Macomb grants the largest number of associate degrees in Michigan and is the largest community college in the state. The college provides programming for youth through seniors, including early college for high school students, university transfer and career preparation programs, workforce education, continuing education and certification, and a wide range of enrichment opportunities encompassing arts, culture and lifelong learning.

Media contact: Sean M. Patrick, 586.445.7271, patricks28@macomb.edu