Sen. Debbie Stabenow named commencement speaker for NCMC graduation

PETOSKEY — As “Pomp and Circumstance” plays to celebrate the 2023 North Central Michigan College graduates, Sen. Debbie Stabenow will be taking the stage to give the commencement address.

The college’s graduation is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. May 5 at the Petoskey Plastics Arena in the Student and Community Resource Center. More than 200 graduates are set to receive their diplomas.

Born in Gladwin and raised in Clare, Stabenow earned a Bachelor of Arts and master’s degree in social work from Michigan State University before working in Michigan’s public schools.

She was elected to the Ingham County Board of Commissioners at age 24, and then went on to serve in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1979-1990. She then served on the senate from 1991-1994, and then served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997-2001. When she was elected to the Senate in 2000, she made history as the first woman from Michigan to hold a seat. She’s held the position since 2001, and announced earlier this year she will not seek reelection, with plans to retire after her term ends in January 2025.

“Sen. Stabenow is at the fore of many of the biggest issues affecting Michiganders — areas that also happen to be within North Central’s sphere of expertise, including health care and workforce development,” North Central President David Roland Finley said in a press release. “We are excited to hear her perspective and gain insight into the role our graduates will play in ensuring and advancing Michigan’s bright future.”

College officials plan to honor Stabenow with an honorary degree at the commencement ceremony, recognizing her 24 years of public service as a senator and four years as a congresswoman. The decision to honor her will be finalized after the college’s board of trustees meet on April 25.

“Sen. Stabenow has made significant contributions in educational service, humanitarian service and servant leadership,” Finley said. “Her exemplary career of public service is to be commended.”

The 2023 Nurse Pinning ceremony will be held immediately before commencement, at 4 p.m. May 5 at Petoskey Plastics Arena. At the event, 25 student-nurses will be receiving their pins.

North Central’s own Bevin Nordman will provide the keynote address to the nurses.

Nordman has been a clinical instructor for the North Central Michigan College nursing program since 2019. She also works as a medical-surgical nurse at Munson Healthcare Charlevoix Hospital.

Working closely with students in her role at the college, she said supporting the education and development of new nurses in the community has become her passion and career focus, according to the release.

A reception for the pinned nurses and their families will take place after the ceremony.

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“On our campus, there is no more special event than commencement,” Finley said in the release. “It’s an honor each year to share in our graduates’ excitement and celebrate their significant achievements.”

For those unable to attend the event, the event will be live streamed. For a full list of graduates by program and more information about commencement and the nurse pinning ceremony, visit ncmich.edu/commencement.

— Contact education reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Sen. Debbie Stabenow named commencement speaker for NCMC graduation