Staff report

PIQUA — Edison State Community College recognized the achievements of the Class of 2022 during its 47th annual commencement ceremony held Friday, May 13, 2022, at Edison’s Piqua Campus.

“We are proud of you, and we hope that this ceremony will become a treasured memory,” Edison State President Dr. Doreen Larson told graduates. “Today’s graduation ceremony is very special. It gives us the opportunity to recognize the achievements of our graduates and to thank all of those who have worked side by side with these students to help them achieve their goals amid ongoing challenges.”

The commencement ceremony included a student keynote speaker, Jared Dunn of Camden, Ohio. Dunn is graduating with an Associate of Science in Agriculture and an Agribusiness Certificate and is the first agriculture graduate from Edison State at Eaton. He will be transferring to Ohio State University in Columbus this fall to continue his education.

Dunn opened his speech by discussing the specific rules of a Scantron test — including always staying inside the lines and using a No. 2 pencil — and how he would doodle in the margins of his test, “deeming the test null and void.”

“We’re told that if we ever color outside the lines, then we’ll ultimately be rejected,” Dunn said. “We’re taught that we must be perfect, follow every rule.”

However, Dunn encouraged fellow graduates to color outside the lines anyway, as the right people will appreciate the results.

“I still struggle with staying inside the lines,” said Dunn. “I ask myself, am I marking the wrong boxes, or am I marking the boxes wrong? If I’m marking the wrong boxes, I need to find the right boxes. I realize now that my doodles are not wrong but simply misplaced.”

Dunn finished his speech by urging graduates to celebrate together.

President Emeritus Dr. Kenneth A. Yowell, who served as Edison State’s president for 23 years, also attended the commencement ceremony. During his tenure as President, Dr. Yowell established the Business and Industry Center and The Edison Foundation, as well as opened the College’s Greenville location.

The Class of 2022 includes 449 graduates earning 657 degrees and certificates. Degrees and certificates completed include those in career and transfer programs such as arts, business, communication, engineering and manufacturing, health sciences, humanities, information technology, mathematics, science, and social and public services.

Edison State Community College’s Class of 2022*

449 graduates earned 657 degrees and certificates

27 percent are career degrees

23 percent are transfer degrees

20 percent are one-year certificates

30 percent are certificates of completion (“Fast Tracks”)

Ages range from 15 to 62. Median age is 28.172 (38 percent) are 21 or younger and 14 (3.12 percent) are 50 or older.

55 will graduate with honors (GPA 3.5-3.74), 47 with high honors (GPA 3.75-3.99), and 23 with highest honors (GPA 4.0).

61 percent are female, 39 percent male.

32 percent live in Miami County, 23 percent in Shelby County, and 24 percent in Darke County.

18 Ohio counties are represented.

31 graduates are high school seniors and two are high school juniors.

23 percent of graduates completed at least one developmental course.

38 percent transferred credit hours to Edison State.

170 students with transfer credit totaled 7,122 hours transferred, averaging 42 hours per student.

*Figures represent graduates in academic year 2021-2022 as of May 11, 2022

Office of Institutional Research

Now in its fifth decade of service, Edison State Community College is committed to providing higher education and advanced training opportunities for the people of the greater Miami Valley. Edison State is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is recognized with the highest order attainable by the Ohio Board of Regents. With locations in Piqua, Greenville, Eaton, and Troy, Edison State provides a Personal Experience and Rewarding Education. Visit us online at www.edisonohio.edu.