FAIRFIELD — Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) is set to graduate 375 students at its May 21 Commencement Ceremony, at 10 a.m., at the Augusta Civic Center. The ceremony is the College’s 52nd Commencement, and the first in person ceremony in two (2) years.

The ceremony will feature keynote speaker Kristina Cannon, executive director of Main Street Skowhegan. Cannon has been awarded the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 Outstanding Professional Award, and actively works to revitalize the Skowhegan community creating the Center for Entrepreneurship and working to provide access to outdoor spaces and free equipment. Cannon reminds graduates to “take your skills out into the local communities. Smile at your neighbors, shop local, volunteer, give back and do your part to support and strengthen our communities. When communities thrive, so do the people living in them.”

The honor of being selected as KVCC’s Student of the Year has been awarded to Kristin Wallaker of New Portland for 2022. Wallaker is an Electrical Technology student graduating with a 3.98 and has accepted an offer to work as a Protection and Control Electrical Designer at RLC Engineering after graduation. A trailblazer in a male-dominated field, Wallaker entered the electrical field with little experience and flourished along the way, excelling in her studies, and actively participating in campus organizations and events.

Faculty Emeritus awards will be presented to Marcia Parker, Nursing Department, and Marjorie York, Business Administration Department. Parker and York have served the KVCC community for over 35 years in the roles of faculty and department chairs and retired during this current academic year.

“We are grateful for the many years of service that Marcia and Marge have given KVCC and wish them well,” said Karen Normandin, president, in a news release.

Tobby Bragdon, a 2012 graduate of KVCC’s Mental Health program, has been named the 2022 Alumnus of the Year. Currently employed as Central Maine Community College’s Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and an adjunct instructor at KVCC, Bragdon has excelled in his work of increasing transfers from community colleges to four-year institutions. Bragdon embodies the value of community colleges and works to expand educational opportunities for all Maine students.

“These past two (2) years have been particularly difficult for everyone,” said President Normandin. “I am excited to have the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our students in person and in the company of their families and friends.”

Kennebec Valley Community College is one of seven community colleges operating under the authority of the Maine Community College System Board of Trustees, located on a seventy-acre campus in Fairfield, Maine. KVCC offers the lowest tuition in New England, with tuition rates set at $96 per credit hour for Maine residents. There are multiple financial aid options available for prospective and current students, including scholarships, grants, loans, work-study programs, and more.