FAIRFIELD — Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) will virtually graduate 482 students from over 30 degree and certificate programs on Saturday, May 15, at 10 a.m. Upon graduating from KVCC, many students will enter Maine’s workforce in entry-level positions, while others will continue their academic journey at four-year universities.

KVCC’s commencement ceremony will celebrate the accomplishments of graduating students throughout their tenure at KVCC, especially amid the unforeseen challenges and obstacles of a global pandemic. KVCC students experienced a drastically different educational experience than years past, all while completing their studies, achieving their academic and career goals, and caring for themselves and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Heather Johnson, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic & Community Development, will be the 2021 ceremony’s keynote speaker. Other speakers include KVCC President Richard Hopper, the Maine Community College System (MCCS) President David Daigler, the MCCS Board of Trustees Chair, William Cassidy, the KVCC Board of Trustees Chair Dwight Littlefield, KVCC’s Student of Year Adrian Hoyt, KVCC Vice President Karen Normandin, Faculty Grand Marshall, Julie Larouche, Distinguished Alumna, Flavia DeBrito (KVCC Class of 2018) and KVCC Academic Dean Kathy Englehart.

The ceremony’s prelude music will be performed by Zander D. Walz (KVCC Class of 2017), and the processional and the recessional march will be performed by the Blue Hill Brass Quintet.

“This has been an extraordinary year for KVCC,” said KVCC President Richard Hopper, in a news release. “In spite of the pandemic, we will graduate 102 more students than last year. KVCC students embody the grit and tenacity needed to succeed under very tough conditions. We are thrilled that KVCC graduates will enter the workforce in time to revive the economy, care for the sick, and build the new world. The extraordinary graduates from the Class of 2021 will help our community to heal in important ways. They are an inspiration at a time when we need to feel inspired. I could not be prouder of this year’s graduating class.”

The ceremony will be available streaming from the KVCC website (kvvc.me.edu), courtesy of Headlight Audio Visual. For more information about KVCC’s Commencement Ceremony, please visit kvcc.me.edu.

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.