A good day
Friends, family honor Salish Kootenai College graduates
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“It’s a good day,” Vernon Finley, Ph.D. and Kootenai language curriculum specialist said in his invocation at Salish Kootenai College’s 31st commencement.
The graduates agreed with Finley as they followed grand entry leaders Octave Finley and Linda King into the Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Center on June 9.
There were no caps and gowns at SKC’s graduation. Female baccalaureate candidates wore maroon star shawls, and associate degree candidates walked in white shawls. The men wore beaded vests. Many of the 215 graduates wore their own regalia — fringed shawls, beaded buckskin dresses, Pendleton vests and dresses, moccasins and turquoise jewelry.
The commencement speaker was John Gritts, a full-blood Cherokee who works for the United States Department of Education. As two of his sons graduated from SKC, Gritts is familiar with the school and the area and likes both. He urged graduates to “be brave; be bold; be creative; and be you.”
SKC student senate president Willie Bass confessed to the graduates that he thought graduation was at 2 p.m. when it really began at noon. Texts from friends hurried Bass along, and he arrived in time to congratulate the graduates.
Interim vice-president Elaine Frank presented SKC professor Lori Lambert with a plaque honoring Lambert as SKC’s 2012 outstanding faculty member. Lambert fosters student learning through online courses
“Honorary degrees are presented to community members who exemplify the best of us,” SKC board chair Bob Fouty said as he presented the 2012 honorary degree to Stephen Small Salmon.
The gym bleachers were packed with family and friends of graduates. Lisa and James Bible, who graduated with matching bachelor’s degrees in business entrepreneurship, had a huge fan club. Lisa, the daughter of Phyllis and Ruben Mathias of Elmo, had lots of family, plus 17 members of James’ family traveled from Claremore and Red Rock, Okla.
To celebrate graduation, a powwow was planned for 7 p.m. at the Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Center.
