Nevada State College’s largest class prepares to graduate
The highest number of Nevada State College graduates — 350 to be exact — will walk across the stage at the Henderson Pavilion tonight as part of the biggest commencement ceremony in the college’s 12-year history.
The class of 2015 represents a 60 percent jump from NSC’s spring commencement ceremony last year, when 219 students accepted degrees in more than 35 fields of study.
NSC President Bart Patterson described the double-digit gain as “astounding” and highlighted the persistence with which the graduates approached their education.
“Many of them started as long as six years ago or more and are just now completing their degree,” Patterson said. “A lot of these students joined us during the recession and continued to work toward their degree while working full time.
“It’s a real honor to have these students graduate because they had to overcome so much to achieve this accomplishment.”
Future graduating classes could continue to grow at NSC, as applicants for the upcoming fall semester rose by 20 percent from last year, Patterson said.
With more students expected to flood the campus this fall, NSC soon will debut two new buildings, adding 132,000 square feet of classroom, library and meeting space. The college currently occupies just one 42,000-square-foot building on a 510-acre site at 1125 Nevada State Drive in Henderson.
The expansion will accompany Patterson’s plans to grow NSC’s education and nursing schools into the largest programs of their kind in the state.
The commencement ceremony begins at 7 p.m. tonight at 200 S. Green Valley Parkway in Henderson. Gates open at 6 p.m.
Contact Neal Morton at nmorton@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279. Find him on Twitter: @nealtmorton.
