The Kenai Peninsula College Kachemak Bay Campus conferred 49 degrees and certificates during its 55th annual commencement ceremony last Wednesday, May 7.

Campus director Brian Partridge and University of Alaska Anchorage Vice Chancellor Deanne Woodard welcomed the graduates and their friends and families in attendance as they recognized the efforts that both the students and those who supported them had made to reach this milestone in their personal and academic journeys.

“The pathways we will see here are extraordinary, starting from the completion of the high school equivalency, aka GEDs, all the way through the completion of advanced degrees,” Partridge said. “This small Homer campus serves this extraordinary range of learners, wherever they are in their educational walk.”

Woodard also spoke to unique richness of KBC’s student body, calling the campus a “place where diverse paths converge.”

“This achievement reflects years of dedication, perseverance and unique journeys each of you have taken. Your stories exemplify the rich tapestry of our academic community,” she said. “Your accomplishments are not just academic — they are personal victories over challenges faced and obstacles overcome.”

This year’s keynote commencement speaker was Jay Bechtol, CEO for South Peninsula Behavioral Health Services. In his introduction of Bechtol, Partridge — who also previously worked with Bechtol at SPBHS — noted his integration into the local nonprofit community, leadership and coordination of various organizations and his dedication to the success of Homer community members, and invited him to the stage to share his insights and inspirations.

Bechtol congratulated the graduates seated in KBC’s Pioneer Hall before turning his attention to the rest of the audience.

“Probably the biggest shoutout is to all you other people not wearing funny outfits today,” he said. “You’re the ones that pushed, shoved, cajoled, prodded, encouraged these people in the front rows to get across the finish line — so congratulations, all of you, for all the hard work you’ve done.”

Bechtol referred to speaking to a friend during his speech preparation, who encouraged him to share his wisdom. He said he’d answered, “I don’t think I have any wisdom,” and his friend had said that wisdom is “nothing more than the things you’ve learned along the way.”

The first piece of wisdom he shared was to “find joy.”

“Look for those things in your life that give you joy. Find them even in the dark times. Find them in the light times. Know what they are, recognize them and celebrate them — because as you go through this journey, you’re going to have a big end game,” he said. “On your way, there are multiple steps that you take. Each of those steps should be a victory, and you should celebrate those and find the joy in that.”

Second — work is work, Bechtol said. He referenced the old adage that if one finds a job they love, they’ll never work a day in their life, and called it untrue. Instead, he encouraged the graduates to “find those jobs that you want to do that mean something to you” and to recognize that work is work, and once you leave work, that’s where your life is.

“You have so many other things to do in this life besides work. Don’t let work define you,” he said. “Don’t let it become the thing that makes you who you are. Let it be a part of you, and remember, work is absolutely work.”

Another thing he’s learned, he said, was that elephants can’t jump.

“I didn’t say all of these (wisdoms) were going to be relevant to anything,” he said to the laughing audience.

Bechtol also shared that “being kind feels better” and that “nothing lasts forever.”

“No matter how good the times feel, remember they don’t last forever, so enjoy every minute of the good times,” he said. “And when it feels bad, remember that nothing lasts forever, and you’ll get through the bad times.

“Enjoy the moments that you have. Cherish each one of them. Find the joy in them.”

Finally, he said, finishing is harder than starting.

“Being able to finish things is the challenge. If you can do that once in a while, you’ve done a good job,” he said.

Bechtol reminded the graduates that the “wisdoms” he shared Wednesday night were part of his list, and that they all had their own lists of things that they’ve learned.

“Those are your wisdoms. Know how important they are, know what they mean to you, and importantly, don’t stop learning,” he said. “You finished this part of learning — don’t let that be the end of your learning.

“Tonight … absolutely celebrate like crazy. And then tomorrow, remember that you’re still a learner, and get back to it. You’ve got a lot to learn. Embrace that.”

As degrees and certificates were presented, graduates also heard from other KBC and University of Alaska faculty, including Adult Education Coordinator Michelle Waclawski, Associate Professor of Mathematics Dr. Jeff Johnson, Associate Professor of English and Communications Dr. Lia Calhoun, UA Regent Steve Colligan and Kenai Peninsula College Director Dr. Cheryl Siemers.

In his faculty reflections speech, Johnson spoke of his admiration for KBC students who attend classes both in person and online as they navigate a “new, changing world.”

“It’s really not that easy for us all the time here, so we all recognize how much work it is to just do that, and we’re proud of your perseverance throughout,” he said.

He referenced a book by a statistician named Nassim Nicholas Taleb, titled “Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder,” and explained the book’s premise of the importance of perseverance and struggle.

“‘Antifragile’ argues that embracing uncertainty and randomness is essential for personal and societal growth. Instead of trying to predict and control the future, we should focus on building ourselves, benefit from randomness and volatility (and) learn from failures,” he said.

Partridge introduced the valedictorian of the 2025 graduating class, Darren Tivnan, who was the sole member of his cohort in UAA’s radiological technology program along with other remote students around Alaska, and whom Partridge said “is exemplified by dedication, perseverance and a commitment to excellence.”

Tivnan spoke about how he landed in Homer in 2021, not quite sure where he was headed, and how his first accommodation was a tent in Karen Hornaday Park.

“I was determined to stay, because I really liked this place,” he said.

He arrived at KBC in the fall of 2022, he said, “hoping to find some guidance towards change.” He’d felt he’d reached a dead end in his working life and “desperately” needed to switch away from the casual job market. He said he’d previously visited college campuses in San Francisco several years earlier in search of change, but the time didn’t seem to be right, and “the barriers appeared impenetrable.”

He then turned to his fellow graduates and what their accomplishments meant for them going forward.

“You all spent so many hours studying and sacrificing your time, sometimes when it seemed insurmountable or even fruitless. You have grown in way that would not have been possible without this experience,” he said, adding that they are now in a place to contribute to society “by creating more understanding and increasing the levels of knowledge within our community.”

Tivnan encouraged his fellow graduates to remember that life is measured by the connections we form with those around us, and that in a world where we are reminded often of our ever-expanding list of enemies and how we need to take more and cease giving, that “we as humans are here to give to the world and try to benefit our fellow creatures.”

“Do what you must when traveling out there to give to the earth and its inhabitants, and when you leave, leave something worthwhile after you,” he said. “Do not let the past dictate what you wish to do in the present—you have as good a chance as the person next to you of making it through.”

Finally, he said, most of the graduates gathered Wednesday would gain financially from their academic experience in the long run, “but the primary value here is self-improvement and understanding.”

Calhoun presented the KBC staff and faculty choice award, which celebrates memorable students contribute positively to the campus and community, to Javin Schroeder, who participated in KBC’s Semester By the Bay program during the fall 2024 and spring 2025 semesters.

Schroeder, Calhoun said, had the “highest marks” and earned two occupational endorsement certificates, one in marine mammal biology and the other in conservation ecology. Schroeder was also “incredibly engaged” in internships with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve as a marine mammal intern.

“I’m truly excited for what her future holds,” she said. “It’s not just in the discipline she’s engaged in, but also in the general education requirements where we also saw a deep passion to learn.”

Toward the end of the commencement ceremony, Partridge thanked the dedicated faculty and staff at KBC “who work hard to make student success their priority.”

In her closing remarks, Siemers congratulated all the graduates and said it was a privilege to recognize their accomplishments, celebrate their successes and “honor the diverse places and spaces from which you’ve come to be part of KBC.”

“We often use the phrase at KBC, ‘find your place.’ We are so thankful that you’ve done that here, that you’ve chosen this campus to be part of your educational journey, and by you bringing your traditions, your background, your history, your learning, you’ve enriched all of us,” she said. “We look forward to all you’re going to do in your new roles.”

Kachemak Bay Campus Class of 2025

High School Equivalency Diplomas

Kiril Basargin

Daniel Embre

Riley Harrington

Mayson Moonin

Ekaterena Reutov

Harold Sargeant

Kaiden Sims

Levi Skalisky

Danaan Smith

Certified Nurse Aide Certificate

Crystal Collet

Estrella Palacios

Debra Rowzee

Mischa Slaughter

Katherine Smith

Jade Stewart

Gabrielle Weiss

Medical Assisting Certificate (UAS)

Emily Sloth

Occupational Endorsement Certificates

Samantha Chalmers

Carleigh Frino

Ansley Gibson

Nyla Klein

Nate Majors

Lucy Pyne

Justin Rhoads

Mo Rzane

Javin Schroeder

Ash Vannorwick

Edwin Viramontes

Megan Bell

Siobhan Duffy

Madelyn Eisenbeisz

Aleyna Harris

Olivia Holdaway

Amiah Jared

Cory Johnson

Prairie Sievers

Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic Technology (UAA)

Darren Tivnan, summa cum laude

Bachelors in Business Administration (UAA)

Winston Biodun Ajakaye

Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (UAF)

Johnnalyn Winston

Master of Arts in Teaching, Graduate Certification in Elementary Education (UAS)

Kathryn P. Crowley

Master of Arts in Teaching, Graduate Certification in Special Education (UAS)

Kara Bakken Clemens

Masters in Public Administration (UAS)

Chloe Elfreda Pleznac

Associate of Applied Science Nursing (UAA)

Carrie Beach

Alexis Bennett

Andrea Clark

Livia Polushkin

Megan Udelhoven