47th HCC commencement to be held May 10

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Hopkinsville Community College's 47th Commencement Ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday evening, May 10 at the James E. Bruce Conference and Convention Center located at 303 Conference Center Drive in Hopkinsville.

According to HCC Registrar Melissa Stevenson, 781 students have applied for 1,554 credentials - 715 two-year degrees, 812 certificates, and 27 diplomas. Compared with 2012 statistics, HCC has experienced a 3.5 percent increase in graduate candidates as well as a slight increase in two-year degrees to be awarded.

Presiding at the ceremony will be HCC Interim President Dr. Patrick Lake, who will also present graduation credentials to the class of 2013. Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Jason Warren will serve as master of ceremonies and Chief Academic Affairs Officer Dr. Kristin Wilson will present the candidates for graduation. For the first time, tickets were distributed to the graduates and will be required to attend the ceremony.

HCC alumnus, Mr. Aaron Carew, will be the commencement speaker for the ceremony. Mr. Carew is an emerging talent from the University of Southern California's acclaimed School of Cinematic Arts, Peter Stark Producing Program where he earned a master of fine arts degree. He has worked with several industry leading companies and community organizations such as, United Talent Agency, Will Smiths Overbrook Entertainment, The Palm Springs Film Festival, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Women in Film to name a few. Recently, he made his directorial debut with a short film entitled A Final Gift, which premiered to a packed house at Sony Pictures Studio in February of this year.

Mr. Carew began his foray into higher education as a Private, First Class in the Army at Fort Campbell and was a student of HCC at the Fort Campbell campus on post. He had two deployments to Iraq while stationed at Ft. Campbell. He graduated from HCC with an associate in arts in 2009 and went on to complete a bachelor of arts degree in 2011, graduating magna cum laude from the University of California, Riverside. Additionally, Mr. Carew won the Chancellors Excellence Award in undergraduate studies for the University of California system.

Of his time at HCC, Mr. Carew relates, Thank you for all your guidance and support while I was at Fort Campbell. I remember walking the halls of the Ed Center like it was last quarter. HCC was where this all started for me and you all are the reflection of my success.

Mr. Carew represents what is best and honorable about our student soldiers, stated HCC Interim President Lake. During his time at HCC, starting with the rank of bottom line private, he not only completed his coursework, he deployed twice, and rose to the rank of SGT E-5 before discharge. His great success beyond our college is a true inspiration."

HCC will be screening Mr. Carews short film, A Final Gift, at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 9 at English Army Education Center, Auditorium at the Ft. Campbell Campus with a reception at 3 p.m. The film will be screened again at 6:30 p.m. with a reception at 6 p.m. on the Hopkinsville Campus in the Lecture Hall of the Auditorium Building. The film is approximately 17 minutes in length. There will be a discussion session with attendees following the screenings.

Mr. Carew will also address students as the guest speaker at the annual HCC Scholarship Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 9 in HCC's Auditorium Gallery.