Graduation fair to provide students with caps, gowns and video opportunity

Paige Soellner, Hutchinson Community College Audit Specialist, makes sure students are eligible for graduation, and she gets everything organized for the graduation fair nd makes sure the students have their caps and gowns

The graduation fair takes place in Lockman Hall, across from online education, from March 15-16. It will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.

“It’s definitely very busy, but it’s exciting knowing that you’re helping (students), you know they’re so close to graduation, and anything you can do to reward them for that accomplishment, it’s really rewarding in yourself,” Soellner said.

So what is the purpose of a grad fair?

“The grad fair is an event for our graduates,” Soellner said. “First, they can pick up their cap and gowns, so it gives them the opportunity to do that.
“It also gives them an opportunity to participate in a thank-you video that we actually display at graduation, so they can give appreciation, whether it’s teachers or parents,” Soellner said. “It’s also an opportunity to where different campus departments … I know our alumni association is going to be there, and they give tips or they go there to congratulate the students on graduating.”

Last semester, there was 500 students who had graduated.

Soellner is still getting applications in. She said HutchCC should expect the same number from last semester.

“We don’t have, I don’t have a number quite yet, I’m still getting grad applications. I know last year we had around about 500,” Soellner said. “So we are probably expecting around that number probably this year too.

“Fall semester typically don’t have as many graduates, and then 500 could include some summer and fall, because they walk in the spring.”

If there was an emergency, and a student isn’t able to make it to the graduation fair, Soellner gives details on how to approach that.

“They would have to contact me or Christina (Long), they would also contact their advisor. We ask that they have their application in to us by March 20, and that just ensures that they’re on the posters and fliers and stuff we hang out, so they can probably still give us the applications. We just can’t ensure they’ll be on the grad poster.”

“Soellner said, the cafeteria are cater some nachos but, other departments, might bring different snacks”

Pablo Sanchez

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