Accomplishing the dream and achieving the goal!“I encourage you to remain focused and motivated throughout your life, and

remember where you came from and who you are, because that is what will help you grow in the future. . . . What you do in life will echo through eternity. Imag-

ine what you want to be, and it will be so. Now start down the path into history!” Those were the closing

words of E. C. Dunson as he gave the keynote speech during Midland College’s (MC) 39th Commencement Ceremony held on Friday, May 11, at the Al G. Langford Chaparral Center on the MC campus.

Dunson, who received his associate of science degree in criminal justice, was one of more than 400 graduates who participated in the ceremony. While the graduates’ journeys to this point in their lives are varied, they can all be proud of the fact that they finished what they started, realizing one dream and embarking on another.

A 2009 graduate of Midland High School, Dunson began his college career after injuring his shoulder in the U. S. Marine Corps. While attending Midland College, he was active in the Student Government Associa-tion, serving as Vice President in 2010-2011. He also held down three jobs simultaneously, working part-time at Dawson Geophysical, umpiring baseball games and working in the MC Game Room located in the Scharbauer Student Center. Next month, Dunson will assume a job with the Young County Sheriff’s Office in Graham, Texas.

While Dunson grew up in Midland, Brittnee Short, who graduated with her associate of applied science degree in nursing, is a California native. Short was in the U. S. Army and stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, for two years before enroll-ing in Midland College in 2009. It was during her years as an army medic that she decided she wanted a career in healthcare. Her interest lies in emergency nurs-ing, and she explained that her ultimate goal is to become an operating room assistant. She is moving back to Northern California where she will pursue a job working in a hospital.

Short, a single mother, said, “The things worth doing, like going to college and completing a nursing degree, take a lot of work and dedication, but in the long run, it’s worth it because I know that I can make a difference in someone’s life.”

Josh Hoose is another 2012 MC graduate who served in the U. S. Army, having been stationed at Fort Hood from 2005-2009. During this time, he served two tours in Iraq—one for nine months and one for a year. Hoose dropped out of Greenwood High School at the end of his junior year; however, eventually the 27-year-old army veteran received his GED and enrolled at MC on the GI Bill.

Now, there’s no stopping him! While he was at MC, he was active in the Engineering Club, served as a peer tutor in the math department and has led several math and science study groups. Hoose said he failed his first MC physics class, but he didn’t let that keep him from taking it again and excelling the second time!

Hoose currently owns and manages Stormrider Studio, where he provides sound and lighting services for music performances ranging from opera to heavy metal. In August, Hoose will move to Lubbock and attend Texas Tech University working toward a bach-elor’s degree with a double major in electrical engineering and physics.

MC Dean of Math and Natural Science Dr. Margaret Wade noted, “Josh is a ‘go-get-ter’ and a pleasure to know. His ability to organize study groups and motivate students is impressive. I am very proud of Josh and send him onward from MC without reservation. I know he will make himself and all of us proud.”

Adebayo Orenuga is also a “nontraditional” 2012 MC gradu-ate. The 54-year-old Nigerian native is the son of Chief Boyejo Orenuga, a Nigerian landowner who provided subsidized and free housing to teachers in Africa in exchange for home tutoring to his children. Adebayo has lived in the United States for 30 years, mainly in Florida. He explained that he moved to Midland and enrolled at MC because of MC’s energy technology program.

“When I decided to study petroleum energy, I did some research and found two com-munity colleges with excellent programs—Midland College and San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico,” said Orenuga. “I visited both schools and found the instructors at MC were very friendly and helpful.”

At the end of Orenuga’s first semester at MC, he was awarded a scholarship from Chevron based on his 4.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). He continued to maintain high grades and became the first of his eight siblings to earn a college degree.

Karina Saenz is also a first-generation college gradu-ate. The May 11 commence-ment ceremony held special meaning to Saenz, who gradu-ated with an associate of arts degree in teaching (AAT).

“My life hasn’t been easy up to this point, but I knew that attending college was a way to make a better life for my children and me.”

The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Saenz says she couldn’t speak English when she started to school. Despite becoming pregnant at the age of 15, Saenz persisted and graduated from high school in 2002. However, even after high school graduation, Saenz experienced tremendous dif-ficulties and was the victim of domestic violence. When she decided to leave the abusive situation, she and her two

small children were forced to sleep in her car for a short time before Saenz was helped with the services of SafePlace in Midland.

“The counselors at SafePlace helped me obtain a job working at Walmart. There were times when I didn’t think I would make it, but the doors just kept opening,” explained Saenz.

Today, Saenz and her children—daughter, Alexis, age 9 and son, Bobby, age 5—are living at Midland Fairhavens, and Saenz was able to receive a Pell Grant to attend MC. She said she also received assistance through the college’s Student Support Services (SSS) office. Having maintained a 3.34 GPA, Saenz will transfer to The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) where she plans to major in education and hopes to eventually become a bilingual kindergarten teacher. She will be receiving housing assistance from the Buckner Family Assistance program while she is attending UTPB for the next two years.

Saenz said, “Organizations like SafePlace, Fairhavens and Buckner have been so help-ful to my children and me. Without them none of this would have been possible.”

MC Speech Instructor Joe Willis doesn’t doubt for a minute that Saenz will accom-plish her goals and commented, “Karina Saenz is a strong, intelligent and powerful young woman. . . . I look for great things from Karina in the future.”

Director of Midland College’s AAT program Dr. Mary Braselton said, “Karina is every teacher’s dream student. She embodies the characteristics of humility, self-motivation and discipline. This young woman will be an excellent teacher because she has that in-nate quality of joy—what I like to call the ultimate teacher voice.”

Karina Saenz summarized the feelings of many in MC’s class of 2012 when she ex-claimed, “Getting an education is not only a dream, but an achievable goal!”

By Rebecca Bell

Brittnee Short and her four-year-old son

Josh Hoose

Adebayo Orenuga

Karina Saenz

E.C. Dunson giving keynote address at May 11 Commencement Ceremony

South Elementary students climbed to the top!Ninety percent of the students at MISD’s South Elementary School speak two

languages, so at the May 9 school assembly, when the principal J. R. Silva said, “En esta dia subieron la montaña con mucho éxito,” the students knew that he was saying, “On this day you climbed the mountain with much success!”

The mountain (la montaña) to which he was referring had a double meaning: Mr. Silva wanted the students to know that they had “made it to the top” when they and their families decided to attend Midland College’s See MC/Sí, MC day in order to find out about attend-ing college, and he was also referring to the rock climb-ing wall—by far the most popular attraction during the April 21 event!

See MC/Sí, MC targeted potential First-Generation-to-College (FGTC) students and consisted of college information, music, food and fun for all ages. Midland College is dedicated to encouraging higher education participation by FGTC fami-lies. In the fall 2011 semester, 1,483 FGTC students attended Midland College, and in the spring 2012 semester, there were 1,392 FGTC students attending.

See MC/Sí, MC offered an opportunity for the Midland community to tour the campus and find out about college admissions, financial aid and instructional pro-grams. During the day’s festivities, a contest was held among MISD Title I schools to see which could have the most participation at the event—this included students, parents and faculty/staff. South Elementary won the contest, and at the May 9 assembly, a $500 check was presented to the school. Principal Silva explained that some of the money would go toward ice cream for the students during their upcoming Field Day; however, most would be put in a fund to help pay for school uniforms.

Liz Zenteno, associate director of MC’s Cogdell Learning Center, said, “South Elementary and MC partner in a great many projects. The close proximity of South to the Cogdell Learning Center allows us to accommodate families with some of our services, such as GED classes, English as a Second Language classes and basic computer classes. Midland College has also participated in a number of South Elementary School events promoting higher education. While we know that these families feel comfortable at Codgell, we were also thrilled that they participated in the See MC/Sí, MC day at the main campus. Congratulations to South Elementary for winning the contest. We look forward to continuing our successful partnership!”South Elementary School Principal J. R. Silva with students proudly presenting

plaque and $500 check for outstanding participation in See MC/Sí, MC

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MC goes GREEN!Sunday, May 20, 2012

BY MC’s Community Relations OfficeDesign/Layout- Lesley Isaacs & Melissa Mudge

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Midland College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award certificates and associate and baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Midland College.

Midland College is an equal opportunity employer/educator.