Lanier Technical College held its 56th annual commencement ceremony on May 6, celebrating the school’s class of 2022. 

According to a release by Lanier Technical College, this year marked the first in-person graduation ceremony since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Following two years of drive-through commencements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 328 exhilarated graduates walked in-person through Lanier Tech’s Hall campus Quad to receive their credentials,” the release said. 

College leadership, board members, academic deans, instructors and staff were all present at the ceremony, along with the graduates’ family and friends, to cheer them on at the commencement. Lanier Technical College President Tim McDonald shared opening remarks at the ceremony, commending the Class of 2022 for its hard work and for making history with its number of graduates and the degrees they earned. 

“The Class of 2022 is 1,129 strong, earning over 2,000 individual credentials,” McDonald said during his remarks. “Your class also earned more than 390 associate degrees and 400 diplomas which is an all-time record. You are an extremely bright class, carrying an average program GPA of 3.46, and set an all-time college enrollment record in fall of 2021 with 5,065 students.” 

According to the release, students were excited to walk in person and to receive their diplomas at the commencement ceremony. 

“I am currently a certified nurse assistant at Northeast Georgia Medical Center thanks to the program at Lanier Tech,” Medical Assisting Program Graduate Lizbeth Rodriguez said in the release. “Now I’ve completed the Medical Assisting program as well, which really made me fall more in love with the medical field. Accomplishing these programs really helped me find my passion.” 

“I have truly enjoyed my time here and the program has made me into the person I wanted to be,” Motorsports Vehicle Technology Graduate Ridge Hobson added.