03-05-2025
Rhodes graduates 275, first bachelor student
May 3—LIMA — One hundred and forty-five Rhodes State College students walked across the stage, and 275 graduated Saturday, including the school's first bachelor's program graduate.
Julie Retcher, who has been a nurse for 20 years, said it was important to receive her bachelor of science in nursing degree to improve her skills, rather than advance her career.
"This has been on my bucket list for a lot of years, so I'm really excited to be a part of the first class," Retcher, currently a quality assurance manager at Paulding County Hospital, said. "It was a degree that I wanted to complete to make me better at the position I'm presently in."
Rhodes President Cynthia Spiers congratulated students and their families and introduced Outstanding Alumni Award recipient Marc Augsburger, as well as Circle of Excellence Alumni Corey Foster, Joel Harris and Michael Rex.
"I am forever grateful for what Lima Technical College/Rhodes State College has provided for me, and my wish is you will find your education just as important," said Augsburger, a nurse and 1988 graduate.
President and CEO of the Ohio Association of Community Colleges Avi Zaffini advised students to always say yes to opportunity in his commencement address
"We are witnesses to our endurance and it is humbling to be in the same room as you," he said. "Sometimes the possibility that we will fail is what keeps us from succeeding and oftentimes these feelings are wrong. Each time, I said yes to an opportunity, I've been blessed by a great experience, and each moment of every day is an opportunity to prepare for difficult moments.
"Trust that you can get through the moment you are in because you've done it before."
Spiers said after the ceremony she was emotional thinking about how hard students worked to graduate and echoed Zaffini's words.
"I work so much with the employers and hospitals and I know what they're looking for," she said. "When I see the students come across the stage, I see excellence for our communities and the world."
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
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