Schools

86-Year-Old Navy Veteran Graduates in Largest Tunxis Class in History

Congratulations to the 478 students who graduated Friday.

Tunxis Community College awarded diplomas to its largest class of graduates in history in Farmington on Friday.

According to a press release from the college, 478 students received 616 associate’s degrees and certificates.

The Class of 2013's oldest graduate, Peter Spano, 86, of New Britain, received the Spirit of Tunxis Award. Tunxis honored the U.S. Navy World War II veteran to thank him "for his support of our veterans and the Veterans OASIS at Tunxis, among others."

Another graduate, Jackson Kohan, 19, of Canton, had enrolled at Tunxis Community College when he was 14 as an "early entrant," skipping high school after his homeschooling was completed, according to a press release from the college. He "excelled academically" with a 3.88 GPA and earned an associate's degree in science despite struggling with dyslexia, the release stated. In the fall, he will attend Northeastern University to study economics, en route to his goal of becoming a financial advisor.

Kohan was the vice president of school newspaper, the Tunxis SUN, vice president of the "Tunxis chapter of Chi Alpha Epsilon National Honor Society," and a Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society member, according to a press release from the college. He earned  the Academic Discipline Award in 2012 and 2013 and a Leadership and Service Award for work on the college newspaper.

Berlin resident Matt Machowski, 33, earned an A.S. degree in general studies after needing to return to school as a result of a "chiropractic injury from a cervical neck manipulation" that kept him from working in his field as a commercial electrician. The resulted in many surgeries and "financial difficulties," the release stated. During his time at Tunxis, he was awarded with the Tunxis Community College Foundation Excellence Award Scholarship in 2012, a President to President Scholarship that will pay for his current studies at Central Connecticut State University and a Midwest Roofing Contractors Association scholarship. He is "pursuing a bachelor’s degree in construction management," a career he aspires to, at CCSU and is interning "at construction firm John Moriarty & Associates," the release stated. 

Former Connecticut Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson, was the featured speaker at the ceremony.

In addressing the graduates, Tunxis President Cathryn Addy pondered over what would have happened if Catherine the Great had sent Russian troops to America around 1770 to prevent the rebellion of "farmers and merchants" seeking freedom when England's King George III asked her to do so. She said that this decision from one person overseas could have changed everything if she had agreed instead of saying "no."

"Who is to say that there won't be an occasion when one decision by each of you will change your or someone else's life?" Addy said, according to remarks provided to Patch. "That is why we must never embrace ignorance or celebrate it in someone else. It is too important and our world is changing too rapidly ever to be satisfied with not knowing, or with not trying to understand, or simply, not trying to live our lives in the best way we can. I hope that you have gained some of those decision making skills here at Tunxis."

Tunxis awards more than 60 associate's degrees and certificates in a range of majors, including but not limited to fine arts, business, health, technology, liberal arts and science, the release stated. 

More than 6,000 people "enroll in credit and continuing education programs at Tunxis each semester, the press release stated.


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