By Tyler Bennett
Fall 2021 semester nears its end as some students at College of Southern Nevada prepare for upcoming graduation and others wait till spring for the big day.
Students are working hard under a lot of pressure to perform well academically, all while juggling life and work during a pandemic. Yet the hopeful future is very present as they see this big accomplishment come to fruition. At the same time, they are making plans for the future.
Daniel Topete, CSN student who is graduating this semester, said, “I have been going through a spectrum of emotions about graduation. I think that I would say I feel grateful for the opportunity to study beyond high school. Although I am bit nervous to reach the finish line, I tell myself I should feel proud more than anything else. I have the opportunity to be the first male in my immediate family to be a college graduate. That alone is a ton of pressure on my shoulders, but I wouldn’t want any other challenge.”
Malachi Brown said, “I plan on attending UNLV in the spring semester to continue my education and receive my bachelor’s and master’s in journalism. I am preparing still though I have to wait till the semester is over to do anything else but I am excited to take the next step to learn more about how to become a better journalist.”
In 2020, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the percentage of graduating students who attended college or a university went from 76% in 2019 down to 67% in 2020, a side effect from the coronavirus pandemic.
At CSN, graduation rates are still ticking up with nearly 5,000 degrees and certificates given 2019, according to the CSN Facts in Brief. Recent stats from last year’s graduation are yet to be reported.
“I won’t be graduating till the spring of 2022,” said Hannah Dunbar, CSN student. “I am actually quite excited to graduate but am nervous since I have to pass all my classes and am required to do an internship for my degree. I believe I will be fine; however, the fear of failing still lingers in the back of my mind. Not knowing what the future holds is a bit intimidating for me especially considering how chaotic things have been the past year. It has been a huge roller coaster for me.”
Brown added, “Graduating college has always been a milestone achievement for me because it lets me know that I’m on the right track to having a successful life after college. My one goal in life is to not have any regrets. Graduation is the most exciting moment I look forward to seeing.”
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 