Several high school and college graduates donned caps and gowns and walked across the stage as part of the pomp and circumstance on Saturday.
Brooklyn Storrer did it twice.
Barely four hours before she lined up with her fellow Iola High School seniors for Saturday’s commencement ceremony, Storrer was among Allen Community College’s Class of 2017.
She earned her associate in arts degree Saturday morning at the Allen commencement, ran home long enough to grab some lunch, and then returned to the high school for that ceremony.
Storrer, daughter of Robert and Gina Storrer, earned the doubleheader by enrolling in dual credit classes while at IHS.
“After a while, I figured I might as well and go all the way and do this (college) course in two years,” she said shortly before the ACC ceremony.
With her high school diploma in her left hand and her associate degree in her right, Storrer will head to Lawrence in the fall to enroll at the University of Kansas.
And, in keeping with her “work twice as hard as most mortals,” strategy, Storrer has in mind two courses of study: psychology and art.
SATURDAY’S ALLEN commencement featured comments from distinguished alumnus, Iolan Lonnie Larson, ACC Class of 1988.
Larson’s career path brought him to leadership roles in four local industries.
He started at Gates Rubber Company in 1976, working his way through the ranks until being named human resources manager.
He shifted gears to become plant superintendent and eventually plant manager at Russell Stover Candies when that plant opened in 1997. He worked there until 2008, when he moved to Precision Pump as materials manager. There he stayed until the company changed in hands in 2010.
Then, he moved to Kneisley Manufacturing and Sonic Industry, where he’s director of accounting, purchasing and inventory.
PERHAPS THE most remarkable aspect of Larson’s journey, ACC President John Masterson noted, was that he earned both his associate and bachelor’s degrees while working full time.
He started taking classes at Allen in 1976, but didn’t earn his associate degree for 11 years. After that, he took additional courses offered through Allen by Friends University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in human resources management via Friends in 1991, 20 years after earning his Humboldt High School diploma.
He told Saturday’s graduates his story was one of choices he made, first to eschew college altogether, then to only begrudgingly continue his education at the insistence of one of his supervisors at Gates.
Set realistic yet ambitious goals, he cajoled the Allen graduates, but be willing to adapt and adjust. And maintain a strong work ethic.
“I don’t have a secret formula for success,” he said. “I do know getting a college education provides you opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise have.”
“A lot of your success,” he said, “is up to you.”
LARSON spoke about seven attributes he’s learned from others he’s worked with, ones he considered beneficial.
— Be accountable to yourself with your actions.
— Do more than what’s asked of you.
— Set goals that are both realistic and challenging.
— Be willing to adjust and adapt to different goals if other opportunities come along.
— Be willing to accept failure, but do so in order to continue moving forward to success.
— Be passionate about whatever you do. Know when you should stay in a career, but recognize if the passion is gone, you may want to consider a change.
— Be more excited about your journey, he said. “Don’t always think, ‘What’s in it for me,’” he concluded.
BAILEY Corwine, ACC sophomore, also addressed her fellow graduates, borrowing quotes from her favorite TV show, “The West Wing,” movie “The Jungle Book” and country song “Arrow,” by Aaron Watson.
From “The West Wing,” starring Martin Sheen as the president, Corwine explained one of Sheen’s favorite quotes throughout the show: “What’s next?”
Do not always look to the past, Corwine elaborated. Be ready to move onto the next goal.
“Remember, there’s always another opportunity waiting around the corner,” she said. “Keep your mind focused on what’s next.”
In “The Jungle Book,” Corwine detailed the code of the jungle — the strength of the pack is the wolf, while the strength of the wolf is the pack — is applicable in real life, she continued. Be willing to rely on the support of others, but be willing to be supportive of others, and to learn self-reliance.
Finally, she noted an excerpt from Watson’s song: “Fear not the dragon for you are the arrow.”
Each student, she said, has the power to make a difference in the world.
