Ridgewater Celebrates Class of 2024 Graduates
June 18, 2024
HUTCHINSON and WILLMAR, MN – More than 850 graduates celebrated their academic success at Ridgewater College May 9 and 10. Graduates and their families and friends joined together with Ridgewater faculty and staff to honor student achievements Thursday, May 9 at the McLeod County Fairgrounds in Hutchinson and Friday, May 10 at the Willmar Civic Center.
Nearly 400 graduates participated in ceremonies with packed venues of family and friends.
Student speakers included Nursing graduate Melissa Rosenow of Hutchinson at the Hutchinson and Veterinary Technology graduate Kristina Erickson of Elk River at the Willmar event. Both congratulated graduates for their hard work on their way to achieving their dreams.
“We are not simply marking the end of this chapter, but the beginning of a new journey filled with endless possibilities…,” Rosenow said. “Stay curious, stay hungry for knowledge, and never stop pursuing your dreams.”
“There will be curveballs in life,” Erickson said, “but the most important thing to remember is to never give up on your goals and dreams.” She encouraged graduates to recognize their support teams who helped them succeed and challenged graduates to be that support for others as well.
Ridgewater graduated 427 from the Willmar campus, 299 from the Hutchinson campus and 131 fully online students during the 2023-24 academic year.
Spring 2024 Graduates [PDF]
