Congratulations, Class of 2026!

On what was forecasted to be a dreary, wet Saturday in central Vermont, the sun came out as the CCV Class of 2026 processed down to Shapiro Field House at Norwich University. Nearly 500 students earned associate degrees as family, friends, and CCV faculty and staff joined them to celebrate the accomplishment.

Will Eberle, founder of Mission Driver Consulting and executive director of Alyssum, was this year’s keynote speaker. He brought energy to the field house as he spoke to the graduates about perseverance when faced with the urge to give up, sharing a personal story and asking the graduates to picture that time themselves. “I want you to relive the moment when you could have tapped out—you could have said, ‘enough! It’s just too, damn, hard’…just imagine if you’d walked away from the bright future that’s in front of you right now,” he said. “The simple truth is, you were wrong…you found the courage, the strength, the perseverance—the will—to dare to believe that your dreams were possible, that they were worth the struggle. You made it happen.”

Will is a CCV alumnus himself, attending CCV-Montpelier as an adult student. Earning his associate degree from CCV “opened up a whole new kingdom of possibilities,” Will said. He shared his career path through the human services field, from supporting youth experiencing homelessness in an unpaid internship to becoming an executive director, which propelled his career—all of which, Will said, “would never have been possible without a college degree. I’m telling you folks: a degree is a powerful set of keys.” He ended with a message to the graduates: “You can do anything, and what you did today already, what you fought and clawed your way to get to, that was really something. But you know what, you’re just getting started. That degree that you just got is a set of keys, and you’re not going to believe the places it’s going to let you go.”

CCV President Joyce Judy officiated the event. “I firmly believe that a CCV education changes lives. One of my frequent sayings about our work at CCV is that we build on our laurels, not rest on them,” she said. “We challenge the status quo, strive for continuous improvement, and push ourselves to keep learning and growing. And it is you, our students and graduates, who embody that spirit.” She shared stories of students and alumni, showing that no CCV student travels the same path to earn their degree. Yet, they all have one goal: “You came to CCV to build a better future for yourselves and your families.”

Several individuals were recognized during the ceremony for both academic accomplishments and community service. Dan Smith, president and CEO of the Vermont Community Foundation, was presented with the Community Service Award. CCV students Greg Samuels and Samantha Smith received the Student Leadership Award. Hannah Cleveland and Sarah Eastwood were awarded the 2026 Alumni Scholarships. Faculty members Patti Cook, Sylvia Puglisi, and April Zajko received Teaching Excellence Awards. Debby Stewart, former CCV academic dean, was recognized for her 31 years of service to the College.

CCV President Joyce Judy and Community Service Award recipient Dan Smith.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott also addressed the Class of 2026. He shared a personal story that illustrated the path of one CCV student and the determination they showed to complete a degree in the face of adversity. This student was his daughter Erica, who was a member of the CCV Class of 2026. “Her story may sound like some of yours as well. For years, we were told that college comes right after high school…that’s the roadmap. But, I think we’re all coming around to the fact that some take a different route,” he said. “So whether you’re fresh out of high school, taking college classes for the first time, looking to up-skill and make a career change, or going back to finish something you started years ago, CCV is here for everyone.”

Graduates Darrell Martin and Briana Samaniego were the student speakers for the Class of 2026. Martin started his speech by replacing his graduation cap with another that held great significance to him: a green beret. He shared his life story and all of the “bumps” that he overcame to stand on the stage on graduation day. Martin started his college education 60 years ago before being drafted during the conflict in Vietnam and serving as a Green Beret. After an honorable discharge, he started a construction company, raised a family with his wife, and later joined the New Hampshire National Guard Mountain Infantry Company for 20 years. Now, at 79 years old, he completed his degree, sharing that the knowledge he has acquired has come from all aspects of his life. “Furthering your education beyond high school opens many doors…whatever you do, you have taken the first step,” he said. “Education will come from many different angles. Life experiences are one, listening to others is another.”

Samaniego delivered a message centered around the theme of resilience and the enemy of time. “In life, we all come face to face with one common enemy — an enemy that, if we let it, can completely derail our path and rob us of the things we dream of doing. That enemy is time. Or more precisely — the unhealthy relationship we can develop with it,” she said. Samaniego shared her own journey through a life-altering injury, reminding graduates that setbacks don’t define their future. She encouraged them to rethink their relationship with time—warning against both rushing and waiting too long—and instead find balance between patience and action. “Your mindset toward time is your ultimate superpower,” she said. “The key to a life that feels truly fulfilled—on your terms—is knowing when to pull a metaphorical blanket over that clock and rest in the present… and knowing when to look that clock dead in the eye and say: ‘game on.’”