Baker College’s Jackson campus to bestow diplomas June 9

Baker College’s Jackson campus will recognize nearly 350 graduates at a 2017 commencement ceremony at 7 p.m., Friday, June 9, Jackson High School Auditorium, 544 Wildwood Ave., Jackson.

The event will include graduates who attended the Jackson and Coldwater campuses and graduates who earned degrees from Baker College Online/Graduate Studies.

“It is with great honor that we present the 2017 class of Baker College of Jackson graduates,” said Steve Simpson, Ed.D., Baker College of Jackson president. “We’re proud that they chose Baker College to prepare them to fulfill their goals as so many others have done since the college was founded in 1911.”

The graduation reflection speaker will be Heather Barnes, of Brooklyn, who will receive a bachelor’s degree in human services.

Several awards will be presented to outstanding graduates at the ceremony:

• Business Administration Award - James Russell, of Jackson, bachelor’s degree in business administration—accelerated program.
• Human Services Award - Chelsea Siedzek, of Jackson, bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.
• Health Science Award - Trisha Binschus, of Jackson, certificate in practical nursing.
• Technology Award - Benjamin Kaiser, of Grass Lake, bachelor’s degree in information technology and security, concentration in cyber defense.

The Teaching Excellence Award will be presented to Jeanne Brickner, LMT, BCTMB, program director of therapeutic massage.

Graduates who will receive master’s degrees are Jackson residents Dale Fay, master’s in information systems, Sheila Prater, MBA in leadership studies, Alexandra Stevens, MBA in human resource management, and Caroline Stevens, MBA in healthcare management; Courtney Brown, of Cement City, MBA in accounting; and Charissa Wersen, of Brooklyn, MBA in business intelligence.

The Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps will post the colors during the ceremony. Baker College faculty, staff and students who have served or are currently serving in the military will wear the red, white and blue cords.

For more information about Baker College career programs, contact Dan Smith in the admissions office at daniel.smith@baker.edu or 517.788.7800, or visit www.baker.edu.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Founded in 1911, Baker College grants doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees, as well as certificates in diverse academic fields including applied technology, business, education, engineering, health science, information technology and social science. Baker College has on-ground campuses throughout Michigan and offers online programs that can be completed 100 percent online without ever visiting a campus. In 2016, the Online Learning Consortium recognized Baker College Online with the OLC Quality Scorecard Exemplary Endorsement, the highest ranking for online higher education programs. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.

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