Redlands Community College recently celebrated the class of 2025 with the graduation of nearly 200 students during its Spring commencement ceremony that included a keynote address from Chancellor Sean Burrage, the chief executive officer for the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.
'This graduating class exemplifies resilience and academic excellence, setting a strong foundation for their future endeavors,' said Redlands President Jena Marr. 'At Redlands, we're committed to creating pathways to success, whether our students are entering the workforce immediately or continuing their educational journey at fouryear institutions. The accomplishments we celebrate during commencement reflect not only individual determination but also the supportive community that makes Redlands such a transformative place to learn and grow.'
Redlands’ commencement ceremony recognized the graduates who have earned degrees that have prepared them to continue their education at a four-year university or begin making an impact in the workforce. Over 50 of the students graduated with more than one degree or certificate. Graduates received associate degrees in Arts, Applied Science and Science, as well as Certificates in areas such as Artificial Insemination in Livestock, Child Development, Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement, Enterprise Development, Human/Social Services Assistant, Personal Trainer, Sustainable Food Systems Technology.
With plans to pursue a career in sustainable agriculture, Baylee Wilbourn, from Tuttle, is looking forward to continuing her education and gaining hands-on experience in the field. She believes her experience at Redlands has prepared her well for the next phase.
“One of the most impactful parts of my time here was learning from dedicated faculty like Macey Scotten and Scotti Charmasson, who fueled my passion for agriculture and encouraged me to keep pushing forward,” Wilbourn said.
A college degree is a significant investment of time and money, and although Redlands hasn’t increased tuition in several years, many students work hard to save money and apply for scholarships to be able to earn their degree with very little to no debt.
Trevor Cunningham, Edmond, worked full-time while taking classes, but he also benefited from financial aid opportunities such as scholarships. He encourages others to make that effort to apply for scholarships and other financial assistance.
“Even though I had to work hard to keep my scholarship, it all paid off in the end,” Cunningham said. “Not all of this is just by luck though. I had to put in the effort of just filling out the information and submitting it to be eligible. So if you ever think, ‘I might not get anything out of it.’ Don’t. You will never know unless you fill it out and submit it. It takes some of the stress and anxiety off of you so you can focus on staying afloat in your classes.”
Recipient of the President’s Award, Cunningham graduated with an Applied Technology degree in Digital Media Technology and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He was also able to combine credit hours from Francis Tuttle Technology Center with courses from Redlands to earn his degree.
Commencement speaker Chancellor Sean Burrage, a member of the Choctaw Nation, is an accomplished educator, attorney, and civic leader with a distinguished background in academic leadership and state politics. He assumed the position of Oklahoma’s 10th chancellor of public higher education in December. Prior to his current position, Burrage served as vice president for Executive Affairs and chief of staff at the University of Oklahoma and was president of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He is a former two-term Oklahoma State Senator who made significant legislative contributions, authoring over 50 bills that became law and earning recognition as the '2013 Legislator of the Year' by the Oklahoma Association for Justice.
Nursing graduates were honored during a pinning ceremony prior to commencement exercises. For a complete list of graduates and their honors, please visit www.redlandscc. edu/graduation.
Area Graduates Atoka, OK Aidan Blaine Shaw, Associate in Arts/Associate in Science/ Certificate
