CLARKSVILLE, TN – TCAT Dickson President Laura Travis conferred 50 diplomas and technical certificates for Clarksville campus graduates during spring commencement held April 20 at Awaken Church.
TCAT Dickson President Laura Travis welcomed the graduates and their families to the ceremony. “Each of these individuals became an inspiration to someone when they took the first step to continue their educations at TCAT,” Travis said.
Marla Rye, President of Workforce Essentials, served as guest speaker for the event. “You are stepping into careers that are not only in demand but are essential today,” Rye told the graduates.
Rye said in preparing for her speech, she recalled a Robert Frost poem, The Road Not Taken, that had hung in a classroom in her high school in Stewart County. Rye quoted a few words, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood. I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Rye continued, “The road you took wasn’t always an easy one. No one walks that road alone. Graduates, as you move forward, remember this. What you gained at TCAT is more than a certificate or diploma. You gained a skillset. Don’t be afraid. You have already proven the road less traveled led somewhere extraordinary. Choose the path that challenges you – that pushes you. Today proves you are capable of walking the road less traveled.”
Graduates Rebekah Griffin and Gehanna Hunter led the Pledge of Allegiance and invocation, respectively.
Graduates receiving third party certifications were recognized. Those students were Logan Barnett, Francisco Javier Palacios, and Cody Wilson from the Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration program; Jonathan Massey and James Tyler form the Machine Tool Technology program; Antonio Brown, Rainna Richards, Russell “Eldon” Ritenour, Kasein Kekaualua-Rodrigues, and Caroline Tymchyn of the Welding Technology program.
National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) Inductees were applauded for their achievements. To be inducted into NTHS students must maintain an “A” average, attend at least 95 percent of their total program hours, and be nominated by their instructors. Graduates with the NTHS distinction were Juanna Delis, Kiersten Fournier, Leylany Celedonio Garcia, Tatyana “Max” Guffey, and Aislynne Mallette all from the Cosmetology program; Montana Grenig, Sawyer Roberts, and John Solis from the Computer Information Technology program; Brady Sims from the Industrial Electrical Maintenance / Mechatronics program; James Tyler from the Machine Tool Technology program; and Rainna Richards from the Welding Technology program
President Travis conferred diplomas and technical certificates for the following students: from Building Construction Technology – Vernteze Fantroy with honors; Heating Airconditioning, and Refrigeration – Logan Barnett with honors plus, Bryant Cunningham, Marquerion “Pee” Mimms, Francisco Javier Palacios with honors, Kollin Slaughter, and Cody Wilson with honors; Patient Care Technology / Medical Assisting – Tamaria Arnold with honors and Alyssa Crawford with honors; Pharmacy Technology – MaKayla Majors with honors, Julia Price with honors, and Korie Witherspoon; Cosmetology – Mallary Ashby with honors, Juanna Delis with honors, Kiersten Fournier with honors, Leylany Celedonio Garcia with honors, Rebekha Griffin with honors, Tatyana “Max” Guffey with honors plus, Gehanna Hunter, Madisyn Johnson, Avianna Marie King, Kaylee Danielle Long, Aislynne Mallette, Tatianna Mejia, Aaliyah Sapp, and Zoey Whitlatch; Computer Information Technology – Montana Grenig, Samuel Johnson with honors, Tyler Miller, Sawyer Roberts with honors, John Solis with honors, Adzowa Tekoe with honors, and Xavier Washpun; Industrial Electrical Maintenance / Mechatronics – Jacob Shaffer with honors plus and Brady Sims with honors plus; Machine Tool Technology – Daniel Maiola with honors, Jonathan Massey with honors, and James Tyler with honors; Mechatronics Multicraft Tech – Charles Hazard, Brian Thomas Holliman with honors, Preston Larkins, and Joshua Shanahan; Welding Technology – Antonio Brown with honors, Kasein Kekaualua-Rodrigues with honors plus, Rainna Richards with honors, Russell “Eldon” Ritenour, Caroline Tymchyn with honors plus; Automotive Technology – Emma Baker, Jose Rosa Garcia, Steven Muhum with honors, and Zachary Stephen Shaver.
The class of spring 2026 included four veterans and 10 first generation college graduates representing eleven of the 15 technical programs offered at the Clarksville campus.
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