The Adult Education program at West Georgia Technical College (WGTC) celebrated its ESL and GED graduates with a commencement ceremony held Wednesday, December 11, at WGTC’s Murphy Campus Conference Center in Waco.
“This is a special occasion for our graduates and their loved ones,” Dean of Adult Education Rebecca Wheeler said. “It is a time to celebrate their hard work and dedication, and to recognize the important milestone that they have achieved.”
Hank Arnold, Founder and Director of Coweta FORCE, delivered the keynote speech, encouraging the graduates to chase their dreams with courage and determination.
“Graduates this is your moment,” Arnold said. “Take risks. Growth happens outside of your comfort zone. Surround yourself with people who inspire you. Embrace every opportunity to learn. Earning my GED changed so much for me, but it wasn’t just about earning my diploma. It was about redefining how I saw myself.”
Since July, WGTC has proudly awarded GED credentials to 96 students. Many of these graduates are continuing their educational journeys at WGTC, including Cassandra Stigliano, a 2024 GED graduate and WGTC’s 2025 Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) award winner.
Stigliano addressed the graduates during the ceremony, sharing her inspiring story.
“This year marks a new chapter in my life that I never imagined I could reach,” Stigliano said. “Through this journey I have learned that the sacrifices made are not burdens but rather opportunities for personal growth. Adult education allowed me to break down the barriers that held me back. With dedication and commitment, I was able to obtain my GED and enroll in classes at WGTC to pursue my dream of becoming a registered nurse.”
The following students attended the ceremony to be recognized for their achievements:
Kayla Anderson
Janet Arreola Martinez
Eloisa Baltazar
Yunior Benitez
Alexander Bowens
Jacolyn Bulger
Maria Rosario Campos Garibay
Maybele Carrion Carmona
Haley Chambers
Carson Cooper
Jessica Cox
Mary Culpepper
Charles Davis
Tony Davis
Trisha Edwards
Funmilayo Florence Oluyeba
Emile Francois
Kevin Franks
Ebonee Geter
Anthony Grant II
Willie Harden
Amiya Harrigan
Katelyn Harris
Robert Holliday
Whitney Howard
Jorden Johnson
Denzel Kimble
Emily Lawler
Harmony Lawson
Rene Alexander Marino
Nathaniel McMahan
Cameron Morgan
Cheyenne Muncher
Jessica Murray
Amaya Newell
Angel Norton
Jacob Nowacki
Manuel Piedra
Jean Rivas
Nicole Rutman
Adriana Sandoval Morales
Brandon Stephens Jr
Christopher Stokes
Colin Street
Ge’nae Thomas-Newton
Noemi Torres
Jose Tototzintle Garrido
Joyce Turckheim
Beatriz Virgen Cruz
Hannah Whitten
For more information about the Adult Education program, including information about free classes and registration dates, visit www.westgatech.edu/adult-education.
