Nicole Bunse (above, left) of Baxter and Evie Main (above, right) of Newton snap a celebratory photo together before the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony gets underway on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Bunse and Main both received their Advanced Nurse Aide Certificate of Specialization from DMACC during the ceremony. Bunse is a graduate of the Baxter Community School District, while Main is a Newton Community Schools alum.
More than 1,000 new DMACC graduates (above) are honored during the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. The DMACC Metro Commencement ceremony recognizes students graduating from the College's Ankeny, Newton, Urban (Des Moines) and West Des Moines Campuses, as well as graduating DMACC Online students.
To view a recording of the commencement livestream, visit graduation.dmacc.edu.
Waukee resident Rasha Mohammed (above, center), a 2024 DMACC Business-Transfer program graduate from Iraq, joins her husband Bassam Alabayechi (above, left) and daughter Mayar Alabayechi (above, right), a rising junior at Waukee Northwest High School, for a family photo prior to the start of the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
Marilyn Margo McMorran (above), 71, of Urbandale prepares to receive her Patient Access Specialist Certificate from DMACC during the College's 2024 Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
McMorran, who will celebrate her 72nd birthday on May 12, is a lifelong learner with a passion for helping others. She took her first classes at DMACC in 1974 while studying computer literacy at the College's Urban Campus in Des Moines. And now, as a newly minted DMACC graduate, she said she hopes to find a position working as a Patient Access Specialist at a local hospital. Patient Access Specialists serve as an initial point of contact for registering patients when they enter a health care facility and as an advocate for both the patient and the organization.
An enthusiastic group of 2024 DMACC Graphic Design program graduates (above) gather for an impromptu photo while waiting for this year's Metro Commencement Ceremony to begin at Wells Fargo Arena.
Philisha Blaisure (above) of Prescott and formerly of Corning relaxes in the staging area for graduates prior to the start of the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Blaisure earned her a Liberal Arts (AA) degree from DMACC this Spring. Blaisure, who is also an alum of Corning High School in the Southwest Valley Community School District, now plans to earn her insurance license in Iowa.
West Des Moines resident Rusul Al Waeli (above, second from left), a 2024 DMACC Engineering-Transfer program graduate from Iraq, celebrates with her family while attending the College's Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Al Waeli graduated with honors from her program (3.50 GPA or higher), which is symbolized by the gold graduation cords she is wearing. She is pictured with (above, from left to right) her six-year old son, Kian; her husband, Marwan; and her 7½-year-old daughter, Mashkat.
Graduating DMACC students (above) smile and wave to family and friends during the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony processional into Wells Fargo Arena on May 1, 2024, in downtown Des Moines.
Dr. James Thompson (above), Associate Professor and Chair of the Music Department in the Simon Estes School of Fine Arts at DMACC, performs the National Anthem at the beginning of the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony.
Student speaker Jacob Reuss (above), a 2024 DMACC Liberal Arts graduate from West Des Moines, welcomes attendees to this year's DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena. Jacob attended classes at the DMACC West Campus in West Des Moines.
DMACC Vice President Emeritus Dr. Mary Chapman (above) gives the commencement address during the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Dr. Chapman, who retired from DMACC in 2013, joined the College in 1990 as Executive Dean/Provost of the DMACC Urban Campus in Des Moines and later served as Vice President for Community and Workforce Partnerships at DMACC.
Members of the DMACC Concert Choir (above) perform "The Road Home" by composer Stephen Paulus during the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. The choir is directed by Dr. James Thompson, Associate Professor and Chair of the Music Department in the Simon Estes School of Fine Arts at DMACC.
Andrea Montes Melendez (above) of Marshalltown, a 2024 DMACC Liberal Arts graduate and 2022 alum of Marshalltown High School, shares an excited smile as she prepares to walk across the stage and receive her diploma during the DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
Montes Melendez plans to continue her studies at Iowa State University (ISU) in the fall and pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations. She served as an intern in the DMACC Marketing & Public Relations Office throughout her two years as a student at the DMACC Ankeny Campus.
Curtis Badio (above) of Des Moines pauses for quick photo as he nears the stage during the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines. Badio earned a Paraeducator Generalist Certificate of Specialization from DMACC this Spring and graduated from his program with honors (3.50 GPA or higher). Badio is also an alum of Des Moines Roosevelt High School, where he was a member of the inaurgal class of DMPS Avenue Scholars.
Mahayla Macey Claiser (above, center) of Urbandale beams as she gets ready to accept her DMACC Business Administration Associate of Applied Science (AAS) diploma during the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Smiling behind her is classmate Marilyn Dee Claussen (above, left) of Des Moines, who also earned her DMACC Business Administration AAS degree this Spring and is wearing gold Honors cords to signify graduating with honors by maintaining a GPA of 3.50 or higher in her program coursework.
DMACC English-Transfer program graduate Jacqueline Battista (above, left) of Albia and Beolyne Ntriampeba (above, right), a DMACC Secondary Education-Transfer program graduate, take a photo together during the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines.
Twin sisters Isabella Marie Van Oosbree (above, left) and Grace Lula Van Oosbree (above, right), both of Carlisle, are all smiles during the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony. Isabella and Grace each graduated with a Liberal Arts (AA) degree.
Daylite Thompson (above) of Canton, Mich., shares an excited smile as she prepares to accept her Certificate of Specialization in Homeland Security from DMACC during the College's 2024 Metro Commencement Ceremony. Thompson graduated with honors from her program (3.50 GPA or higher), as signified by the gold cords worn over her graduation gown.
Tyler Amsden (above), a 2024 graduate of the DMACC Respiratory Therapy program, gets ready to accept his diploma during this year's DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony.
DMACC Construction Management program graduates (above, left to right) Michael Pottebaum of Carroll, Kylie Kinter of Ankeny, Bryce Holm of Earlham and Amir Dervisevic of Urbandale make their way to the stage during the College's 2024 Metro Commencement Ceremony.
DMACC graduates (above, left to right) McKenzie Moughler of Ames, Anatasia Kokakis of Des Moines and Jazell Freeman of Lake Providence, La., snag a group photo during the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony held May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines. All three graduated from DMACC with a Certificate of Specialization in Crime Scene Investigation.
Lisa Washington (above) of Waukee smiles for a photo moments before walking across the stage to accept her DMACC Early Childhood Education diploma during the 2024 DMACC Metro Commencement Ceremony. More than 1,000 new DMACC graduates were honored during this year's event.
Kyler John Crouse (above, left) and Daniel A. Caracoza (above, right) celebrate graduating from the General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program (GM-ASEP) at DMACC during the 2024 Metro Commencement Ceremony on May 1, 2024, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
MennatAllah Hany Sabry Mahmoud (above) radiates joy after receiving her Certificate of Specialization in Early Childhood Education from DMACC during the College's 2024 Metro Commencement Ceremony. She graduated with honors from her program (3.50 GPA or higher), as signified by the gold cords worn over her graduation gown.
Contact: Lisa Schmitz, DMACC Marketing and Public Relations, lmschmitz@dmacc.edu.
Photo credit for above images: Lisa Schmitz/Courtesy of DMACC.