Commencement 2025

Kara Evans, who graduated from North Central’s nursing program in 2015, will deliver the keynote address to the 2025 nursing graduates. Evans has built a dynamic career in healthcare, spanning critical care, leadership and education. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Chamberlain University in 2017, further strengthening her expertise in the field.

Evans began her nursing journey as a nurse and team leader in McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital’s cardiovascular unit, where she developed her critical care skills while taking on leadership responsibilities. She later expanded her experience at Munson Healthcare Charlevoix Hospital, serving as a medical-surgical nurse and house supervisor, overseeing hospital operations and managing a range of patient care needs.

Committed to shaping the future of nursing, Evans has also served as an adjunct clinical instructor at North Central, sharing her knowledge and passion with the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Beth LaForest, chief of staff at Livonia’s Schoolcraft College and a proud NCMC alumna, will deliver the commencement address to the Class of 2025.

LaForest brings more than 18 years of experience in higher education leadership. She has worked across multiple areas of community college administration, including facilities management, campus safety, information technology, library services, student housing, strategic planning, finance, and the president’s office.

A strong advocate for the life-changing impact of community colleges, LaForest’s own educational journey began at North Central, where she earned an associate degree in 2008 before obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Lawrence Technological University and a Master of Business Administration from Ferris State University.

“Within North Central’s walls, I fell in love with community colleges and the important mission they hold — so much so that I never left,” LaForest said. “I was supported by amazing faculty, knowledgeable staff and a vibrancy of student life that allowed me to take risks, learn leadership skills and understand that no door was barred to me. I am unbelievably honored to be invited back to be a part of this momentous occasion for the Class of 2025.”

During the ceremony, college officials will award honorary degrees of Community Service to Stafford Smith and Dudley Marvin, two visionary leaders whose dedication to hospitality, business, and community has shaped the fabric of Northern Michigan.

Stafford Smith is a pioneer in Michigan’s hospitality industry. Originally from Albion, Mich., Smith’s deep connection to Northern Michigan began at an early age, with summers spent in Petoskey.

After graduating from Northwestern University’s School of Management in 1960, he purchased the Bay View Inn in 1961, launching what would become Stafford’s Hospitality, a legacy that grew to include The Pier Restaurant, The Weathervane Restaurant, The Perry Hotel, The Gallery, and Crooked River Lodge. Smith’s impact extends beyond business; his leadership has helped shape tourism and economic development in the region.

He has served as president of the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club, chaired the West Michigan Tourist Association, and contributed two decades of service to the Northern Michigan Hospital Board of Directors.

A respected figure in the hospitality industry, Smith was named Michigan’s Hotelier of the Year in 1995 and was the first recipient of the Stafford Smith Award, an honor bestowed by Select Registry for his exceptional contributions to independent innkeeping. As a distinguished organization representing over 300 premier inns, bed and breakfasts, and small hotels across North America, Select Registry upholds the highest standards of hospitality, ensuring each member property meets its rigorous 200-point quality assurance inspection.

Dudley Marvin has been a cornerstone of Stafford’s Hospitality for more than five decades. A graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Business Management, Marvin’s career took him from military service in the U.S. Naval Reserve, including active duty in Vietnam, to a leadership role in Michigan’s hospitality industry.

He joined Stafford’s team in 1964, rising to President of Stafford’s Hospitality, Inc. in 1980 and guiding the company’s operations until his retirement in 2010. Even in retirement, he remained an integral advisor and legal consultant for the corporation.

Marvin’s commitment to community service is equally impressive, with service to the Emmet County Zoning Board of Appeals, the Springvale Township Planning Committee, and the Pickerel-Crooked Lakes Association. Alongside his wife, Darlene, Marvin has continued to give back to the region, whether through local volunteerism or maintaining the historic Pointer Boat, offering seasonal cruises in Harbor Springs.

"Together, Stafford Smith and Dudley Marvin have defined hospitality in Northern Michigan, creating spaces that have welcomed visitors for generations and leaving an indelible mark on the region’s economic and cultural landscape." 

—NCMC President David Roland Finley, Ph.D.

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In accordance with Board policy ​adopted in 2018, North Central may award award an honorary degree to an individual as the highest form of recognition for extraordinary service to the college or outstanding contributions to the community.  The honorary degree shall be based on the following areas in which individuals may have made significant contributions:

• Educational Service: Recognizing outstanding service that enhances educational opportunities for the area or that gives personal assistance that leads to the success of individuals in higher education.
• Humanitarian Service: Recognizing outstanding altruism that enhances the quality of life for others in the area.
• Servant Leadership: Recognizing outstanding service that goes "the second mile" beyond the servant's paid job description in any area of leadership and that benefits others and/or enhances their leadership capabilities.
• Arts and Letters: Recognizing outstanding contributions to the arts in any form that enhances the quality of life in the area.
• Entrepreneurial Leadership: Recognizing outstanding contributions to business/industry through creative startups of new enterprises or through innovative management or business or industry.

President David Roland Finley and members of our faculty will be dressed in their academic regalia. The colors on the hoods represent information about the wearer’s academic background. The type of degree (bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral) is indicated by the width of the velvet edging. The length of the colors of lining denotes the school from which the degree was conferred. The color of the velvet edging denotes the field of learning. 

The following is a list of colors established by the Intercollegiate Code to represent the departments of learning. The Intercollegiate Code of 1895 set the standards for academic dress in the United States. With the exception of revisions in 1932 and 1959, the code has been unchanged since its inception.

The Academic Honor Cord recognizes a student’s academic achievement in an associate degree or certificate program.

Yale — Distinction, GPA 3.50—3.69

Gold — High Distinction, GPA 3.70—3.89

Gold and Yale — Highest Distinction, GPA 3.90—4.00

Red, White and Blue — The Military Honor Cord recognizes veterans and active-duty members and the service they provide to our country.

White — The Student Leadership Honor Cord recognizes Student Senate membership.

Purple — The Ambassador Honor Cord recognizes Student Ambassador membership.

Silver and Peacock — The Student-Athlete Honor Cord recognizes student-athletes who have completed two seasons of eligibility or who have been on the roster for both the Fall and Winter semester of their graduation year.

The Medallion — The Early College Medallion recognizes Early College graduates.

The ceremonial mace, a symbol of leadership and authority, is carried by the senior faculty member at all formal college events and is displayed on the platform during these functions. Professor Chet Jessick (pictured) was the mace bearer during the 2023 commencement ceremony.

North Central’s mace was designed by Leon Nash, adjunct art instructor and North Central’s director of campus housing, and manufactured with assistance from staff in the college’s CNC lab.

Measuring 42” long and weighing 7.5 pounds, the mace is constructed of ash and oak trees, both native to Northern Michigan. Ash was selected because it is known as a traditional handle-making wood, and oak lends stability to the head of the mace.

The “X” design on the bottom of the mace is symbolic of four arrows coming together at a single point, representative of students, faculty, staff and community members from different backgrounds converging at a single destination, North Central Michigan College, for a common purpose: to seek and impart knowledge. At the opposite end of the mace is a guiding arrow with a Flame of Knowledge inside, representing the conclusion of one’s journey at North Central and the resulting transfer of knowledge.

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”  —Socrates

The College seal is displayed prominently on one side of the mace head, matching the President’s Medallion, which is worn during formal college events. The remaining three sides are blank at present, the College’s future chapters yet to be written.