Congratulations, Graduates! Celebrate Commencement with us Dec. 14

Kalamazoo Valley Community College will celebrate its 93rd commencement ceremony Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. at Western Michigan University's Miller Auditorium, located at 2200 Auditorium Drive in Kalamazoo.

Board Chairperson Lucinda Stinson will speak along with English instructor John Abbott and student Alexander Taylor, who is graduating with an associate of applied science in law enforcement and criminal justice.

Taylor was inducted into the college's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society for two-year colleges, and led as the chapter's vice president of scholarship for the 2024 - 2025 academic year. He later continued to serve the student organization as a PTK Michigan regional officer.

Taylor overcame several obstacles leading up to his time at Kalamazoo Valley. He says his difficult childhood helped inspire him to pursue his degree.

"They say children become products of their environment, and I was almost a part of that cycle. By the age of 12, I had already gotten in trouble with the law," he said. "I know the value of the system and how it helped me to become a better person, so I wanted to be able to give back in whatever way possible."

Taylor made the difficult decision to leave home at the age of 17. "I knew that if something was going to change for me, I had to leave my old environment behind," he said. The choice left him homeless at the time, though not without hope.

He continued to pursue his educational goals and graduated from Comstock High School in 2023. He then completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and applied to four colleges and universities. Taylor was accepted into each one, though ultimately, chose Kalamazoo Valley.

"I chose Valley because of its close proximity to me," he says. "In my earlier days as a college student, I relied heavily on the bus system for transportation." Taylor also says that the college's affordability helped motivate his decision. "Valley offers amazing tuition rates."

Upon enrolling, Taylor was connected to an array of resources that led him to the Kalamazoo Valley Accelerated Associate Program (KVAAP). The initiative covered the cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies while ensuring he stayed on track to obtain his degree in less than three years. Taylor says he is grateful for everything the program, the KVAAP team and his advisor did to support his success.

"I soared," he says. "I learned to use the doubt, the hurt and the worry, and turned it into fuel - fuel to give me hope and help me soar."

Guests without tickets to commencement may view the livestreamed ceremony via Public Media Network on PMN DISCOVER Channel 187. It will also stream online at publicmedianet.org as well as its Roku, Apple TV and Firestick apps.