Orange City, Iowa — Northwestern College in Orange City is set to celebrate its largest graduating class ever, as 449 students will receive their degrees during the annual commencement ceremony on Saturday. (May 10th)
Among them are 163 Master of Education graduates, 13 Master of Arts in counseling recipients, and the first two students to earn Master of Business Administration degrees, following the program’s launch in fall 2024. In addition, 245 students will receive Bachelor of Arts degrees, and 26 students will be awarded Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.
Four students will also celebrate completing the Northwestern NEXT program, a two-year campus life experience for young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. in the Rowenhorst Student Center, with Dr. Jenelle Dunkelberger, a 2011 Northwestern graduate and geneticist, delivering the keynote address. Dunkelberger, who holds a doctorate in genetics from Iowa State University, leads research at Topigs Norsvin, a global pig breeding company.
The baccalaureate service will be held the night before at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 9, in Christ Chapel, where Mark DeYounge, vice president for Christian formation, will deliver the homily.
Northwestern College’s graduating class surpasses last year’s record of 399, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s history.
For more details, including Dr. Dunkelberger’s bio, visit Northwestern’s website.
(Courtesy fellow Community First Broadcasting station KSOU in Sioux Center)
KIWA Staff Photo
