Prescott Valley, Arizona — Yavapai College awarded 1,249 certificates and degrees—including a record 119 bachelor’s degrees—at commencement ceremonies in the Verde Valley and Prescott Valley. The 2026 Yavapai College commencement ceremonies were held on Saturday, May 2 at the College’s Verde Valley Campus in Clarkdale, and on Sunday, May 3 at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. 

“As a college president, there is no day more special, more exhilarating, or more fulfilling than Commencement Day. For those of us in higher education, this is the defining moment of the year—it’s where we see our mission come to life and the impact of our work made real,” Dr. Lisa Rhine, Yavapai College President, said in her address to graduates. “Graduates, this day belongs to you. It is a celebration of your achievements and the realization of your dreams. Never let anyone tell you that dreaming is a waste of time. Dreams are simply realities waiting to take shape. In our dreams, we plant the seeds of our future.”

The ceremony was anchored by Keynote Speaker Kenneth Bennett. A Yavapai College alumnus, Bennett served in the Arizona State Senate for 10 years—including four years as the President of the Senate—and was 19^th Arizona Secretary of State from 2009 to 2015. 

Bennett urged the 2026 graduating class as they enter the next phase of life to do the right thing, keep your life in balance, and “hang around with leaders,” which are three things he has learned over his careers that help him make a positive impact on the community.   

“Life is an accumulation of choices and decisions. Whether small, medium or huge in importance: Do the right thing,” Bennett said in his address. “Now that’s easier said than done and we all fall short now and then. But to do the right thing, you have to figure out what is the right thing to do. This requires deciding what values and principles you’re going to live your life by.”

Bennett added that when “Life pulls us in numerous different directions, don’t let your life get out of balance. Between family, work, taking care of your body, your spirit, your mind and intellect, recreation, serving others, civic responsibilities, being a good steward of the earth, and many others, there’s lots of areas to keep in balance.”

Student speaker Jericho Nucum said he did not know what to expect when he first came to Yavapai College, but he quickly found his place at the College. Nucum found strength in a college video club and student government. Nucum ran for a spot in Student Government and won, largely because fellow club members networked on his behalf. Nucum said the experience taught him a valuable lesson about friendship, connection and community.

“I didn’t know who I would become, but I did know one thing: I wanted to be better than I was before,” Nucum said. “(Yavapai College) helped me find the space to belong and inspired me to do the impossible. We would not be here today without those who have guided us, supported us and believed in us.” 

Faculty speaker Dr. Heather Leavitt, Yavapai College Professor of Education and Faculty Senate President, characterized stories like Nucum’s as the reason why community colleges are extraordinary places to earn a degree. 

“Community colleges bring together students from every background and stage of life,” said Dr. Leavitt. “Many of you balanced coursework with jobs, family responsibilities, and the demands of everyday life. Earning a degree is not easy, and your presence here today is a powerful testament to your resilience and commitment.”

Students as young as 14 and as old as 74 earned degrees or certificates. Age was no barrier to achievement at Yavapai College, whose 2026 graduating class boasted 208 graduates under the age of 18, and 54 graduates over the age of 55. 

The record number of graduates earning bachelor’s degrees is expected to grow each year. In 2021, Governor Doug Ducey authorized Arizona’s community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees and Yavapai College became the first rural community college in the state offer the degrees. 

Yavapai College currently offers bachelor’s degrees in nursing, computer science, and business, including a fully optimized three-year Bachelor of Applied Science in Business, the first of the kind in the nation. Starting the fall 2026 semester, Yavapai College is launching a Bachelor of Design in Visual Design and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Safety Administration.

Yavapai College operates seven campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over 100 degrees and certificates, six baccalaureate degrees, student and community services, and cultural events and activities. To learn more about Yavapai College, visit www.yc.edu. Video recordings of both the Verde Valley and Prescott campus commencement ceremonies may be accessed online by following the link at www.yc.edu/commencement.