Wake Tech Marks Largest Commencement, Over One Thousand Graduates Celebrate
Wake Technical Community College held its largest fall commencement on December 6, with more than 1,000 students receiving associate degrees or diplomas at the Scott Northern Wake Campus. The ceremony highlights the college's role in higher education access and the Wake County workforce pipeline as graduates prepare to transfer to universities or enter high demand fields.
On December 6 Wake Technical Community College celebrated its largest fall commencement in the institution's history as more than 1,000 graduates crossed the stage at the Scott Northern Wake Campus. The ceremony underscored the college's dual mission of preparing students for continued academic study and supplying skilled workers to Wake County employers.
Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls addressed the graduating class and offered a reflection on persistence and achievement. “For many of you, this truly is the ’best day ever,’ not because the journey was simple, but because your persistence brought you to a moment that reflects your courage and hard work. You have worked hard to achieve this milestone, and we know you are ready to make an impact, whether you are continuing an academic journey or launching a career. We are very, very proud of you.”
Institutional data from the ceremony show that nearly half of the graduates intend to transfer to four year universities while the remainder will enter the workforce with credentials in fields identified as locally high demand. Programs represented include information technology, biotechnology, engineering, health care, skilled trades, and public safety. Wake Tech offers programs in 13 career fields, including Health Care and Wellness, Advanced Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Business, Construction and Maintenance, Education, Engineering, Information and Digital Technology, and Public Safety.
The graduating class reflects a wide range of life experience and backgrounds. Students range in age from 17 to 64 and represent 44 countries. The cohort includes 233 first generation college graduates and 164 students who worked full time while attending college. The ceremony also recognized four students at Vernon Malone College and Career Academy who earned college degrees and high school diplomas simultaneously. One graduate, Ganesh Bhandaru, earned an Associate in Applied Science degree in Business Administration after overcoming a rare genetic disorder.
For Wake County this graduation is more than a ceremony. It represents a pipeline of talent for local employers, a source of transfer students for regional universities, and measurable progress on access to postsecondary education for adult learners and first generation students. The outcomes reinforce policy priorities around sustained investment in community colleges, expanded support services for students who work while enrolled, and stronger alignment between training programs and employer needs.
Wake Tech is accepting applications for the spring semester which begins January 7. Prospective students can apply at apply.waketech.edu.
