Jamestown Business College celebrated its 131st annual commencement ceremony at First Lutheran Church in Jamestown.

The event commenced with the traditional playing of Pomp and Circumstance, performed by Brian Bogey. An invocation by Pastor Daniel Nagle followed, continued by an official greeting by JBC president David Conklin.

Andrea Magnuson, Senior Grants Director of the Gebbie Foundation Inc., delivered the keynote speech. In it, she emphasized that every experience in life can serve its own purpose, and in a way, experience is the purpose of life.

“We all can learn from the experiences of others,” Magnuson said. “Chances are, if you have a problem, there have been people who have gone through a similar situation. Read books — ask questions — Google it.

Andrea Magnuson, Senior Grants Director of the Gebbie Foundation Inc., delivers the keynote address.

“Join committees,” she continued. “Attend Chamber of Commerce dinners. Be seen. If you’re not comfortable making small talk, treat being at an event like a game. Tell yourself that the object of the game is to learn something from someone. Changing your attitude can make a positive experience out of something you were dreading.”

As an employee of a foundation that has worked hard to make Jamestown a better place, Magnuson concluded her speech explaining why Jamestown needs the bright, young minds that the 131st class of JBC produced to stay here.

“Right now you are in Jamestown,” Magnuson said, “where it’s going to start getting wild and crazy in the downtown. The National Comedy Center is being completed as we speak, and is expected to open in August 2018. A brew pub will be opening on the corner of Third and Washington. We are anticipating the renovation of the Furniture Mart Building and two pedestrian bridges will be built across the Chadakoin River. The (old Holiday Inn) is going to be renovated and made into a Hilton DoubleTree Hotel.

“We will have more visitors in town, and we all need to be helpful, welcoming ambassadors to Jamestown … I hope you stay here, get jobs, start businesses and become involved in bettering your community.”

Max Martin, JBC faculty member, gave an emotional address about the trajectory of his life, using the metaphor of a seed, full of potential, lying dormant in the ground.

Martin, a native of the Dominican Republic, lost his mother at the age of 8. But before her passing, she planted the seed of education in his mind, and helped it to germinate as much as she could.

But without her, as he grew, there was no one around to tend to that seed, and it remained dormant in his mind. Finally, as a 17-year-old, he knew he had to take his life into his own hands, and joined the Navy. As a sailor, he earned his GED, and upon the conclusion of his service, he took advantage of the GI bill and earned his degrees.

“As individuals, I know that each of you have overcome many barriers throughout your life, as I have,” Martin said. “You may have struggled with balancing school and work, or the pressures of balancing school and family, and there may have been times that you wanted to give up — but you didn’t! … Because of this, doors are going to be opened for you. Be proud!”

Following the ceremony, Taren Grover, 2017 JBC graduate, reflected upon her experience over the past years.

“The teachers, the staff — they really take care of you,” Grover said. “They treasure your education and they want you to succeed. That means so much, and it really helped me push through college. It wasn’t really something I planned on doing, but I’m glad I did. This will help me carry through to my career.”