Congratulations, Class of 2025

By Jean Borst

On June 10, Clover Park Technical College honored and celebrated its 2025 graduates with a lively and heartfelt commencement ceremony at the Tacoma Dome. A total of 714 graduates from the college’s Lakewood and South Hill campuses walked the stage.

“Today we recognize the hard work, dedication and study that has brought you to this point,” CPTC President Dr. Joyce Loveday told members of the college’s 30th graduating class.

“Graduation marks the fulfillment of our mission of preparing tomorrow’s workforce. As you move forward, you carry CPTC’s legacy with you.”

 Ceremony highlights

• National anthem. 2025 Cosmetology program graduate Nicala Williams gave a stirring performance of the National Anthem to kick off the evening’s festivities.

• Student speaker. Pre-Nursing graduate Paul Koppson shared an inspiring story of his journey from Army paratrooper to college student. Like many of his CPTC peers, he overcame numerous personal challenges on his path to graduation. Despite these obstacles, he maintained an honors-level GPA throughout his program and also served on the Student Leadership Team. This fall, Koppson will begin his bachelor’s degree in nursing at St. Martin’s University.

“This moment is not an accident,” Koppson said. “It was built through sacrifice, resilience and an unshakeable belief that we were meant for more. As we close this chapter and prepare to write the next, let us remember: success is not a destination; it is a continuous commitment. We must strive not only for personal success, but for collective impact.

• Personalized recognition. Thanks to CPTC’s ongoing partnership with MarchingOrder, every graduate enjoyed a customized moment in the spotlight. As they crossed the stage, each graduate’s name and degree were displayed on the big screen, accompanied by a prerecorded name announcement.
• A lasting record. Commencement photos, both candid and posed, were captured by 1000 Words Events. Photos can be downloaded at no cost at 1000wordsevents.com/CPTC-2025-Commencement-Ceremony.

• Celebration of diversity. Prior to the main ceremony, the Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion hosted the annual MOSAIC Milestones Celebration, honoring the rich cultural backgrounds and achievements CPTC’s 2025 graduates. Participants received cultural identity stoles to wear during commencement.

A total of 802 students earned certificates or degrees from CPTC during the 2024-25 academic year, bringing the college’s all-time graduate total to approximately 36,500.

For those unable to attend in person, the entire event was livestreamed on CPTC’s YouTube channel.