STEUBENVILLE -Patricia Fletcher, Eastern Gateway Community College trustee emeritus, challenged the 2016 EGCC graduating class on Saturday to dare to dream and write their own story in their lives ahead.

The college conferred degrees to 409 students from EGCC’s Jefferson County campus and the Valley Center in Youngstown during its 47th commencement held at the Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Finnegan Fieldhouse.

“The moment has finally arrived,” said EGCC president Jimmie Bruce in congratulating the students. “You earned this.”

He said the graduates join more than 6,000 other graduates who live and work in this area and communities across the country. Bruce said an EGCC degree sets graduates apart from their peers. He recognized the support the graduates received from family and friends.

“Thank you for inspiring and supporting these young men and women,” he said.

Bruce, while introducing Fletcher, said he met her shortly after arriving in Steubenville and the two quickly became good friends.

Returning to school at the age of 27, Fletcher earned a bachelor’s degree from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and obtained a master’s and doctorate degrees from West Virginia University. During her 34 years working in Steubenville City Schools, Fletcher founded the Garfield School of International Studies, a multicultural enrichment program that gained local and national recognition. She was the first African-American woman in the Steubenville Rotary Club and a member and past national president of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs. She was named five times to Ebony Magazine’s 100 Black Leaders in the U.S.. She also served as an adjunct professor at Jefferson Community College, Franciscan University and the University of Dayton. She served on the Franciscan University’s board of advisers and, in 2001, was the first and only woman from the university inducted into the Hall of Excellence of the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges.

Fletcher talked of the dream of Laura Meeks, former EGCC president, to expand the college to include the Youngstown area. She said dreams can be both small and big.

She told the graduates not to dream about owning a beautiful car but to dream about working to the best of their ability.

“You have to have something to believe in … something to hope for. Believe in yourself. Many out there thought they never would be here today. Dreams can get either buried or forgotten,” she said.

Fletcher told the graduates they now have to fulfill new, greater dreams. She said the students receiving degrees on Saturday achieved a great accomplishment, which they can now use in any field they aspire.

“Don’t talk yourself out of great accomplishments. You are at a defining moment. If you can believe it, you can achieve it. Life is not about giving up, but about getting up. You have to realize this is only the beginning. I dare you and challenge you to develop your own dreams,” Fletcher said.

Eastern Gateway Community college graduates:

Jessica Marie Abdalla, Yamaya Abdullah, Roniesha LaShae Adams, Jordyn Alexis Adkins, Anna Marie Agee, Sherry Elizabeth Albarado, Jenniffer D. Amberstone, Chelsea Marie Anderson, James Theodore Anderson, Lori Ann Anderson, Samantha Anderson, Theresa Andrews, Anna Arcuragi, Jack Dalton Arnold, Andrea D. Artman, Leslie M. Aston, Yvonne L. Aylmore, Krystal Rochelle Baab, Alexandria Backus, Cyrus Asher Bailey, Leland Bainbridge, Chelsea Marie Baker, Chelsea Rae Baker, Nicole Marie Ballester, Kimberly A. Barkelew, Russell Clyde Barker III, Anthony Barnes, Brenda Lee Barrett, Dakota J. Barto, Joycelyn D. Batley, Megan Brenna Beebe, Christopher Scott Beitzel, Travis Michael Bell, Ashley Berardinelli-Braun, Teri Jo Best, Justin Bickerstaff, Emily Shae Bland, Kelle Blount, Troylynn D. Boggs, Levi J. Bonecutter, Rosa Jamie Lynn Bowers, Hannah Margaret Boyer, Jessica Lynn Bracone, Misty Lee Brake, Aaron Thomas Bremner, D’Anthony Brown, DaRiann L.S. Brown, Denise Ann Brown, Kevan Newman Brown, Victoria R. Brown, Danyelle Burke, Justin Burnette, Stephen A. Butto, Dalton Butts, Alec Mickenna Byrley, Gina Marie Capaldi, Jennifer Anne Cardona, Michael Anthony Carducci, Shaniah Lynn Carpenter, Bailey Carson, Jackie L. Cartwright, Elizabeth Jane Cary, Melissa Renee Chappell, Jordan Paul Chilensky, Stan M. Ciapala, William Dean Clark Jr., Michael A. Clay, Benjamin Isaac Clutter, Alesia L. Code, Adelle Marie Comer, Megan Anne Connolly, Ashley Ann Connors, Julie Constantine, Carley Sue Cooper, Cassandra Lynne Cooper, Jasmine Nicole Cooper, Lloyd M. Cope, Jeffrey A. Corona, John Costantino Jr., Gretchen M. Crawford, Lisa Anne Cribley, Charles K. Critser, Robert Curtis, Tawana Dale-Matthews, Michael P. D’Andrea, Jay D. Davis, Jacqueline Dean, Kylie Michelle Delaney, Devin Delauder, Shomore Irene DeNiro, Christina DiBucci, Johnny Dickerson, Alexander J. Dickey, Paul DiPasquale Jr., Brian Lee Dobbs, Macy Donadee, Kimberly Virginia Donahue, Derrell De’Sean Douglas Sr., Simone Michelle Dreher, Sabrina L. Edwards, Sheena Elliott, Zachary Matthew Ellis, Jason William Ely, Hannah R. Emley, Jennifer Evans, Lisa Marie Exline, Michael Fairclough, Delano T. Fambro, Leashia G. Faust, Samantha Jo Felekey, Warren Felton Jr., Drew Phillip Ferguson, Christina Floyd, Renate Jean Forster, William T. Fowler Jr., Keshia May Francis, Cindee A. Frazier, Amy Fryda, Amber Nicole Fuller, Ashley Renee Fullerton, Jon Wiatt Gallaher, Joanne Susan Garrett, Abigail Lynn Garrison, Kelly Burns Gaspard, Alexandria Geary, Ali Jo Gerrard, Cody S. Ghrist, Alexis Nicole Gill, Jerome Gilligan, Leah Jean Ging, Scott Aaron Glenn, Amy Jo Greene, Andrew James Grimm, Sarde Antionette Grissett, Lisa Habeger, Alicia Renay Hall, Marquita Hall, Shayla L. Hall, Jada Hampton, Stacey L. Handzus, Allison L. Hanscom, Amber C. Harris, Antoinette Nicole Harris, Kanichole Yanette Harris, Lavon Elaine Harsch, Curtiss Warren Hart, Lori Hartford, Ashley Shea Hefferon, Aleathea Victoria Henderson, Catie Jayne Hill, Dorita Charlotte Hill, Marcella Hinzman, Michaela Hirsch, Donna Lynn Hoder, Greg Holmes, Harley M. Holstein, Nancy Lynn Hoover, David LeRoy Horn, Jasmine R. Howell, Rasheedah Hudson, Sean Hudson II, Jamila T. Humphrey, Theresa Lynn Hurst, Shawna L. Ivory, Courtney Jarman, Melanie C. Jarvis, Tomisha Laquan Jenkins, Gina Marcianna Jennings, Alexis Jobes, Angelisa Johnson, Allison Nicole Jones, Dylan George Jones, Jordon Ross Jones, Maria Lynne Jones, Albert Edward Jukes III, Katie Elise Kasper, Analiza G. Kaufmann, Emily Marie Kauk, Sarah Keeder, Michelle L. Keener, Britney Renee Keeton, Devin John Kennedy, Kathy Lynn Kennedy, Kerstie Alie Kenney, Kathryn Marie Kiger, Chelsie Marie Kindsvatter, Karrie Elizabeth Kinest, Cynthia Diane King, Nathalie King, Talea Georgette Elaine King, Amanda L. Klinesmith, Stephanie Meadors Koewacich, Heather Marie Kost, Jennifer Kulin, Keith Allen Langford, Howard John Lauris II, Katlin Ann Layman, Krystal Alexandria Lee, Cody Glenn Leonard, Amanda Rose Leoni, Byron J. Liggens, Cody Linhart, Pamella M. Linville, Kaitlyn Diane Long, Christopher Lopez-McCoy, Keiasia Nicole Love, Cody James Lucarelli, Mercades Jensen Nicole Ludt, Kelly Lukasko, Michele Lumpp, Shatiqua Lyons, Tiffany L. Macek, Lee Anne Macklin, Christine Magnolia, Marlena Joy Main, Kyle Maney, Lisa LaShawn Manigault, Austin Mannarino, James C. Manning, Michael Dean Markert, Matthew Daniel Marko, Shelbi Lin Marquis, Vickie L. Marsh, Sarah A. Martin, Shauntae Latrice Martinez, Fidele P. Mastroianni, Doreen Mayberry, DeAudra Chante McBride, Monty McClelland, Luke S. McCourt, William Harrison McCurdy III, Clayton Davis McDaniel, Denise S. McDowell, DaKota Lynn McFadden, Aubrey D. McGee, Ian Andrew McIntosh, Janica Michelle McKinney, Sara Ann Meade, Lauren Michelle Meronoff, ShaQuitta Merriweather, Cory Meyer, Crystal Nicole Miller, Hannah Miller, Mandy Renea Miller, Shakur Miller, Tina Marie Milliron, Raeanne Milner, Deonna Minter, Tiffany Miscuk-Karnich, Samantha Montgomery, Bradley D. Moore, Ernestine M. Moore, Ryan Wesley Moore, Edward T. Morgan IV, Lorie A. Morgan, Najah Dijanea Niegypt Morgan, Bethany Lee Morris, Patrick Morris, Shante Morris, Simone Morris, Bethany Ann Mossor, Erica Lynn Mossor, M. Rachel Moyer, Joseph E. Myers, Cindy L. Napier, Jonathan J. Napierkowski, Charles Nation Jr., Catrina L. Needham, Brian Matthew Nemeth, Melanie L. Nemeth, Kaitlyn Marie Nesbitt, Olivia A. Nitzsky, Pamela Nutter, Tiffany Oliver, Juan Jose Oquendo Jr., James Joseph Panella, Shane P. Parker, Sydney Elizabeth Parks, Holli Jo Parrish, Summer Dawn Pastre, Elizabeth M. Patterson, LaMink’a Tashelle Patterson, James B. Patton, Loralea Paugh, Shardae Pearson, Julia Phelan Peck, Rachael L. Peckins, Glenn Perdue, Jaio J. Persaud, Justin Richard Phillips, Marissa Phillips, Rebeckah Elaine Phillis, Gina M. Pierro, Joey L. Pittenger, Edna Evette Polen, Jacqueline Joi Angelique Polk, Shanika Bell Porch, Sara J. Porter, Cynthia Marie Powell, Stephen C. Prest II, Heather Dawn Pulver, Rachel Quaigg, Mohamed Basel Ramahi, Brittney Marie Raymond, Michael Reese, Victoria J. Revak, Cacharel Chiomi Rex, Jonni Ritchie, Jose Ramon Rivera III, Lynn M. Rivera, Nathan Robb, Amber D. Rodriguez, Olympia Rodriguez, Chenequa Rogers, Shelly Lynn Rogers, Jennifer Nicole Lea Rood, Joi L. Roshak, Megan Roupe, Shawntae Rucker-Blackmon, Kevin C. Runkle, Morgan Renee Rupert, Mary Ellen Sambandham, Todd Edward Saums, Hanna Haitham Sayej Jr., Jeanna Lynn Scarabino, Erica Michelle Schwarz, Brandon William Scott, Misty Dawn Scott, Kaitlyn J. Sefcik, Alan LeRoy Shaffer, Jennifer Lee Shane, Kelly Lynn Shannon, Paul A. Shea, Melissa D. Siefert, Tammy Lynn Simmons, Ashley Elizabeth Simon, Gina L. Skatula, John Paul Cameron Smith, Michael Smith, Monica Amanda Smith, Noah Smith, William W. Smith, Joshua Matthew Snipes, Darrel Claude Snyder Jr., Allissa J. Sokol, Brandon M. Sowers, Timothy P. Spalding, Kimberlee J. Speare, Tesla M. Spears, Andrew Srock, Julia Elizabeth Stanberry, Richard Alan Stanley Jr., Jamie Breanne Starcher, Jamie Lynn Starkey, Margaret Roxanne Stephens, Kristen Nicole Stewart, Joseph Dorin Stigar, Michael Jason Stine, Alexis Rachelle Stoltz-Corrick, Stephanie Jade Streb, Jonathan Nino Suriano, Erin E. Surmaceviz, Bethany L. Sutherland, Kevin Shane Sweeney, Melissa L. Tadla, Hayley Talkington, Aisha Fatima Talley, Sophia R. Talley, Carolene Taylor, Jaleesa Renee Taylor, Tyler Scott Tenley, Matthew Scott Tennant, Renee Thompson, Duren Quent Thornton, John Tinney, Ashley Rebecca Tipton, Mickaela Tiziani, Annette B. Travis, Monica Lynn Traylor, Arlisha A. Turner, Renault D. Turner Sr., Wickie Tutt, Zack Robert Uscianowski, Joyce A. VanDyke, Kara Anne Van Dyke, Anna Elizabeth Vasich, Cody Vasich, Jason Velasquez, Jo Anna Marie Villanueva, Christina Vitullo, Kelsey Lynn Vodvarka, Eric James Walden Jr., Marcia L. Walker, Jasmine Marie Ware, Nara R. Warren, Kali Watson, Kara June Waugh, John B. Weaver, Ashley Nicole Webb, Elizabeth Webnar, Rebecca A. Wees, Jaimee Welch, Lynnise Wells, Wendi Lynn Wentzell-Cuc, Charles P. Williams, Christopher James Williams, Laura Williams, Marissa R. Williams, Ta’knia LaShon Washington Williams, Herman Edward Willis II, Christina Marie Wilson, Victoria Kathryn Wilson, Brandi Leigh Wines, Nicole A. Wolfkill, Eva Womack-Ibrahim, Nicolle M. Wood, Seletta Woods, Jamie Wright, Kayla DeAnna Marie Wright, Skylyn Wright, Judith A. Wszeborowski, Cortney Celeste Yohe, April Young-McArthur, Jennifer Lynne Zebrasky and Alicia Marie Ziarko.