'A milestone, not a finish line': Walla Walla Community College sends off Class of 2026
From working nights to raising children to balancing athletics and studies, each graduate in Walla Walla Community College's Class of 2026 had different a different journey to get their degree.
But what unites them all, Gustavo Reyna reminded them, is that they now share a story of reaching that achievement at Walla Walla Community College.
"The education you earn here honors who you were before coming to the college, the sacrifices you made as a student, and the future stories of who you will become," Reyna said
Reyna, who is a member of the WWCC Board of Trustees and is the mayor of Walla Walla, was the commencement speaker for the Saturday, June 13, graduation.
He said that his own story was likely the same as many of the graduates' parents or grandparents, as someone who immigrated to the United States at 17 years old because his parents feared he would be a victim of a civil conflict in his country.
"In the long and painful road that followed, without my family nearby, resources, support or options, I still believed that pursuing a good education would enable me to overcome the obstacles," Reyna said. "That meant having access to affordable education, coupling scholarships and grants together, working part-time and managing prejudices and discrimination. What started as a temporary journey became the long and winding road that brings me here today. And it is affordable, inclusive community colleges like this one that enable people like me to continue our stories and build the full expression of who we are."
One of Saturday's graduates, Esteban Rodriguez, shared his own story as someone who grew up with a mom battling cancer. During that time, his family helped take care of Rodriguez and his siblings. His dad, he said, worked day and night and kept going no matter how tired he was.
"My parents were always, and continue to be, greater than their suffering," Rodriguez said. "And I'm happy to say that my mom is watching me grow up, out there in the crowd."
Rodriguez shared three things with his fellow graduates that he learned from his experiences growing up.
Show up every day, no matter how tough life may be. Always be courageous, taking chances even if they're scary. And love yourself and those around you.
"When days are good or bad, when you are sad or mad, continue to live and love," Rodriguez said. "Smile through the pain and know that however the day may be going, you are up and alive for a reason."
Reyna reminded the graduates before they walked across the stage to receive their degrees, diplomas and certificates, that there would be moments of doubt and jarring setbacks in the future. But that, he said, is when you have to remember the things that brought you to where you are - the teacher who stayed late for you, the friend who believed in you and the late nights of studying.
"Go forward with humility and confidence. Build community where there is none. Speak up when it matters. Listen when it's hard, and keep learning from books, from mistakes and from the people around you," Reyna said. "Success is not a single event. It is an accumulation. Let this day be a milestone, not a finish line. Finally, go forward with courage, with heart and with the stubborn spirit that brought you to this moment."
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.