Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) hosted a landmark commencement on May 8, honoring all graduates who completed their degree and/or certificate requirements in the spring 2026 semester.

COTC President John M. Berry, PhD, presided over the ceremony, which featured the first graduating classes from the college’s respiratory therapy technology and RN to BSN programs.

They will send passionate, skilled healthcare professionals into the communities that need them most,” Berry proclaimed. “History was made here today.

Those degrees are now among the more than 20,000 credentials COTC has awarded to its more than 18,000 graduates. The college crossed each of those thresholds during this special spring commencement ceremony, during which two esteemed graduates gave a keynote speech.

Ally Simon spoke to her entire graduating class as a representative of the respiratory therapy technology program.

When we first started this journey, there was no roadmap,” Simon began. But her cohort entrusted COTC, and perseverance made them pioneers. “We stepped into something new and trusted the process even when the path wasn’t always clear. In a lot of ways, we didn’t just complete this program — we helped build it.

As they take the next step, they’ll build upon the foundation they established at COTC. “We’re stepping into roles that require more than just knowledge and technical skill,” Simon, who was honored as her program’s Most Outstanding Student, said. “It’s about bringing compassion, patience and humanity into every interaction. We have the opportunity to make a real difference. If this journey has proven anything, it’s that we are capable of far more than we ever imagined.”

Brian Haught took a different tack with his address to the group of graduates. “I’m not here to inspire you,” he started.

Yet Haught is inherently inspiring. His impressive professional career and contributions as a volunteer earned him this year’s John C. “Jay” Barker Community Service Alumni Award. It recognizes outstanding commitment to both COTC and the broader Licking County community.

He graduated with a digital media design technology degree from COTC in 2007. For more than a decade, his knack for marketing and storytelling drove the creative direction of the Midland Theatre and The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art and Technology. Haught has served as president of Mental Health America of Licking County and currently works as an outreach manager for Licking County Aging Partners, where he connects older adults with critical resources.

Instead of inspiring, Haught offered his practical but powerful approach to success.

It isn’t a moment,” said Haught. “It’s what you build over time. If there’s anything I can offer you today, it’s a few ways ‘to be.’ Be present. Be curious. Be open. Be kind. Be silly. Be patient. Be intentional. If you can do that — even imperfectly — that’s the kind of success that actually lasts.

And with his last thought, Haught ushered his now fellow COTC alumni into their next phase. “Congratulations, COTC graduates,” Haught concluded. “Now go be.”