SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf and Howard College will kick off commencement season in the area by holding their respective graduation exercises Friday.

Festivities begin tonight when SWCID holds its annual Awards Convocation at 7 p.m. in the college auditorium. The event annually recognizes the top students at the institution, the largest community college for the deaf in the United States.

Honors to be handed out include the President's Award, given to the top SWCID student, along with the Provost's Award, presented to a student with a high grade-point average who is also active in student life, officials said.

In addition, several scholarships will be awarded, including ones named in memory of Dr. P.W. Malone, Alice Haynes, Sherrie Baird and Phillip Waldrup.

Fourteen SWCID students will receive degrees and certificates when commencement ceremonies are held at 10 a.m. Friday in the auditorium.

Featured speaker at the event will be Kenny Walker, a deaf person who starred for both the Nebraska University and Denver Broncos football teams.

Nursing and dental hygiene students will receive their pins during ceremonies planned for today and Friday at the Hall Center for the Arts on the HC campus.

Graduates of the Associate Degree Nursing program will receive their pins at 3 p.m., followed by Licensed Vocational Nursing graduates at 6 p.m.

Dental Hygeine graduates will be pinned during ceremonies planned for 4 p.m. Friday.

More than 200 students are expected to receive degrees and certificates when Howard College holds its annual commencement exercises at 7 p.m. Friday in Dorothy Garrett Coliseum.

Contact Staff Writer Steve Reagan at 263-7331 ext. 234 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it