Be present. Be curious. Be happy. Make mistakes.
That was the advice State Technical College of Missouri graduation keynote speaker Naomi Klouzek gave to more than 500 students who graduated Saturday from State Tech in Linn.
Klouzek graduated from State Tech's drafting and design engineering technology program in 1994 and worked for Pioneer Truss Company in Owensville following graduation. She later started working for the Missouri Builders Service, Inc., where she currently serves as the office manager.
Graduates need to "be curious and driven to continue learning" following graduation, Klouzek said, and they need to "bring your A Game every single day." However, she added, don't be afraid to make mistakes.
"Mistakes will happen," she said. "However, don't be afraid of them. Own them and then learn from them. It's simple."
Of the 600 graduates, more than 530 of them walked during the three graduation ceremonies, according to a State Tech news release.
Walking across the stage to accept her diploma, Hannah Conley could hear her young children cheer from the audience. The 29-year-old said it's been a long, difficult road, but she was excited to graduate from the Medical Radiologic Technology program.
"It's a really difficult program," said Conley, who accepted a full-time job with Capital Regional Medical Center in Jefferson City. "You have to be committed and you have to study. It's not something to take likely because this is for your future career."
Medical Radiologic Technology graduate Jillian Current said she will miss doing activities with her classmates.
"We have a really great class even though there is a wide variety of ages and you would never think we would get along, but we're like the best friends leaving here," said Current, who accepted a full-time position at CRMC.
The Medical Radiologic Technology job placement rate has averaged 94 percent over the last five years, department chair Melissa Hart said.
For the Dental Assisting Technology program, the job placement rate is about 96 percent, department chair Kathleen Jeffries said.
Jeffries said the new graduates need to "make the commitment to perform each and every day" as if they were doing a "working interview."
"The best efforts earn the best jobs in dentistry and any career," she said. "Graduates think of classmates when their employer is looking for another employee to hire. They remember peers who have been helpful, considerate, hard-working and leaders. Clinical sites remember those students too."
Medical Radiologic Technology and Dental Assisting Technology are two of four programs housed in the new 21,000-square-foot Health Sciences Building. Physical Therapist Assistant and Practical Nursing Technology are also in the new building.