Travis Eull graduated from college just in time to be buffeted by the Great Recession, Southwestern Michigan College’s outstanding graduates heard April 20 in the theater of the Dale A. Lyons Building on the Dowagiac campus.

“Shortly after President Obama came to Elkhart and spoke about the struggling economy and high unemployment, my employer cut 20 percent of its workforce,” Eull said. “Although I was part of the largest hiring group in recent years, I survived. I didn’t survive due to my GPA. Plenty of my peers had better GPAs. It was hard work I had shown in those few months that set me apart. The drive to keep improving, to keep using skills I developed in both school and on the job, kept me employed through rough economic times.”

“The message I hope to convey to you is this,” he said. “Continual improvement is a must, whether it means staying up to date on developments and changes in your field, networking with professionals or simply going the extra mile.

“A college degree is the first of many challenges at which you will succeed. Remember the hard work and dedication it took to get yourselves in the position you’re in today. That same hard work and dedication are now more important than ever. Continue to push forward and distinguish yourselves from the crowd.”

SMC President David Mathews introduced Eull, the law firm administrator for May Oberfell Lorber in Mishawaka and a member of SMC’s accounting advisory board.

Eull, a 2002 Niles High School graduate, initially pursued engineering at Western Michigan University, but “that [field] wasn’t where I wanted to go,” so he transferred to the Ferris State University at SMC program and completed his accountancy degree in 2008.

Eull used an internship in McGladrey’s tax department as a springboard to his first position, until the summer of 2012.

He served as a financial analyst for Thor Industries, which makes recreational vehicles, then, in April 2014, he became controller at Stealth Enterprises, a Bristol, Indiana, trailer manufacturer.

The 120 students graduating with honors at SMC’s 50th Commencement May 6 were recognized for earning cumulative grade-point averages of 3.5 or higher:

Jessica Akey, Courtney Anderson, Schuyler Baker, Bailey Bakerson, Santiago Banda, Zachary Belin, Heather Berry, Lila Blough, Megan Bretschneider, Tamia Brooks, Blake Bundy, Brad Bundy, Melissa Burpee, Corbin Cains, Daniel Cantu, Elizabeth Carpenter, Danielle Chantrenne, Carlos Cifuentes Rivas, Stephanie Cole, Austin Cooper, Tierrany Cooper, Nellie Coquillard, Miroslava Cruz, Kayla Darling, Janet Davis, Zachary Davis, Kyra DeLoach, Justin Desjardin, Michelle Dowsett, Amelia Eggleston, Taylor Fairburn, Bailey Foster, Andrew Furrer, Katherine Gamage, Trevor Gray, Nathan Green, Alan Griffin, Sara Gropp, Dakotah Haas, Camrin Hall, Gabrielle Harrison, Courtney Hartline, Kira Holloway, Sarah Holtsclaw, Allyson Hughes, Victoria Hughes, Tristan Hunsberger, Donald Irwin, Hayden Jarnutowski, Alexander Jeffries, Amanda Johnson, Brooke Johnson, Michael Johnson, Jacob Juhasz, Caleb Kasper, Katelyn Kuhlman, Connie Kutschbach, Jackie LaBranche, Grace Leighton, Rachel Leister, Phillip Lewis, Michael Luthringer, Destinee Madgyesi, Mary Martin, Nancy Martinez, Trent Matheny, William Mathews, Miranda McGlothlen, Kristen Mead, Iris Middaugh, Caitlin Miller, Michael Morey, Aaron Neumayer, Andrew Nordman, Sarah Norton, Brandon Palmer, Madison Palmer, Blake Parsons, BaiLee Pastol, Emily Pedzinski, Ciara Peel, Jacob Pittman, Lacy Pollock, Gerardo Ramos, Raneen Razick, Jonathan Reneberg, Lauren Reynolds, Shawna Ridenour, Matthew Riley, Patrick Riley, Phillip Robertson, Tobias Robertson, Salvador Rodriguez, Jose Romero, LeRoy Russ, Kollin Schultz, Laura Sherwood, Tammy Slocum, Kasey Smith, Tori Smith, Erika Stacey, Breanna Strefling, DeYonte Sullivan, Elizabeth Szakal, Alexandria Thomas, Aidan Traynor, Arrow Truex, Cynthia Vasquez, Tyler Villwock, Claire Wagner, Lucy Wagner, Austin Wallace, Taylor Weston, Kerstin Wheeler, Arianna Wilder, Katie Wiles, Victoria Williams, Courtney Yoder, Dawn Young and Anne Zebell.

Anna Norris, the full-time faculty member of the year, and Joe Coti, adjunct faculty member of the year, read the honor graduates’ names.

David Fleming, vice president of instruction, announced part-time faculty finalists as Donna Courtney, Anthony Givhan, Sarah Snyder, Michael Deschamp and Michele Harlow.

Fulltime faculty finalists are Gail Shirey, Rona Goodrich, Doug Schauer, Kyle Kelly and Barbara Karwacinski.

Winners will be announced May 1.

SMC Select Voices, conducted by Director of Choral Activities David Carew, provided entertainment before the ceremony.

Southwestern Michigan College is a public, residential and commuter, community college, founded in 1964. The college averages in the top 10 percent nationally for student academic success based upon the National Community College Benchmark Project. Southwestern Michigan College strives to be the college of first choice, to provide the programs and services to meet the needs of students, and to serve our community. The college is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges.