MTC graduates reflect on their lessons at graduation | Observer

By Madison Bierl
| 11:30 a.m. June 27, 2025

Manatee Technical College graduates Carmen Lesser, Kelsey Seeley and Maria Galante complete the applied cybersecurity program which takes 7 months to complete.

Tonia Wampler, Nicole Kelly, Brittany Romano and Emily Brophy complete the Paramedic-ATD program at MTC.

Hailey Lopez-Lanuza and Brittany Simunovic graduate in the surgical technolgy program. Lopez-Lanuza was a speaker at the commencement ceremony.

Medical assisting instructor Linda Chamberlain poses with her student Samantha Schanely who completed the medical assisting program. Schanely’s goal is to continue her education to become a physician’s assistant.

Michael Salazar, Jack Micciche, Jose Gaona-Garcia, Matthew Johnson, Kylie Winters, Hailey Lopez-Lanuza and Brittany Simunovic graduate from the surgical technology program. After they completed clinicals, they celebrated together at Top Golf.

Dental assisting instructor Ashley Cestero taught Mikayla Wiles in the dental assisting technology and management department. Wiles appreciates how hands on the program was and works at Rose Dental.

Baking and pastry arts instructor Ed Catalane poses with graduate Denver Inopiquez.

Karen Trejo, Isabella Garcia, dental assisting teacher Ashley Cestero, Ruby Jimenez-Carreon and Mikayla Wiles were part of the dental assisting technology and management.

Jesse Eckert graduates from the automotive service technology department. He works at Hendrick Honda Bradenton completing tire rotations, oil changes and the like.

MTC instructor Shane Baxley, graduate Dylan Brown and instructor Steven Whalen are part of the automotive collision technology program

Sophia Swim, a graduate in digital videography technology that made a speech for the ceremony, shakes hands with Paul Gansemer, the executive director of adult, career and technical education for the School District of Manatee County.

Early childhood education teacher AnnaMaria Mascherino-Carleton poses with graduate Erika Taylor

Instructor Ron Tomlin, graduate Stepvon Saunders and instructor Freddie Fowler are part of the marine service technologies program. Saunders works at Poseidon Marine in Ruskin, Florida replacing boat engines and doing plumbing and electrical work.

Manatee Technical College graduates Carmen Lesser and Kelsey Seeley graduate in applied cybersecurity.

Hailey Lopez-Lanuza, a graduate of the Manatee Technical College’s surgical technology program, enrolled at MTC right after graduating a year early from Manatee High School in May 2024.

She had mixed feelings of excitement, nervousness and uncertainty about what she wanted for her future. 

Fast forward to June 26 and her feelings no longer were mixed. She was thrilled to have completed her surgical technology program.

During MTC’s first of two graduation ceremonies that day, Lopez-Lanuza gave a speech to half of the 700 MTC graduates. 

“I knew I was choosing a path that was challenging, but what I did not expect was how much I would grow alongside people from all walks of life, all here chasing a dream,” Lopez-Lanuza said. “Some of us came straight from school, others changed careers, balanced jobs and families, but we all had one thing in common — we refused to give up on ourselves.” 

Lopez-Lanuza said she learned a lot through the program, such as how to be calm under pressure, that every second counts, and to say yes to opportunities that might be a bit scary.

She plans to work for a couple of years and then go back to school to earn her registered nursing license. She said she would consider working in the emergency room thereafter. 

Sophia Swim, a graduate in digital videography technology, stressed the importance of following your passion, even if it is not easy. 

“Growth doesn’t always look like a straight line,” Swim said. “Sometimes it looks like doubt, like falling forward, like walking into a classroom with your heart in your throat hoping you’re in the right place.” 

Swim said the unknown is not the enemy, it is a beginning. 

“This place taught us how to use our hands and our minds, but also how to hold ourselves together when things fall apart,” Swim said. “How to keep creating, keep trying, even when it’s messy, even when you feel behind, and even when it feels like everyone else has figured it out.”