Edison State Honors Graduating Class of 2026

Edison State Community College proudly recognized the achievements of the Class of 2026 during its 51st annual commencement ceremony. The event, held at the Piqua Campus on Friday, May 15, brought together graduates, family, and friends as students completed this significant chapter of their educational journeys.

“We are very proud of you, and it is our honor to celebrate your accomplishments because you have given us the opportunity to offer you a new perspective on life,” Edison State President Dr. Chris Spradlin told graduates. “For that is what Edison State is all about—helping people to improve themselves, better their lives, and realize their dreams. A significant part of this is developing you, our graduates, as well-rounded individuals. We strive to enhance not only your technical skills but your character and your experience of life as well.”

He added, “We at Edison State wish you all the best in your future endeavors. We are grateful to have played a part in shaping your new life, and we look forward to the great things you will do in service to our community and to our world.”

The commencement ceremony included a keynote address from John Warner, President & CEO of Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville. A licensed nursing home administrator, he joined BRC in 2004 as VP & COO, moving into the role of VP & CFO in 2005. He has had the privilege of serving as President & CEO for the past 19 years. He is also a former Edison State adjunct faculty member and served two terms on The Edison Foundation Board.

Prior to BRC, Warner worked for Fifth Third Bank for over 21 years in a variety of senior management roles in commercial and consumer lending, as well as retail administration. Active in the community, he serves as Chair of the Board of GNB Banking Centers and is a board or committee member for Family Health Services, Darke County Chamber of Commerce, Coalition for a Healthy Darke County, Peace Church Risk Retention Group, Resource Partners, Leading-Age Ohio, and Link-Age.

“Congratulations to you, graduates—your hard work has paid off,” said Warner. “Congratulations to your families and friends who have helped you along the way. Congratulations to Edison State for once again preparing another great group of graduates to hit the workforce or who are continuing on with educational opportunities. Congratulations to the employers who will be getting some fine team members who will be ready to contribute. Congratulations to colleges and universities who will be receiving top-notch students. And congratulations to us, our community, and quite frankly the world, who are about to receive some fine Edison State grads who have the potential to make a real positive impact wherever they may go!”

Warner offered three key thoughts to the graduating class that he’s learned over his 44-year business career. First, he shared, “Whatever you do in life, do it well.” He encouraged graduates to look at their work as a calling, then “to know that our work has a purpose and that purpose makes a positive impact in the lives of people.”

His second thought was, “You need to be open to change—expect it and embrace it, and see setbacks as opportunities.” Warner said this perspective will help graduates be prepared to respond to change and challenges, and that “this response will be the key to success.”

Lastly, he shared, “Be a nice human—in life and at work.” He added that being a nice human at work means to “be a good team member, communicate, listen, collaborate, resolve conflict mutually and quickly, be reliable, help solve problems—not start them, squelch workplace gossip, and show empathy and understanding along the way.”

Warner added that being a nice human includes being nice to ourselves, our families, and our communities by being present. He urged graduates to learn good time management skills to make the best impact and to take the time to give back to their community, church, or local nonprofit.

He concluded by saying that graduates are being handed a blank piece of paper. “On that paper,” he said, “you’ll be writing your life story. You have the opportunity to write your next chapter and the chapter after that, and so on until your story is complete. More than likely there will be lots of writing, probably some scratch-outs and do-overs, some straight lines and some not so straight, starting and stopping. You may need another piece of paper as well. That’s life. But keep writing, because your story has a purpose and can make a real positive impact in our world.”

The Class of 2026 includes 496 graduates earning 683 degrees and certificates. Degrees and certificates completed include those in career and transfer programs such as arts, business, communication, engineering and manufacturing, health sciences, humanities, information technology, mathematics, science, and social and public services.

Edison State Community College’s Class of 2026*

• 496 graduates earned 683 degrees and certificates.
  • 31% are career degrees.
  • 30% are transfer degrees.
  • 18% are one-year certificates.
  • 21% are short-term certificates.
• Ages range from 14.9 to 74.9. Median age is 22. 244 (49.19%) are 21 or younger and 11 (2.22%) are 50 or older.
• 46 will graduate with honors (GPA 3.5-3.74), 45 with high honors (GPA 3.75-3.99), and 21 with highest honors (GPA 4.0).
• 66% are female, 34% male.
• 35% live in Miami County, 22% in Shelby County, and 16% in Darke County.
• 22 Ohio counties are represented.
• 59 graduates are high school seniors and 5 are high school juniors.
• 13% of graduates completed at least one developmental course.
• 37% transferred credit hours to Edison State.
• 185 students with transfer credit totaled 4,889 hours transferred, averaging 26 hours per student.

*Figures represent graduates in academic year 2025-26 as of May 13, 2026 
Office of Institutional Research