Allegany College of Maryland Fall Commencement Planned for December 13

CUMBERLAND, Md. – December 4, 2024 – Allegany College of Maryland will celebrate the achievements of its fall 2024 graduating class at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 13. This fall 219 students expect to earn 250 degrees and certificates. The commencement ceremony will take place in the Physical Education Building’s gymnasium on ACM’s Cumberland campus. After the ceremony, graduates and their guests are invited to the College Center for light refreshments and photographs.  

Three student speakers selected 
Three high-achieving students were chosen to deliver the student commencement remarks: Bonnie Buser, Haleigh Kepple, and Robert West.  

• Bonnie Buser is a nursing major from Rawlings, Maryland. Buser previously earned a bachelor’s degree in 2012. Buser holds a 3.54 GPA at ACM, appearing on both the Dean’s List and Honors List. She was inspired to enter the profession of nursing because of the national nursing shortage and selected ACM’s program for its high rankings among nursing programs. After graduation, Buser will ease the cancer journeys of patients as an oncology intensive care unit (ICU) nurse at Johns Hopkins Medical Institution. Buser’s career goal is to eventually become a public health administrator.  
  
• Haleigh Kepple is a teaching major from Frostburg, Maryland, and a 2022 graduate of Mountain Ridge High School. At ACM, she holds a 4.00 GPA and has appeared on the Dean’s List each semester. Her desire to help others influenced her decision to enter the education field. After graduation, Kepple will transfer to Frostburg State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education. Her career plan is to give back to her community by shaping future generations as a teacher in Allegany County. 
  
• Robert West is a criminal justice transfer major from Frostburg, Maryland. He is a 2022 graduate of Mountain Ridge High School. West holds a 3.70 GPA at ACM, appearing on both the Dean’s List and Honors List. His choice to pursue a career in criminal justice was influenced by his family’s career paths in corrections and public safety. West will transfer to Frostburg State University after graduation to pursue a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. As West continues to explore career paths, his dream job is to become a federal marshal.  
  

Planning for guests  
Parking is available near the Physical Education and Humanities Buildings. ACM’s campus map is available online. Accessibility services are available for people with disabilities. Please contact Gerry Geil, the college’s coordinator of academic access and disability resources, by calling 301-784-5234.  

For more information about Allegany College of Maryland’s fall commencement ceremony, please contact Shauna McQuade by calling 301-784-5288. Additional information is available online at www.allegany.edu/graduation.