Skilled success: MTECH 2025 graduates encouraged to persevere with ambition and purpose
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- An aerial view of Mountainland Technical College’s 2025 graduation commencement ceremony Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the UCCU Events Center at Utah Valley University.
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- Lauren Holt, Mountainland Technical College’s student of the year, speaks to graduates during the college’s 2025 graduation commencement ceremony Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the UCCU Events Center at Utah Valley University.
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- A graduate poses for a photo during Mountainland Technical College’s 2025 graduation commencement ceremony Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the UCCU Events Center at Utah Valley University.
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- Mountainland Technical College President Clay Christensen speaks to graduates and guests during the college’s 2025 graduation commencement ceremony Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the UCCU Events Center at Utah Valley University.
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- A graduate poses for a photo during Mountainland Technical College’s 2025 graduation commencement ceremony Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the UCCU Events Center at Utah Valley University.
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- Graduates pose for a photo during Mountainland Technical College’s 2025 graduation commencement ceremony Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the UCCU Events Center at Utah Valley University.
The path to a fulfilling career by way of higher education can look different for everyone.
While many students may opt for the typical four-year college experience at a major university, others may choose the vocational school route.
Institutions offering hands-on, career-focused education in a variety of in-demand skilled professions are seemingly on the rise in Utah and across the nation.
A 2023 report by the Utah System of Higher Education showed a student enrollment increase across technical colleges in the state of nearly 9% during the 2022-23 school year.
That growth is also happening at Mountainland Technical College, or MTECH, campuses in Utah and Wasatch counties, which are churning out workforce-ready students.
On Tuesday, MTECH celebrated the accomplishments of its class of 2025 during a commencement ceremony at the UCCU Events Center at Utah Valley University.
Over 2,600 certificates across programs in apprenticeships, health care, technology, service industries and the skilled trades were awarded in front of families and community supporters, the college stated in a press release.
Jeremy Hafen, chair of the board of trustees for MTECH, set the tone of the evening by praising the collective accomplishments of the graduating class who’ve displayed a commitment to hard work and excellence.
“At Mountainland Technical College, we believe that success is more than mastering a skill. It’s about curiosity, perseverance and a commitment to making a difference,” he said.
MTECH’s student of the year, Lauren Holt, gave a motivational talk during the ceremony about what it means to be adaptable and the ability to learn and grow from every experience.
Holt recalled her initial intimidation upon starting at MTECH and how her teachers helped guide her toward a career she’s passionate about.
“Knowing that I had a support system and teachers that genuinely cared about me and wanted to see me succeed gave me the confidence that I needed to go into the program with excitement and ambition,” she said.
Holt, a student in MTECH’s radiology technology program, encouraged graduates to be defiant in pursuing their life goals and to remain willing to learn.
“Let’s go forward, not only with ambition but with purpose,” she said. “Lift others as we climb and let’s be the kind of professionals and people who lead with integrity, humility and strength.”
MTECH President Clay Christensen spoke to the value of technical education.
“You chose a field where people rely on your precision, your expertise and your dedication,” he stated. “You’ve become someone who can make a difference the minute you step into the workforce or continue your education.”
Christensen urged graduates to remain resilient amid failures and setbacks upon entering the workforce.
“Success isn’t about never failing, It’s about getting back up again and again with that same stubborn, quiet fire that brought you here today,” he proclaimed.
MTECH’s 2025 commencement ceremony showcased the diversity and determination of its student body across their campuses from Lehi to Spanish Fork as well as Heber City.
Graduates ranged in age from teens to seasoned adults, each committed to enhancing their lives and careers, spokesperson Maile Richardson said in a release.
