Hundreds of family and friends gathered at the Reno Sparks Convention Center to congratulate the 70 most recent graduates of Sierra Nevada Job Corps Center.

“Learn, learn, learn, and don’t ever stop learning,” was the main message shared by Keynote Speaker Paul Mitchell who is a professor and PhD at the University of Nevada, Reno. Mitchell added that learning as much as you can is the secret for “getting just about everything you want.”

Mitchell also admonished the graduates to do the work needed to succeed.

“Always remember this: a goal without a plan is just a wish. Without the plan, your dreams will remain nothing but wishes.”

Center Director Rocky Flanary was very pleased with Mitchell’s address. “Sierra Nevada Job Corps was honored to have a commencement speaker like Professor Mitchell. He really delivered a great positive message full of life lessons for the graduates.”

Professor Mitchell, who completed his doctorate in educational leadership at the University of Nevada, Reno currently oversees recruiting of new and transfer students and manages retention programs to ensure the academic success of Reynolds Journalism School students, where he also teaches.