COEUR d’ALENE — Rainy weather couldn’t dampen the spirits of North Idaho College’s 2025 graduates as they celebrated their crowning achievements. 

Hundreds of students and their loved ones filled the Schuler Performing Arts Center on Friday morning for the first of two commencement ceremonies. Associate program graduates walked in the morning ceremony, while dual credit, health professions and technical program graduates walked in the afternoon. 

This year, 971 students graduated from NIC — the biggest graduating class in the community college’s 91-year history. 

“Thank you for your commitment to education, to yourselves and to this gathering place we call North Idaho College,” said NIC President Nick Swayne. 

Coeur d’Alene Tribal Chairman Chief Allan, who delivered the commencement address, reminded the graduates that their achievements and the lessons they learned throughout their journeys are theirs to keep forever. 

“In life, you can lose your job,” he said. “You can lose your car. You can lose your home. You can lose a loved one. But the one thing they can never take away from you is the education that you earned.” 

Education comes in many forms, Allan said. Many of his most important life lessons were taught to him by his mother, a single mom who didn’t complete high school but who wanted more for her children. 

“She taught me that you’ve got to believe in yourself,” he said. “It’s up to you. Your parents can believe in you. Your grandparents can believe in you. Your siblings can believe in you. But the one doing the hard work is you. That belief in yourself will take you many places in this life.” 

Allan encouraged the graduates to remember those who came before them. 

“We are the hopes and dreams of our ancestors,” he said, looking out across a sea of Cardinal red caps and gowns. “We owe it to our ancestors to do our best.” 

Cydney Minas, of Coeur d’Alene, graduated with a degree in early childhood education and development. 

“It feels great,” she said after the ceremony, smiling under a cloudy sky. 

Small, painted handprints on Minas’ mortarboard hint at the inspiration for her to return to school: her 4-year-old son, who was there to see his mom walk across the stage and receive her hard-earned diploma. 

While studying at NIC, Minas worked in the Children’s Center, an early childhood program serving the families of NIC students, faculty and staff. Balancing school, work and parenting a young child was a challenge. 

“It was hard,” she said. “But it was great having the support of my family and my husband.” 

    NIC graduates look to the stage during the 2025 commencement ceremony.
  

    NIC graduate Lisa Hudson crosses the stage to receive her diploma Friday.
  

    Graduates celebrate after Friday morning's commencement ceremony at NIC.