WNC Class of 2024 Graduate Working on Bachelor’s Degree in Finance through Penn State University

For someone who never thought he’d venture into higher education, Bruce Runnels II definitively demonstrated that he belongs in college.

Runnels graduated from Western Nevada College with an Associate of Business degree on Thursday. Moreover, he’ll graduate with academic honors (Cum Laude).

“This graduation means a lot to me; I never anticipated I would pursue higher education, which is something my mother and sisters always wanted for me,” Runnels said.

“This has been an extremely challenging pursuit, and at times, I felt completely overwhelmed, but through the support of my family and close friend — WNC alum Brenna King — I was able to persevere.”

The spark for his college education stemmed from Runnels’ interest in finance and economics, followed by WNC’s business program developing that passion.

“I enjoyed all of my business classes, specifically I found Business 101 with Jacob Council particularly enjoyable; it laid a strong foundation of information that benefited me in many of my other classes such as Marketing, Accounting and Economics,” he said.

Runnels’ rapport with his instructors and work ethic helped him excel in his classes and accomplish academic honors.

“I attribute this to both the excellent instructors of my classes and my own determination in completing the material,” he said. “Even when I had a challenging start in a class, I never let it discourage me. I simply focused on that class’s material and worked hard to reach my goals.

“After my first semester, I remember telling my friend, Brenna, that my goal was to graduate with a 3.3 GPA, but as the classes continued, I remember raising that goal to 3.5, then 3.6.”

Cum Laude academic honors recipients have cumulative GPAs ranging from 3.6 to 3.74.

King, who provides academic coaching support at WNC, says that Runnels has one quality that makes a difference in learning new material and concepts.

“There are a lot of great things that I could say about Bruce, but if I only said one thing, it would be, he is tenacious,” King said. “Even when he feels overwhelmed or defeated, he keeps on pushing. He might take a moment to regroup, but he doesn't give up. He's incredibly smart and kind, but it's his tenacity that is truly inspiring.”

Council, a Business Management instructor at WNC, enjoyed Runnels’ participation in discussions in online courses.

“Bruce Runnels was an exemplary student of mine,” Council said. “Over the 16 weeks, I witnessed his significant academic growth. Online courses can be challenging due to minimal interaction with peers, but in my course, students participate in discussion posts, and Bruce consistently responded with respect and professionalism. I am delighted to hear that he is continuing his education at Penn State. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Studying and working hard are only part of what it takes to realize a college education. Runnels is especially appreciative of the financial support he received from WNC Foundation to make it happen.

“I had some scholarships that I received through WNC that were extremely helpful in completing my degree,” he said. “The Helen Close Charitable Foundation Scholarship and the Catherine ‘Suse’ Fitz Scholarship. Additionally, I worked part time as the Testing Center proctor at the WNC Fallon campus.”

Runnels plans to work at a financial institution evaluating businesses or in a finance department at a business. But, first, he is continuing his higher education path by transferring to Penn State University to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance through its online distance learning program. Summer classes have already started.

His experiences at WNC and completing his associate degree have left a lasting impression on Runnels.

“I'm happy to have started this path and this ceremony is the first way I can share my success with my family,” he said.

Note: Western Nevada College's Commencement Week concluded on Thursday, May 23, with a ceremony in Fallon. WNC began celebrating the Class of 2024 on Monday, May 20, in Carson City, including a special Pinning Ceremony for the Associate of Applied Science Nursing grads. In today's ceremony, Captain Shane Tanner, the commanding officer at Naval Air Station Fallon, delivered the commencement address. WNC President Dr. J. Kyle Dalpe provided opening remarks and presented and conferred the grads. Nevada System of Higher Education Regent Dr. Jeffrey Downs and ASWN (student government) President Suzanna Stankute also spoke to the graduates. Congratulations, graduates and families!