 After years of hard work, more than 1,100 students can officially call themselves a Bemidji State graduate. Reporter Sherelle Moore shares the stories of the Class of 2018. I'll probably miss being on the lake the most, honestly. I love being outside and it's just an absolutely beautiful campus. Many have dreamed of the day when they would finally get to walk across the stage with their degree in hand. For some graduates, this moment represents a journey of hard work and perseverance. Well, I honestly slumped out of school twice before going back to the Northwest Technical College. And then after I succeeded there, I came back to VSU. Five, six years ago, I didn't see myself in college at all. I'm originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and when I moved up here, I started working. I'm like, no, why not take a shot at education and see what it can do for me. Bemidji State University is filled with a diverse group of students. This year, 53 graduates were American Indian students, the most ever for VSU. There were also 64 master degree recipients and 39 veterans, not to mention a number of international students. The reason that I came here is because it feels like home. I was in here before but with all the pictures and there are some other Nepali students and because that's what they've said, I really feel like home. Many graduates say they're excited to get started in their career. I'm looking forward to being in a data science field. I want to see what it has to offer. Not going to class mostly and not having to worry about take tests. I'm excited to actually get out there and start teaching. While some will be furthering their education, like Naomi, who received a full ride to the Medical College of Wisconsin. I've had so much support and so many great people at VSU. I would have done okay by myself but everybody here makes the difference. Kenneth says he's looking forward to spending time with family. In particular, his son. It's probably the best four-year investment that I possibly have ever made and I don't thank VSU a lot for everything that they've done for me. As for the rest of our graduates, it's safe to say the sky's the limit. Congratulations. Congratulations to all those graduates out there. Northwest Technical College also had their graduation today. This year more than 200 students earned their degree from NTC. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.