Former NFL player and Vice President of Real Estate Development with First Companies Ty Hallock and Montcalm Community College student Gwenyth Platte will address graduates and their guests during MCC’s 57^th Annual Commencement Ceremony on May 3.

The ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. in the gymnasium in the Activities Building on the college’s Sidney campus. Doors will open at 6 p.m. A nursing pinning ceremony to recognize the college’s 25 graduating nursing students will be May 2 at 6 p.m. in the gymnasium.

Hallock was born in Grand Rapids and raised in Greenville. He attended Michigan State University as a student-athlete. After college, he played professional football for several years before returning to West Michigan, in Ada. Professionally, he has been providing commercial real estate advisory services for the last 22 years. He began his career on the Industrial Real Estate Team at Grubb and Ellis, before becoming the Managing Director at CB Richard Ellis. Then, after a meeting with First Companies owner Jeff Baker, he landed at First Companies in 2007 as Vice President of Real Estate Development. Hallock is very involved in the community and enjoys golfing, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

 Platte, of Ionia, will be representing MCC’s class of 2024 as the student speaker. She is graduating with an MiTransfer Pathway Social Work Associate of Arts degree. She is a member of the college’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society and the Adventure Club and has been on the President’s Honor Roll each semester while attending MCC. Platte is a second-degree black belt with the American Taekwondo Association and has earned 10 state and five district championship titles during her seven years as a martial arts athlete. She plans to transfer to Grand Valley State University to pursue a bachelor’s and master’s of social work degrees with the goal of becoming a talk therapist. Platte chose to attend MCC after seeing what an asset the Early College and Dual Enrollment programs were for her brothers. Her favorite things about MCC are the small class sizes, personable staff, student support services and Recreation and Fitness Center.

In addition to recognizing the college’s candidates for degrees and certificates during the ceremony, the Leslie K. Morford Faculty Recognition Award and Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award, as well as the college’s Distinguished Alumni Award will be presented.