More than 200 students received diplomas Saturday, May 18 from Illinois Valley Community College in the college’s 47th Commencement.

Included in the group of graduates were a set of twins, a husband and wife, and a parent and child, according to IVCC President Jerry Corcoran. The commencement ceremony also included an unusual twist as one student was proposed to after she crossed the stage to accept her diploma.

U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) spoke to the graduates in the keynote address about decisions and responsibility.

Sophomore graduate Megan Winkler, who plans to attend Illinois State University in the fall, read her winning essay in the Paul Simon Essay Contest about how IVCC changed her life. Winkler cited her experiences as a manager for the volleyball team and a trip to Washington, D.C., with the women’s basketball team as experiences that brought new friendships and expanded her horizons.

The nursing pinning ceremony preceded the commencement. In addition, GED graduation was May 20.