A Home Along the Way
June 10, 2026
As COCC’s commencement nears, upcoming graduates reflect on their Bobcat experience
— and their journeys ahead
The thought of being on the leading edge of new discoveries was the irresistible pull
that drew Colton Sachs into the wide world of studying physics at Central Oregon Community
College.
“Being able to explore the scientific unknown, and ultimately contribute to our understanding
of how the universe works, is something I greatly look forward to,” says Sachs, originally
from Moses Lake, Washington. “I have been really enjoying learning about quantum mechanics
and particle physics.”
At COCC, Sachs has dedicated himself to his studies, engaging in things like an independent
study on quantum mechanics, a subject typically undertaken by senior- or grad-level
classes — and earning a 4.0 grade point average while doing so. He conducted a summer
engineering internship with a biomedical company, served on the institutional review
board for a biomechanical research project at Oregon State University-Cascades, and
volunteered at the Pine Mountain Observatory.
“I would say that COCC connected me with a community that allowed me to find my passion
and explore it,” he says.
Awarded All-Oregon Academic Team honors for 2026, one of only four students to represent
COCC for the statewide distinction, Sachs will attend Johns Hopkins University in
the fall. His plan is to pursue a bachelor’s degree, and ultimately, a doctorate in
physics.
For now, though, his focus — and that of many other Bobcat peers — is on completing
spring term studies and readying for the culmination of classes, papers and exams.
COCC’s commencement is on June 13 at the Bend campus. In full, some 865 degrees and
certificates are being awarded this year (from summer term 2025 through spring term
2026): 651 degrees and 214 certificates.
Some graduates are starting anew, having found fresh footing at COCC. Before coming
to the college, Katie Olson of Fullerton, California, built an impressive career in
law enforcement. She served as a police cadet, bailiff, correctional officer and sheriff’s
special officer. Along the way, she was selected for FBI firearms instructor academy
training and earned recognition as the top female firearms competitor at the National
Police and Fire Games. It was a career path she was proud of.
But being hospitalized with COVID led to some longer-term health issues. And the profound
loss of her mother, together with some other major life challenges, caused her to
reassess how she would move forward, including where to raise her daughter as a single
parent. She found Central Oregon — and COCC.
“Shortly after moving to Bend, I enrolled,” Olson shares, and was awarded a COCC Foundation
scholarship to support her studies. She gravitated toward psychology and social work,
drawn to helping others harness inner strength and build life stability.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity it has given me to rebuild my life through
education,” she says, reflecting on her scholarship. Meanwhile, she is starting a
nonprofit to advocate for and inspire single mothers.
“My goal is to transfer to Portland State University this fall, where I was recently
accepted into the School of Social Work,” she shares. “I plan to earn a bachelor’s
degree in social work, followed by a master’s in clinical social work.” She will focus
on trauma-informed care.
That goal is suddenly feeling even closer — Olson was recently named a recipient of
an Opportunity Grant from the Ford Family Foundation, earning significant support
for her pursuits.
Some new COCC grads are getting to do what they long hoped to do. Becoming a trained
chef feels like a reward to Anthony “Tony” Parker, a retired U.S. Army first sergeant
and self-described “grill master.” Parker was stationed around the globe with the
military for 25 years — from Iraq to South Korea to Germany — and enrolled in the
Cascade Culinary Institute at COCC upon separation from the service as a way to give
himself a career he’s always dreamed about.
“It’s more encompassing than just cooking food,” he says of his culinary passion,
which inspired him to start a catering business nearly a decade ago. “You make ‘conversation’
with your ingredients, and the end result is sharing yourself with anyone that you
wish to nourish.”
Earning degrees in culinary arts and baking arts at commencement, Parker is having
a full-circle life moment: He’ll be returning to his former high school as a teacher,
hired by the Delphian School in Sheridan, Oregon, to help design a culinary program
for its students.
While he’s excited for what’s ahead, Parker is grateful for those who helped him and
what he’s leaving behind. “The COCC staff, teachers and chef instructors have been
amazing,” he says. “They helped me transition from the military back into civilian
life. I’ve been very fortunate to have made friends and a home along the way.”
COCC’s summer term starts June 22; admissions deadline is June 12. To get started,
visit cocc.edu or call 541-383-7700.
