Photo courtesy of WVNCC West Virginia Northern Community College graduates wait to hear their named called Thursday during the college's 2026 spring commencement.

There is more in common between an NFL veteran and a West Virginia Northern Community College graduate than one might assume, said the NFL veteran and Wheeling native who spoke before West Virginia Northern Community College graduates Thursday evening.

C.J. Goodwin of the Dallas Cowboys said the parallels between the two groups are clear.

“It’s simple,” Goodwin said, “overcoming adversity, overtaking obstacles and eliminating excuses.”

Goodwin was the keynote speaker at Thursday’s commencement ceremony, held at WesBanco Arena. A total of 320 graduates were honored and 335 certificates and degrees were awarded.

During his speech, Goodwin expanded on what he sees as the connection between pro athletes and college graduates. Both are goal-oriented, driven by a passion for their ambitions, committed to a growth mindset that turns effort into results and able to recognize and seize opportunities.

“We are the few who are delusional enough to pursue a dream, and whatever that dream may be for you,” the Linsly School graduate said. “By reaching this milestone today, you have proven to the WVNCC Board, future employers, your family, friends and foes alike. But, most importantly, you have proven to yourself that you will succeed at anything you put your mind to.”

Goodwin also encouraged graduates to show appreciation to the family members who supported them throughout their journey. He reflected on his own path in football, from Bethany College to Fairmont State University to California University of Pennsylvania, then bouncing among several teams early in his NFL career before landing with the Cowboys, where he has spent the past eight seasons.

“They won’t get the recognition for your achievement,” he said. “They can’t get a job with your education. They don’t get to walk through the doors that just opened for you. But you’re not here without your cousin Ray holding you accountable. You don’t don that cap and gown without your uncle Kelvin going the extra mile. You don’t walk this stage tonight without parents, siblings, friends and partners putting pride aside and sacrificing some of their happiness in support of your own.”

Kate Nguyen, WVNCC’s 2026 valedictorian, is an accounting student originally from Saigon, Vietnam, who earned President’s List honors in both 2025 and 2026. After immigrating to the United States in 2022, it took her just three semesters at WVNCC to earn a position as an accounting assistant at Barium & Chemicals Inc. in Steubenville. Following graduation, she will continue working with the company while pursuing her long-term goal of earning her CPA license.

“We all come from different backgrounds, with different stories and different challenges,” she told graduates. “But what we share is courage. We had the courage to enroll. The courage to show up. The courage to make mistakes and still try again the next day. And the courage to finish this program, even when life’s many challenges made it difficult.

“I hope we carry that same courage into the next chapter of our lives,” she added.

The commencement was the last for WVNCC President Daniel Mosser, who will retire at the end of June. Graduates surprised him by naming two new awards in his honor — the Dr. Daniel P. Mosser Outstanding Faculty Award and the Dr. Daniel P. Mosser Outstanding Staff Award. Nominees and winners will be voted on by WVNCC students, who also selected the awards’ name. SGA President Via Thornton surprised Mosser during the presentation and presented him with a commemorative crystal recognizing the establishment of the awards.

The inaugural recipient of the Mosser Award for Outstanding Faculty was Curt Hippensteel, program director for energy technology. The Mosser Award for Outstanding Staff was a tie, with Joe Woodley, success coach in financial aid, and Missy Thornton, admissions operations coordinator, both receiving the honor.