Nine Rohnert Park area residents graduated among a group of 145 students from Empire College at semiannual commencement exercises in July at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts.

Venancio Martin Castenada was the recipient of the Empire College Outstanding Graduate Award in the legal field. He graduated from the Specialized Associate Degree – Paralegal program and resides in Rohnert Park with his wife, Blanca Castaneda, and two children, Martin and Nayeli Castaneda.

 Bailey Nelson was the recipient of the California Medical Assistants Association Outstanding Graduate Award. She graduated from the Clinical Medical Assistant program and is a 2004 graduate of Rancho Cotate High School.

The daughter of Michael Burke and Katherine Arroyo, she resides in Rohnert Park with her husband, James Nelson.

 The other Rohnert Park graduates were: Lauren Cimino, clinical medical assistant; David Lane, specialized associate degree, information technology, Linux concentration; Kimberly Masklyne, clinical medical assistant; Angela Perez Monroy, medical administrative assistant; Kaylee Roberts, specialized associate degree, medical assistant, health information management concentration; Shelby Roberts, specialized associate degree, medical assistant, clinical/administrative; and Teresa Vandervort, administrative assistant.