WHEELING — West Virginia Northern Community College will celebrate the achievements of its graduating class during its 2026 commencement ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday at WesBanco Arena.

The ceremony will feature CJ Goodwin as the commencement speaker and recognize Kate Nguyen, an accounting student originally from Saigon, Vietnam, as the 2026 class valedictorian.

A total of 320 graduates will be recognized during the ceremony, with 335 certificates and degrees to be awarded across a wide range of academic programs.

Nguyen will graduate with an associate of applied science degree in accounting. During her time at WVNCC, she earned President’s List honors in both 2025 and 2026. Nguyen immigrated to the United States in 2022. After just three semesters at WVNCC, she secured a position as an accounting assistant at Barium & Chemicals Inc. in Steubenville. Following graduation, she will continue her work with the company while pursuing her long-term goal of earning her CPA license.

Goodwin was born in Wheeling and is a 2008 graduate of The Linsly School. After beginning college on an academic scholarship at Bethany College, he continued his collegiate career at Fairmont State University and PennWest California. He entered the NFL in 2014 as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2015, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons, where he transitioned from wide receiver to cornerback and played in Super Bowl LI in 2017. Since joining the Dallas Cowboys in 2018, he has established himself as a special teams ace, respected veteran leader and team captain.

Over the course of his NFL career, Goodwin has appeared in more than 145 regular-season and postseason games. Off the field, he is a proud father and continues giving back through the PeGa Foundation, the youth mentoring organization he founded in honor of his late father in 2017. For the last decade, he also has been expanding his real estate investment and development company and remains committed to creating opportunities in the communities that shaped him.

New this year, the student body will award an outstanding faculty member and an outstanding staff member of the year, highlighting individuals who have made a meaningful impact on their educational experience.

The ceremony will be led by WVNCC President Daniel Mosser. Local musician Mitch Spurlock will provide musical selections throughout the evening.