The Lead.
In a moving ceremony, Marion Technical College honored five outstanding alumni for their achievements, leadership, and service to the community. From supporting grieving parents to starting new businesses to shaping new health care professionals, each one represents excellence in their fields and service to their communities.
The Class of 2025 includes:
- Debra Jackson-Elwer, Class of 1987/1990/2007
- Leland Kemerley, Class of 1986
- Ana Malone, Class of 2013
- Tarina (Wymer) Rose, Class of 1994
- Bernadette Wise, Class of 2015
“These alumni embody the mission of Marion Technical College,” said Dr. Ryan McCall, president of Marion Tech. “Their impact in their professions and in their communities is inspiring.”
Dr. Debra Jackson-Elwer
Dr. Debra Jackson-Elwer recalls being the oldest student in her class. Undeterred, she earned three degrees from Marion Tech. She served Marion as a nurse and then a nurse practitioner. With her Doctorate of Nursing Practice, Jackson-Elwer shapes other health care professionals.
“When I walked through the doors of Marion Tech a long time ago, I could have never imagined the incredible journey I would take. It gave me not only an education. It gave me a foundation, a community, and the confidence to pursue my dreams,” Dr. Jackson-Elwer said. “Whatever I have accomplished has been a direct result of coming to Marion Technical College.”
Leland Kemerley
Leland Kemerley and his sister, Ann, attended Marion Tech together. Kemerley used his degree as a springboard to decades of success in accounting and business leadership. He is committed to community service.
“Lee is the one who shows up, stays until the work is finished and makes it done right. He’s active, dependable, and willing to do whatever it takes to make things happen and lift others up,” Ann Kemerley said. “He has a servant’s heart.”
Ann said that Marion Tech’s convenient location and flexible schedule allowed Lee take classes, work a job and care for the family farm.
“MTC changed a shy, quiet little farm boy and developed me into a person ready to enter the professional work area,” Lee said.
Ana Malone
Ana Malone was a single teen mom who dropped out of high school in 10th grade. After earning her GED, she came to Marion Tech on and off for a decade before earning her degree. She worked professionally before starting her own business, Busy B Cleaning. She returned to take the Forge business classes at Marion Tech to hone her business plan. She and her husband, Justin, started a second successful business, Belenos Creations, in 2024.
“I knew I had to take a shot to try to break out of generational poverty,” Malone said. “This award is a symbol showing that determination and quality education can take you from a small beginning to an amazingly big journey and destination.”
Tarina Wymer Rose
Tarina Wymer Rose said a faculty member suggested working at Marion County Job & Family Services. In this agency, Rose rolled out programs to help local residents find jobs, support, stability, and hope. She served as the clerk of City Council and executive director of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, helping those reeling from disasters.
“Marion Tech taught transferable skills applicable for high-demand occupations,” Rose said. “They also taught you the possibilities that you could have in your life from those career choices…Marion Tech turns potential into impact and creates ethical leaders.”
Bernadette Wise
Bernadette Wise came to Marion Tech for sonography. When she and her husband tragically lost their firstborn daughter, they turned pain into purpose. They started the nonprofit Natalia Marie Foundation, which recently helped to provide a cuddle cot to Marion General Hospital. It enables grieving parents to have more time with their deceased children.
“Marion Tech shaped the way I serve others,” Wise said. “We are dedicated to helping families who suffer the same loss we did. I thought my degree and career would help me see inside the body, but in the end, it helped me see inside the heart of the compassion and empathy I learned.”
Alumni Hall of Fame
Nominations for the Alumni Hall of Fame 2026 will open in the fall. Learn more here: Alumni.
