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CAMILLE FIOTI Times Leader Correspondent

WILKES-BARRE TWP. – Nearly 900 students graduated during Luzerne County Community College’s 41st annual commencement ceremony Thursday at the Wachovia Arena.

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Photography graduate Jane Butchko of Shickshinny gives thumbs up during the procession in the 41st annual commencement of Luzerne County Community College at the Wachovia Arena on Thursday evening.

Bill Tarutis / For The Times Leader

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Main speaker, director, actor, writer and producer David Wain, told the graduates to find their own unique voice and embrace it.

“Stay true to your passion, whatever it is you care about – whether its filmmaking or veterinary medicine or electrical engineering or interior design or raising your kids.”

A native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, Wain graduated from New York University film school. It took nearly 20 years, a string of low-budget projects and a few lucky breaks to get to where he is today, Wain said.

While at NYU, Wain and several college chums formed a comedy troupe. Soon after graduation, the troupe was hired by MTV. They wrote, directed and starred in their own sketch comedy show called “The State.”

It was during those years at MTV where Wain said he learned a big lesson in creative work. For every 100 sketches the group wrote, only 10 or so would end up in a finished half-hour episode.

“Remember that in baseball, Babe Ruth was the home run king, but also set the record for strikeouts,” he said. “The world remembers the home runs.”

Wain’s first feature film in 2001, “Wet, Hot Summer” was filmed at a summer camp in Honesdale, using many actors and crew people from Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and Stroudsburg. The film has become an enduring cult classic. In 2007, Wain directed, produced and co-wrote the feature comedy “The Ten.” He has written, directed and/or performed on television shows including “Mad TV,” the weekly VH1 show “Best Week Ever,” and “I Love the 70s.”

His most recent movie, “Role Models,” was released in November and was a Critic’s Choice nominee for Best Comedy.

Joseph Anthony Scarcella II, who graduated summa cum laude, told his class to never settle for mediocrity. “Do great things,” he said. “What if Babe Ruth had been satisfied with hitting singles and doubles instead of home runs?”

The Alumni Association Outstanding Graduate Award was presented to David Campbell, magna cum laude, and the Outstanding Adult Learner Graduate Award was presented to Tracy Ann Carney, summa cum laude.

The following retiring faculty members were presented with Professor Emeritus Awards: Ann Isaacs, R.N., M.S., Professor of Nursing; Marie T. Rasimovicz Robine, R.N., M.S.N. Professor of Nursing; and W. Brook Yeager, III, M.A. Professor of Biology.