Brock Ruzicka.

WATERLOO – The Hawkeye Community College commencement ceremony set for Friday, May 8, at 7 p.m. will feature retired Black Hawk County sheriff Tony Thompson as the keynote speaker and Union High School Class of 2024 graduate Brock Ruzicka as student speaker.

The ceremony will be held at the McLeod Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus, located at 2501 Hudson Road, Cedar Falls. The event recognizes fall 2025, spring 2026, and summer 2026 graduates.

No tickets are necessary to attend the graduation ceremony. Family and friends who are unable to attend can watch the livestream on Hawkeye’s YouTube channel. For more information about the ceremony, visit www.hawkeyecollege.edu/commencement-2026.

Keynote Speaker: Ret. Sheriff Thompson

Sheriff Thompson has more than 30 years of professional law enforcement experience and 21 years as a U.S. Army military police officer. He spent the last 16 years of his career as the sheriff of Black Hawk County, where he oversaw a staff of 140 members and a budget of approximately $20 million.

He worked in nearly every discipline in law enforcement, including computer crimes investigations, street-level narcotics investigations, corrections, patrol, SWAT, community services, public affairs, and drug education.

Sheriff Thompson is known statewide for his mental health advocacy and diversion efforts from the criminal justice system. He served on the Complex Mental Health Needs Subcommittee for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and helped frame the mental health redesign legislation in 2012. He has also served on the state’s Public Safety Advisory Board, Iowa’s Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning Advisory Council. He is a past president of the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association and continues to serve on several local boards, committees, and councils.

He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa in communication studies and a master’s degree in public administration and criminal justice from Liberty University.

Student Speaker: Brock Ruzicka

Brock Ruzicka grew up on a family farm in La Porte City, where he learned the value of hard work, responsibility, and perseverance from an early age. Those lessons continue to shape his approach to both his education and his career.

Brock’s path to Hawkeye began while he was still in high school, when he took a college-level course through the college. Encouraged by family members who had graduated from Hawkeye and driven by his love for hands-on work, he enrolled in an engine rebuilding course that sparked a lasting passion for the automotive field. That experience confirmed his decision to pursue Automotive Technology and set him on a path toward a career in a rapidly evolving industry.

During his time at Hawkeye, Brock had the opportunity to represent the Automotive Technology program at the Iowa State Capitol, where he spoke with legislators about the future of the automotive industry and the role technical education plays in preparing the next generation of skilled technicians.

While completing his degree, he works part-time at Carquest in La Porte City and serves as a bus driver for the Union Community School District. In his free time, he helps manage the family livestock operation and repairs vehicles for community members, always looking for ways to use his skills to serve others.

Brock believes that success is built not only through individual effort but through service, leadership, and a commitment to community. Throughout his time at Hawkeye, he has worked to support fellow students, assist with program outreach, and represent the college with professionalism and pride. As he looks toward the future, Brock is motivated by the opportunity to continue growing in his field while giving back to the communities and industries that rely on skilled, hardworking professionals.