Distinguished Alum Major Nicholas Sottler, Trustee Emeritus Dr. John Holcomb, and Professor Emerita Sue Nichols will give commencement addresses at North Central Missouri College in Trenton, MO, on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Nicholas Sottler will speak at the 9:00 am ceremony; Dr. Holcomb will be the 1:00 pm speaker; and Sue Nichols will be the 5:00 p.m. speaker. All ceremonies will take place at the Ketcham Community Center on the NCMC campus, near downtown Trenton.
Nicholas Alan Sottler, is a Senior Certified Instructor at the National Geospatial-Intelligence College, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), DoD. He attended Trenton Junior College (NCMC), earned a BS in Engineering from Kansas State University (KSU), and an MBA from Averett University, Danville, VA.
In 1975, after graduating from KSU, he entered the United States Marine Corps as a commissioned officer. After twenty years of service, he retired from the Marine Corps in 1995. As a Marine, his primary military occupation was as an infantry officer. He served seven years with combat units, five years as a staff officer working force structure issues, attended two schools, and served on recruiting duty. Since retiring from the Marine Corps, he has worked as a government contractor in-and-for DoD.
At NGA for the last twenty years, Nick has been a lead instructor/facilitator and course developer for the agency’s Onboarding Seminar Program, the agency’s Faculty Development Program, and presently, is a lead instructor and course developer for NGA’s Leader/Officer Development Program. As a contractor, he has educated and trained members of the Civil and Excepted Services, the military, and DoD contractors.
Having developed forums regarding the attributes and actions of leading and leadership, Nick has facilitated forums on those subjects as a Marine, at NCMC, KSU, and at NGA.
Nick is a student of Leadership and American history. He is an American Car enthusiast—circa 1950s and 60s—and a devotee of football and of early Rock and Roll music—Elvis Lives. Nick and his wife Theresa reside in the Mount Vernon area in Alexandria, VA.
Dr. John Holcomb is a lifelong resident of Trenton and a graduate of Trenton High School’s Class of 1964. He continued his education at Trenton Junior College and the University of Central Missouri before earning his Doctor of Optometry degree from the Illinois College of Optometry in 1971. Following graduation, Dr. Holcomb served for one year as an instructor in the ICO Clinic. He then returned to Trenton to join his father in the practice of optometry, where he served the community for forty‑five years before retiring in 2016.
In 1972, Dr. Holcomb married Debbie Reynolds in South Chicago Heights, Illinois. Together they raised two children, a son, John “Jay,” and a daughter, Emily.
Like his father before him, Dr. Holcomb has devoted much of his adult life to community service. In 1980, he received the Outstanding Service Award from both the Trenton Jaycees and the Missouri Jaycees, the latter also naming him one of Missouri’s Outstanding Young Missourians. The Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce honored him with the Above and Beyond Award in 1994 and later recognized him as a Pillar of the Community in 2016.
Dr. Holcomb has been a member of the Trenton Lions Club for fifty‑four years and was named a Melvin Jones Fellow in 2023. He served fourteen years on the Trenton R‑9 Board of Education and was a board member of the Missouri School Boards Association, receiving the statewide Paul Morris Award for Community Service from the MSBA Future Builders Foundation. He was also named a Friend of Education by the Missouri Association of School Administrators.
His longstanding commitment to education includes service as a board member of the Foundation Trust for Trenton High School since 1993 and twenty‑one years on the Board of Trustees for North Central Missouri College, where he was named Trustee Emeritus in 2026. Dr. Holcomb is a member of the TJC/NCMC Athletic Hall of Fame as a booster and was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2007.
In addition to his civic leadership, Dr. Holcomb is a longtime blood donor and has been honored by the Community Blood Center for donating more than twenty gallons of blood.
Sue Nichols, Professor Emeritus of Nursing at North Central Missouri College, retired from NCMC in June 2024 after more than 20 years of dedicated service to the institution and its students. At the time of her retirement, she was serving as the Dean/Director of the Savannah Campus, a role that reflected both her leadership and deep commitment to education.
Throughout her distinguished career at NCMC, Sue served as a long-time nursing faculty member and as the Online PN to ADN Coordinator, where she played a pivotal role in advancing student success and program development. Her contributions extended beyond the classroom, as she was actively involved in initiatives such as nursing accreditation and strategic planning.
In recognition of her outstanding service, Sue was awarded the 2019 Senior Service Award at the statewide Missouri Community College Association convention. NCMC President Dr. Lenny Klaver described her as “an essential component of our nursing faculty team,” noting her extensive institutional knowledge and unwavering dedication to both students and the college.
Sue began her academic journey by earning her Associate Degree in Nursing from Iowa Central Community College, followed by her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northwest Missouri State University. Prior to entering nursing education, she gained valuable clinical experience in emergency care, acute care, home health, and hospice across northwest Missouri. While she valued her time in patient care, Sue found her true passion in nursing education and fostering student success.
Over the years, she has had the privilege of teaching across multiple programs and locations, including PN in Trenton, PN-ADN in Maryville, and the online PN- ADN program, culminating in her leadership role in Savannah. Even in retirement, Sue continues to give back to students as a Pro Tutor, reflecting on her enduring commitment to nursing education.
Outside of her professional life, Sue enjoys spending time with her family, especially her two granddaughters, teaching Sunday School, being an active PEO member, and cheering on her favorite teams—the Albany Warriors, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Kansas City Royals.
North Central Missouri College is honored to have all guests as our commencement speakers and appreciates their commitment to providing our graduates with professional and thoughtful advice for their future endeavors.
Photos: John Holcomb, Nicholas Sottler and Sue Nichols