DOUGLAS — When asked what she wanted to be during an interview for the Cochise College Class of 2008 video, Kimberly Stineburg said an empress.

During Friday night’s graduation ceremony, Stineburg made that dream a reality by wearing a tiara atop her graduation cap.

“I thought it’d be appropriate,” Stineburg said with a smile.

Stineburg, who retired from the U.S. Army in 2004 after 20 years, chatted with friends as she wore her tiara and hugged her graduation monkey, which was sporting its own graduation cap.

“I have a thing for monkeys,” she said, looking down at her monkey.

The 48-year-old mother of two said she was excited to be graduating Friday night with her associate’s degree in communications and a 4.0 grade point average.

“I’m surprised that I did so well, really,” Stineburg said. “Especially at my age.”

Stineburg was one of several examples given by Cochise College President Karen Nicodemus of the diverse backgrounds of the approximately 800 students across the college’s multiple campuses who graduated Friday night.

It was a chilly commencement ceremony, but friends and family sat wrapped in blankets and jackets to watch their loved ones celebrate a milestone in their lives.

As Irma Peña addressed the crowd as the student speaker for the evening, she discussed the changes that everyone had undergone during their years at the college, including her own.

“I was changing step-by-step to turn myself into a confident and successful student,” she said. “Now I understand more precisely who I was in the past, who I am now and who I want to be in the future.”

William Harris, president and CEO of Science Foundation Arizona, gave the commencement address, and he promised not to give the 50-minute lecture his background as a chemistry professor beckoned him to do.

Instead, he opted to follow the advice of former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo.

“Commencement speakers need to think of themselves as bodies at an old fashioned Irish wake,” Harris told the audience. “Knowing my role tonight, that I am the required course before the party, I decided I should title my presentation ‘Let the Party Begin.’ ”

Harris encouraged the members of the graduating class to continue its education, citing the need for well-educated people to try and conquer the world’s problems.

“A country or state’s most important resource is going to be the people and their brains,” he said. “We cannot throw away any brains in the 21st century, it is that simple.”

And as Harris gave his final bits of advice to the students, he encouraged them to travel and understand the world, and never stop learning.

“In order to be successful, you need to celebrate tonight’s achievements,” Harris said. “And then turn around and focus on expanding your education.”

This is what Stineburg plans to do.

Before heading to the University of Arizona to study pre-communications, Stineburg plans to travel the world a little more.

But furthering her education seemed like the perfect opportunity for Stineburg both at Cochise and soon at UA.

“The Army was paying for it and I didn’t really want to be anything when I grew up,” Stineburg said as she lined up for the processional. “But I really wanted to go to U of A.”

And now, as Stineburg starts planning for her future, she only has one career goal in mind.

“I have things that are real close to my heart,” Stineburg said. “I want to empower women. If I can empower one woman, then I’ve done it.”