Colleges and universities in and around the region sent students out into the real world this year, and a lot of them were Federal Way residents and natives.

To start, a gaggle of Federal Way residents graduated with bachelors degrees from Washington State University. The graduates include Roxanne Adams, Abdi Ahmed, Olivia Aulava, Andrew Ayala, Richard Ayala III, Jacob Bieber, Kiyana Boyd, Sam Burns, Terrance Chambers Jr, Noah Clow, Haley Haggerty, Denali Kagel, Brooke Kamarainen, Anthony Larios, Christopher Newcombe, Elisha Ondov, Kimberly Robles, Leo Smith, Breanna Straus, Stephanie Thomson, John Trang, Annette Varkey, Mark Vetter, Emily Victor, Jaylene Vivatson, Deshawn Williams, Tavi Williams and Rebekah Young.

From Gonzaga University, Yusra Hamidani, Brianna Hendricks, Lacy Kangas, Hailey Rousseau and Manuel Uson graduated as well.

At the nearby University of Idaho, three Federal Way residents earned merit, need-based and outstanding achievement scholarships and awards. Kendall Gray earned the Carl M. Hansen Foundation Scholarship, Drew Thompson earned the Western Undergraduate Exchange Award for Diversity, while Christy Kim earned the Discover Idaho Merit Waiver, Discover Idaho Access Waiver and Joan Schaertl Northrop Scholarship.

Finally, Federal Way resident Larry Smith graduated from Central Methodist University’s Fayette, Missouri, campus with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.