OBU Observes 90th Annual Spring Commencement

May 22, 2004

Dr. Ramona Farthing, retiring professor of French, advised 294 graduating seniors at Oklahoma Baptist University's 90th annual spring commencement exercises Saturday, May 22, to continue to grow as Christians and as human beings in order to face the challenges ahead of them.

Farthing, who is retiring after having taught at OBU since 1967, reminded the new graduates of three things they should be taking with them from their days on Bison Hill and nine things they should expect to encounter in the days and years ahead.

Farthing said the students should maintain the friendships made at OBU and that they should have the skills and knowledge to succeed in their chosen vocations. She added that they should also leave with "new insights and broadened perspectives."

"A university should change your life," Farthing said, "intellectually as well as socially and emotionally. We professors are supposed to challenge you and help you to grow. I hope we've succeeded with each one of you."

For the future, Farthing said she hoped they graduates would continue to let themselves be challenged intellectually, understand that intellect and faith are not mutually exclusive, be willing to confront change, decline a self-absorbed lifestyle, retain a sense of compassion, try to understand the world in and outside of our own culture, to make a place for the appreciation of beauty, and, above all, to develop a moral vision for life.

"The proliferation of ethics courses on college campuses seems to indicate a crisis in moral vision among young people," Farthing said. "I hope that is not the case for OBU graduates. You must decide how to maintain a sense of integrity in your life, both personally and professionally."

The University also recognized three members of the university family in its annual awards. The Distinguished Teaching Award was presented to Dr. Roger Hadley, professor of telecommunication, the Meritorious Service Award was presented to Judy Kinnamon, testing coordinator, and the Promising Teacher Award was received by Dr. Kristen Stauffer Todd.

The predicate summa cum laude requires a cumulative 3.95 grade point average on all work offered for the degree. The predicate magna cum laude requires a cumulative 3.70 grade point average on all work offered for the degree. The predicate cum laude requires a cumulative grade point average of 3.40 on all work offered for the degree.

Graduating with bachelor's degrees from the School of Nursing were Keri Beth Atkinson of Harrah; Katherine Bell of Halstead, Kan., magna cum laude; Sandra N. Burnock of Seekonk, Mass., cum laude; Tasha Carter of Spring Hill, Tenn.; Amanda Connelly of Tulsa; Megan Cook of Broken Arrow, magna cum laude; Jana Kay Cooper of Tulsa, cum laude; Kelly Jean Davis of Colorado Springs, Colo., cum laude; Amy Lynn Dieckmann of Lee's Summit, Mo., magna cum laude; Jennifer Estoll of Arlington, Texas; Erin Funk of Shawnee; cum laude; Elizabeth Garrett of Oklahoma City, magna cum laude; Lauren Ashley Guyer of Edmond, cum laude; Kathryn Jo Jones of Meeker; Megan Leach of Rexford, Kan., magna cum laude; Haley Rae Levin of Dighton, Kan.; Jessica Martin of Prague, magna cum laude; Amanda Procter of Gordon, Texas, cum laude; Kayla Jan Redelsperger of Duncan, summa cum laude; Stacie Dee Richards of Lindsay, cum laude; Mariah Linn Stone of Allen, Texas, cum laude; Kari Christine Wiese of Norman; and Melissa Daree Willman of Shawnee, cum laude.

Graduates from the Joe L. Ingram School of Christian Service, with their hometown and major are Laura Adkisson, Harlan, Ky., philosophy; Aaron Arnall, Independence, Mo., Biblical languages, magna cum laude; Alison Beth Ashley, Wray, Ga.; cross-cultural ministry, cum laude; Alisha Baker, Ramona, cross-cultural ministry with honors, magna cum laude; Maziel Barreto, Antwerp, N.Y., Bible and family psychology, magna cum laude; Richard Daniel Belicek, Christian studies, magna cum laude; Brian Bost, Tokyo, Japan, philosophy; Karmen Buck, Pampa, Texas, Bible, summa cum laude; Heidi Burkhart, Choctaw, cross cultural ministry and family development, cum laude; Gladys Burris, Christian studies; Carlos Caceres, Norman, youth ministry, Vanessa Carey, Hobbs, N.M., cross-cultural ministry, magna cum laude; Bradley Carter, Raytown, Mo., Bible and philosophy; Christina Chartney, Edmond, Bible, magna cum laude; Rachael Clinton, Edmond, Bible, cum laude; Martin Cobb, Choctaw, philosophy; James Cooke, Shawnee, Christian studies; Matthew Craig, Christian studies; Jordan Crider, Pleasanton, Calif., cross-cultural ministry; Gregory Davis, Oklahoma City, pastoral ministry; Jennifer Davis, Tulsa, children's ministry, magna cum laude; Rachel Denbow, Dixon, Mo., cross-cultural ministry; Joseph Drueke III, Enid, youth ministry; Stacy Dutt, Raytown, Mo., Bible; Steve Gallagher, Christian studies; Georgi Gardev, Kazanlak, Bulgaria, pastoral ministry, cum laude; Emily Gass, Broken Arrow, cross-cultural ministry; Michelle Gray, Edmond, Bible, cum laude; Rodger Hall, pastoral ministry; Grace Halland, Christian studies, cum laude; Hyesuk Yi Ham, Christian studies; Kevin Hanel, pastoral ministry; Graham Hill, Edmond, Bible; Kimberly Hobbs, Edmond, Bible; Brandon Hollis, Clovis, N.M., children's ministry; Jarrod Neal James, Shawnee, Bible; Russell Jones, Shawnee, Biblical languages and philosophy, summa cum laude with honors; Michael Latshaw, Oak Grove, Mo., Biblical languages; Khaliann Leo, San Antonio, Texas, Bible, magna cum laude; Emily Dawn Lewis, Ponca City, Biblical languages, summa cum laude with honors; Rebekah Lowry, Tomball, Texas, youth ministry; Christina McBeath, Springfield, Mo., youth ministry, cum laude; Adam Keith McIntire, Broken Arrow, philosophy, cum laude; Melissa Moon, Berlin, Conn., cross-cultural ministry, cum laude; Walker Moore, Clinton, Biblical languages, magna cum laude; Bobby Morgan Jr., pastoral ministry, cum laude; Owen Nease, Marlow, Biblical languages, summa cum laude; David Oakley, Rowlett, Texas, religion; Bryan Ratanasin, Yukon, Bible; Sarah Reed, Abilene, Texas, Biblical languages, magna cum laude; Robert Rogers, Okemah, youth ministry; Rachel Routt, Peyton, Colo., cross-cultural ministry, magna cum laude; Charles Scheffe, Edmond, pastoral ministry and family psychology; Robin Schubert, Christian studies; Richard Stillwell, Earlsboro, pastoral ministry; Jessica Page Swalley, Tulsa, children's ministry; Joshua Sweet, Choctaw, youth ministry; Beulah Teeter, Christian studies; Elias Villanueva, Christian studies; Mike Wall, Christian studies; Zachary Ward, Choctaw, Bible, magna cum laude with honors; Amanda Weeks, Yukon, religion, cum laude; and Cody Michael Wells, Clinton, Bible.

Graduates from the Paul Dickinson School of Business, with their home towns and degrees are Anna Belau, Gdansk, Poland, international business; Kimberly Brown, McKinney, Texas, management and marketing; David Robert Chadbourne, Colorado Springs, Colo., marketing; Love Joy Dadulo, Miami, Fla., international business; Denise Farris, Norman, marketing and management, cum laude; Pamela Frierson, Peru, Ind., international business; Lori Fulkerson, Colorado Springs, Colo., computer science: business administration, cum laude; Jonathan Gray, Salt Lake City, Utah, management; Crystal Hacker, Minco, finance and marketing, summa cum laude; Adam Hawkins, Oklahoma City, management; Ryan King, Independence, Mo., computer science and cross-cultural ministry; Darren Kuhl, Wichita Falls, Texas, finance and management; Sandra Lord, Tulsa, finance; Kristi Mahaffey, Marlow, accounting, cum laude; Meredith Mattocks, Edmond, marketing; Philip Ryan McCracken, Ness City, Kan., finance; Dalton Blue McInnis III, Oklahoma City, management and marketing; Valerie Suzanne Moeller, Houston, Texas, marketing; Robert A. Morgan, Albuquerque, N.M., management and finance; Cari Myers, Tulsa, accounting, summa cum laude; Richard Myers, Edmond, management; Garrett Daniel Otteson, McKinney, Texas, finance; Colin Phillips, Addison, Ill., computer information systems; William Todd Poe, Midwest City; management; Jill Renfro, Bartlesville, management and marketing, cum laude; Justin Rhodes, Edmond, finance; Amanda Erin Richey, Oklahoma City, finance; Kyle Rudek, Chattanooga, management; Carol Sostarich, Spring, Texas, marketing, cum laude; Richard Spears, Pawnee, management; Amanda Joy Stone, Edmond, marketing, magna cum laude; William Kyle Streich, Wichita Falls, Texas, finance, magna cum laude; Jeffrey Thompson, Edmond, marketing; Natalie Van Zandt, Oklahoma City, computer science and psychology; Larry Walker, Russellville, Ark., marketing, magna cum laude; and Resha Watkins, Pagosa Springs, Colo., management, cum laude.

Graduating from the Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts, listed with their hometowns and majors, were Breeman Ainsworth, Gallatin, Mont., theatre; Sha Lauren Buchanan, Oklahoma City, art; Joshua Michael Cain, Muskegon, Mich., theatre; Megan Diefenderfer, Oklahoma City, art education, cum laude; Jeremy Duncan, Norman, art, manga cum laude; Andra Dunn, Garber, theatre; Dara Lynn Evans, Moore, music; Derek Ferguson, Dallas, Texas, instrumental music; Elizabeth Finke, Independence, Mo., church music, magna cum laude; Jamin Garoutte, Fort Wayne, Ind., musical arts, magna cum laude; Devon Guthrie, Shawnee, Kan., studio art, magna cum laude; Christy Hall, Lawton, theatre, magna cum laude; Tim Haller, Shawnee, art; Tyler James, Marshall, Texas, telecommunication, magna cum laude; Nick Jones, Huntington, Ind., telecommunication, magna cum laude; Stephen King, Lubbock, Texas, organ performance, magna cum laude; Toni McDowell-Laney, Shawnee, theatre; Sara Laverty, Littleton, Colo., communication studies; Christopher Scott McCoy, San Jose, Calif., music education, cum laude; Sara Moring, Tecumseh, theory and composition, magna cum laude with honors; Jason Nickels, Broken Arrow, church music; Matthew Packer, Singapore, theatre; Rose Marie Packer, Wright City, theatre, summa cum laude with honors; Jessica Patterson, Webb City, Mo., art, magna cum laude; Kimberly Maylen-Paxson, Shawnee, art education; Tiffanie Pearce, Wichita, Kan., speech and drama education, magna cum laude; Erin Powell, Broken Arrow, studio art; Shekinah Rogers, Katy, Texas, theatre, magna cum laude; Sarah Rose, Edmond, musical arts; Christle Sallee, Henryetta, art education; Todd Shepherd, Shawnee, telecommunication; Matthew Snook, Tulsa, church music, magna cum laude; Sarah Tate, Houston, Texas, musical arts; Elise Tavary, Houston, Texas, theatre; Dustin Tims, Seminole, musical arts, magna cum laude; Amanda Venable, Lafayette, Ind., studio art, summa cum laude; Elizabeth Weckel, Deming, N.M., music education, magna cum laude; and Jonathan Youngblood, Midwest City, telecommunication, cum laude.

Graduates, with their home town and major, from the College of Arts and Sciences are Elizabeth Anderson, Richardson, Texas, journalism; Kayln Baldridge, Jenks, French education, summa cum laude; Stacy Barnes, Owasso, family psychology, magna cum laude; Kristina Bird, Tijeras, N.M., political science, magna cum laude; Brooke Bohannon, Shawnee, family development; Ryan Boles, Ada, biology; Katie Beth Buckley, Wellston, elementary education, magna cum laude; Thomas Buford, Shawnee, social sciences education, summa cum laude; James David Burnett, Oklahoma City, family psychology; Carissa Dawn Calvert, Ponca City, psychology, magna cum laude; Jase Carter, St. Peters, Mo., history, religion and Spanish, cum laude; Rachel Colle, Ponca City, English and history, summa cum laude; Adam Collins, Oklahoma City, mathematics, summa cum laude; Lindsay Combs, Moore, elementary education; Erin Canty Coursey, Shawnee, mathematics, cum laude; Brandon Dale, Perth, Australia, sports medicine; Wes Davis, Owasso, psychology; Claire Day, Lakeside City, Texas; family psychology, cum laude; Jamie Day, Edmond, family development, cum laude; Jeremy Deimund, Cimarron, Kan., elementary education, summa cum laude; Carisa Carol Dewees, Cordell, family psychology, magna cum laude; Eliabeth Anne Diefenderfer, Oklahoma City, family development, cum laude; Brian Dixon, Spotsylvania, Va., psychology; Amie Drury, Denver, Colo., family psychology, cum laude; Rebecca Elliott, Shawnee, special education; Mandi Farris, Shawnee, sports medicine; Laurie Ferris, Norman, public relations; Meredith Fields, Russellville, Ark., sociology; Brian Keith Firestone, Velma, family psychology, magna cum laude; Sarah Fisicaro, Littleton, Colo., elementary and early childhood education, magna cum laude; Misty Fuller, Ada, elementary education, cum laude; Kari Gee, Elephant Butte, N.M., elementary and early childhood education, cum laude; Zachary Gleason, Wichita, Kan., mathematics, cum laude; Brynn Denise Graham, Claremore, elementary and early childhood education, cum laude; Frank Graham, Bartlett, Texas, psychology; Kristy Green, Shawnee, elementary education, magna cum laude; Shawna Nicole Hammond, Raytown, Mo., special education, cum laude; Heather Hardinger, Overland Park, Kan., political science, cum laude; Andrew Hennen, Seminole, French, cum laude; Bethany Hillmer, Nixa, Mo., sports medicine, magna cum laude; Frank Hinton, Talihina, English and political science, magna cum laude; Daniel Hites, Tuttle, history; Micah Hoelschler, Bushton, Kan., biochemistry, cum laude; Devin Kyle Holmes, Meeker, physics, summa cum laude; Leslie Horn, Fort Smith, Ark., family psychology, magna cum laude; John Mikel Hubanks, Sayre, biochemistry, summa cum laude; Brett Spencer Hutson, Cuba, Mo., family psychology, religion and creative writing; Nicole Jacobson, Springbranch, Texas, English; Lindsay Jaureguizar, Beaverton, Ore., family psychology, cum laude; Jordan Jeffers, Tulsa, family development, cum laude; Aaron Clark Kelley, Clinton, camp administration, theatre and children's ministry; Alison Kolar, El Reno, family development; Tima Suzanne Krausse, Guthrie, biology, magna cum laude; Jacob Soctt Landes, Mulvane, Kan., biochemistry; Ashley Lane, Rogers, Ark., biology, magna cum laude; Joan Emily Langley, Meridian, Idaho, elementary education, magna cum laude; Bryan Lassiter, Enid, political science, cum laude; Nicholas Lee, Shawnee, biology; Jerusha Loafman, Prague, English education, cum laude; Jade Lopez, Spring, Texas, health, physical education and recreation; Joselyn Lundy, Wichita, Kan., elementary education; Christine Markert, Littleton, Colo., family psychology, magna cum laude; Victoria May, Claremore, English, magna cum laude with honors; Davin McDow, Shawnee, chemistry, magna cum laude; Jennifer McGowan, family development, cum laude; Chris Meschino, Euless, Texas, kinesiology and leisure studies; Amanda Milam, Tulsa, social sciences education, magna cum laude; Lindsey Miller, San Antonio, Texas, recreation administration; Mylo Miller, Velma, history; Tiffany Monhollon, Eufaula, public relations, summa cum laude; Kenna Morris, Corpus Christi, Texas, pre-physical therapy; Tony Mullican, Oklahoma City, camp administration; Maegan Linn Munday, Nashville, Tenn., childcare administration; Jody Murphy, Shawnee, political science; Charles Nations, Southlake, Texas, natural science, cum laude; Ashley Nelson, Tyler, Texas, family psychology and sociology, magna cum laude; Sara Newhard, Springfield, Mo., family psychology, summa cum laude; Candace Owens, Liberty, Mo., elementary and early childhood education, summa cum laude; David Russell Owens, Memphis, Tenn., journalism, cum laude; Richard Parr, Oklahoma City, political science, cum laude; Carrie Perkins, Hooker, chemistry and mathematics, summa cum laude; Kacie Pratt, Pawnee, mathematics; Loni Randall, Kansas, English and psychology, magna cum laude; Andrew Ridgway, Sofia, Bulgaria, English, cum laude; Nicholas Robison, Sayre, sports medicine; Jon Russell Rogers, Shawnee, elementary and early childhood education, cum laude; Melissa Rogers, Hobbs, N.M., English education, cum laude; Justin Roye, Jenks, physics, cum laude; Cristopher Michael Seeley, Albuquerque, N.M., sports medicine; Jadrea Seeley, Tecumseh, English; Heather Shealy, San Antonio, Texas, family psychology; Rebecca Sheriff, Perryton, Texas, English education, magna cum laude; Heather Diane Sherril, Checotah, English education; Nicholas Shipley, Chickasha, public relations; Chuck Shirley, Tulsa, pre-physical therapy; Tristan Tyler Shutt, San Antonio, Texas, public relation; Bethany Hope Simkins, Richardson, Texas, elementary and early childhood education, cum laude; Sarah Smith, Norman, biology; Emily Snook, Purcell, psychology and religion, cum laude; Alma Softic, Tuzla, Bosnia, family development; Kathleen Southall, Lawton, public relations, summa cum laude with honors; James Ryan Sparks, Midwest City, political science; Brendan Stafford, Orleans, Ont., sports medicine, cum laude; Jeff Steele, Powell River, B.C., sociology; Whitney Stephens, Hunstville, Texas, English; Whitney Carroll Stephens, Huntsville, Texas, English; Jennifer Steward, Shawnee, health, physical education and recreation; Erin Nicole Stingley, Wellston, English education, magna cum laude; Jodi Streich, Holiday, Texas, natural science, summa cum laude; Amy Stubblefield, Kismet, Kan., education and religion, summa cum laude; Leslie Tabor, Chickasha, English, magna cum laude; Anne Roberta Tate, elementary and early childhood education; Megan Thomson, Tulsa, biology; James Titus, Youngsville, La., English, magna cum laude; Kyle Tolin, Norman, social sciences education; Letitia Trent, Shawnee, English, summa cum laude; Jaclyn Turner, Bristow, history; Tabitha Weckel, Deming, N.M., sports medicine, cum laude; Alisha Clair Whitefield, Shawnee, early childhood education, summa cum laude; Michael Lynn James Williams, Guymon, special education; Jonathan Willman, Shawnee, sports ministry; Ryan Wintjen, Hamburg, Ill., family psychology; Eva Wolever, Enid, English, magna cum laude; and Melanie Lynn Worthean, Inola, sports ministry.

Earning their master's degrees in marriage and family therapy were Shannon Berryman, Mary Brandt, Susan Carlton, Randie Lea Howard, Scott Hupfer and Ashley Neal of Shawnee, Diane McMillan of Burns Flat, and Denise Palmer of Tecumseh.