OBU to Hold 103rd Spring Commencement in Honor of 330 Graduates

May 18, 2017

Oklahoma Baptist University will confer degrees upon 330 students during OBU’s 103rd Spring Commencement Friday, May 19. The ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. in Raley Chapel’s Potter Auditorium on the OBU campus in Shawnee. Nationally renowned Texas attorney John Raley will deliver the commencement address. Tickets are required for admission, however, a live simulcast will be available in the Noble Complex for those without tickets. The ceremony will also be streaming live on OBU’s Facebook page.

Raley, who led a seven-year fight to free a man wrongfully convicted of murder, was a special guest on OBU’s campus in 2016. He worked with the Innocence Project to free Michael Morton, a man who served 25 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife. He is the grandson of John Wesley Raley, former OBU president and chancellor, after whom Raley Chapel is named.

Graduating students will embark on a symbolic final walk across campus as OBU students before filing into Raley Chapel for the ceremony. The walk mirrors one many of the graduating students took during Welcome Week as new students. The students, in academic regalia, will proceed from the Geiger Center to the chapel, passing through rows of OBU faculty members before they reach the chapel’s east steps.

OBU President Dr. David W. Whitlock will preside over the ceremonies and deliver the charge to graduates. The program will include a presentation of the graduating class by Heather Sanders, president of the Class of 2017, and Dr. Stan Norman, provost and executive vice president of campus life.

Junior class marshals will escort the graduating class to their seats in Raley Chapel. The top-ranking junior men and women, based on overall grade point average, serve as marshals. This group includes Payton Clark, Lauren Dean, Kristin Dodd, Braden East, Alyssa Fluke, Allison Foster, Madison Granger, Amy Harden, Adriana Holder, Amber Isaac, Emily Jost, Jonathon Knox, Moriah Lamb, Ellen Mathews, Mikaleh Offerman, Cassidy Olsen, Kristin Phillippe, Connelly Rader, Amyy Schumer, Emily Sechrist, Juliana Sinclair, Chancellor Stillwell, Joshua Taylor, Marta Villa, Kali Wagoner, Charis Walker, Julie Welch, Stephanie Zachery and Haylee Zimmerman.

In addition to the address by Raley, the program includes greetings by Dr. Anthony Jordan, executive director/ treasurer for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, and the induction of the graduates into the OBU Alumni Association by Lori Hagans, executive director of the alumni association.

OBU’s top three honors for faculty and staff members will be presented by Whitlock during the graduation exercise. They include the Distinguished Teaching Award, the Promising Teacher Award and the Meritorious Service Award. Additionally, Whitlock will present honorary doctorates from the University to Dr. Jay P. Chance and Mary Ellen Wall.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from OBU’s Paul Dickinson College of Business, with academic majors and hometowns, include Dylan Bales, computer science, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Jose Barbosa, interdisciplinary in computer science and biology, Dallas, Texas; Evan Berry, computer information systems and professional accountancy, Purcell, Oklahoma; Stephen Briggs computer science-interdisciplinary, Blackwell, Oklahoma; Parker Denton, marketing, Oklahoma City; Pablo Ximenez, international business, Barcelona, Spain; Austin Goode, professional accountancy, Shawnee, Oklahoma;  Briana Gray, finance, Arlington, Texas; Javiert Gray, computer science-interdisciplinary, Oklahoma City; Dustin Harshaw, finance, Midwest City, Oklahoma; Devyn Hill, computer information systems, Carrollton, Texas; Sarah Ingle, management, Grove, Oklahoma; Levi Jennings, computer information systems, Oklahoma City; Michael Johnson, computer science, Shawnee; Charles Lanphear, international business, Independence, Missouri; Daniel Maranell, interdisciplinary in business administration, marketing and digital media arts, Tecumseh, Oklahoma; Alison Mauch, finance, Carrollton, Texas; Megan Morales, computer information systems, Ardmore, Oklahoma; Edward Morgan, management, Fort Worth, Texas; Ashley Olivares, management, Dallas, Texas; Kati Parker, professional accountancy, Shawnee; Tallen Parker, management, Shawnee; Kyle Perdew, management, Yukon, Oklahoma; Victoria Peskova, international business, Russia; Amberly Proctor, professional accountancy, Hanna, Oklahoma; Ian Pryor, professional accountancy, Norman, Oklahoma; Chandler Rickey, management, Broken Bow, Oklahoma; Christina Roach, international business and social entrepreneurship, Shawnee; Shane Rogers, professional accountancy, Oklahoma City; Jordan Sampson, marketing, Ardmore, Oklahoma; Jill Shipman, management, Stroud, Oklahoma; Brandon Smith, computer science-interdisciplinary, Tulsa; Carlos Sosa, marketing, Guatemala City, Guatemala; Thomas Uglean, computer information systems, Norman; Matthew Watson, finance, Shawnee; Brittany Watts, marketing, Bella Vista, Arkansas; and Cheyenne Wiley, management, Lexington, Oklahoma.

From the Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts, candidates for bachelor’s degrees include Eja Bauer, art, Shawnee; Abigail Besco, art, Anna, Texas; Kathryn Best, worship arts, Norman; Sarah Blankenship, art, Shawnee; Andrew Bowsher, worship arts, McKinney, Texas; Jessi Crawford, voice cert, K-12, Shawnee; Caitlin Cullison, interdisciplinary in digital media arts, theatre and English, Lempster, New Hampshire; Morgan Davenport, news and information, Shawnee; Emily Fuller, instrumental cert, K-12, Oologah, Oklahoma; Connor Gilbert, theatre, Shawnee; Sarah Gilstad, art, Altus, Oklahoma; DeEricka Givings, voice cert, K-12, Bristow, Oklahoma; Graeson Griffin, piano and physics, Shawnee; Karson Hazelrigg, interdisciplinary in graphic design and English, Midwest City; Laura Hickman, communication studies, Mustang, Oklahoma; Lia Hillman, news and information, Cheyenne, Oklahoma; Adam Holt, voice, College Station, Texas; Mary Howington, musical arts-instrumental, McKinney; Jeremiah Hurd, communication studies, Claremore, Oklahoma; Audrey Johnson, instrumental cert, K-12, Cushing, Oklahoma; Kayla Kendall, communication studies, Richardson, Texas; Samantha King, theatre, Fort Worth, Texas; Taylor Lasseigne, theatre, Whitewright, Texas; Nina Longhofer, theatre, Wichita, Kansas; Brooke Mattox, digital media arts, Ardmore, Oklahoma; and Kimberly Mead, communication studies, Shawnee.

Additional graduates from the College of Fine Arts include Tanner Messer, digital media arts, Collinsville, Oklahoma; Sarah Moore, communication studies, Yukon; Peggy Mosley, art, Oklahoma City; Joshua Norman, art, Oklahoma City; Cherish Parker, theatre, Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Emma Patton, communication studies, Oklahoma City; Jasmine Robinson, graphic design, Oklahoma City; J. Truett Ross, communication studies, Edmond, Oklahoma; Kymber Sage, theatre, Shawnee; Stephen Salter, digital media arts, Rowlett, Texas; Haley Schumacher, communication studies, Gainesville, Texas; Lindsi Skinner, communication studies, Wichita, Kansas; Reagan Smith, digital media arts, Shawnee; Markella Suka, communication studies, Greece; Lindsay Swindell, art, Denison, Texas; Zachary Trosper, art and graphic design, Oklahoma City; Dakota Unruh, worship arts, Elk City, Oklahoma; Joseph Vanlandingham, instrumental cert, K-12, Perryton, Texas; Michael Vetter, communication studies, Marburg, Germany;  Katherine Ward, communication studies and anthropology, Irving, Texas; Emma Williams, graphic design, Spring Valley, California; Savaughn Williams, communication studies, Lawton, Oklahoma; and Hannah Wilson, instrumental cert, K-12, Yukon.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from OBU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences include Kyle Abblitt, sports and recreation management, San Diego, California; Sade Alaka, political science, Montgomery, Texas; Hailee Alcaida, English education, secondary, Allen, Oklahoma; Sarah Allard, English education, secondary, Burleson, Texas; Kaylie Anderson, psychology, Arlington, Texas; Miranda Anderson, psychology, Muskogee, Oklahoma; Sarah Anderson, English, Sherman, Texas; Charles Andrews, personal training/strength and conditioning, Abilene, Texas; Emily Banks, psychology, Norman; Anastasiya Baranova, psychology pre-counseling, Sochi, Russian Federation; Amy Barnett, psychology, Oklahoma City; Brenda Barnett, interdisciplinary in kinesiology and leisure science and education, Shawnee; Samantha Barry, sports and recreation management, Shawnee; Matthew Bendure, social science education secondary, Chouteau, Oklahoma; Kenzi Bice, early childhood education, Oklahoma City; Sarah Blankenship, psychology pre-counseling and art, Shawnee; Bo Bradshaw, English education, secondary, Choctaw, Oklahoma; Kaelye Bradsher, elementary education, Blanchard, Oklahoma; LuToria Brickhouse, English, Chickasha, Oklahoma; Emily Brooks, psychology pre-counseling, McAlester, Oklahoma; McKenzie Brooks, anthropology, Sophia, North Carolina; Lauren Brown, family and community service: family life track, Wichita, Kansas; Gary Burley, personal training/strength and conditioning, Midwest City; Kelsey Burrous, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Oro Valley, Arizona; Anna Burton, English, Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Kelly Burton, special education/elementary education, Oklahoma City; Abigail Campbell, elementary education, Fletcher, Oklahoma; Hannah Cantrell, sports ministry, Fort Gibson, Oklahoma; Vicente Chueca, interdisciplinary in kinesiology and leisure science, exercise science and education, Peralta, Spain; Elise Caudill, anthropology and psychology pre-counseling, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Olivia Charvat, sociology, Bixby, Oklahoma; Amanda Cheatwood, elementary education, Shawnee; Chase Cheatwood, psychology pre-counseling, Broken Arrow; Caleb Compton, exercise physiology and wellness, Shawnee; Dustyn Cook, sports and recreation management, Oxnard, California; Alejandro Cordero, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Moore, Oklahoma; Katherine Cornett, special education/early childhood education, Broken Arrow; Kelsey Cotham, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Ponca City, Oklahoma; Emily Craddock, English education, secondary, Tulsa; Kelsey Croy, psychology pre-counseling, Piedmont, Oklahoma; Paul Davis, exercise physiology and wellness, Altus, Oklahoma; Shealy Davis, psychology pre-counseling, Drumright, Oklahoma; Annie Denny, elementary education, Fort Worth, Texas; Jonathan Dent, creative writing, Sealy, Texas; Lily Doss, history, Elmore City, Oklahoma; Hannah Dowell, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Edmond; Natasha Edge, elementary education, Aurora, Colorado; Timothy Farris, psychology pre-counseling, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Katelyn Fasig, elementary education, Derby, Kansas; Cameo Fenner, personal training/strength and conditioning, Shawnee; Rebekah Fisher, family and community service, Broken Arrow; and Lauren Franz, psychology pre-counseling, West Plains, Missouri.

Additional candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences include Darian Freeman, psychology, Houston, Texas; Megann Garner, anthropology, Maud, Oklahoma; Emily Gilbert, exercise physiology and wellness, Bellevue, Texas; Tiara Giudice, elementary education, Edmond; Kaitlyn Goins, science education, secondary, Glenpool, Oklahoma; Noah Golaboff, social sciences education, secondary, Harker Heights, Texas; Cameerah Graves, personal training/strength and conditioning, Edmond; Steven Green, interdisciplinary in sports management and business administration, Youngtown, Arizona; Kayla Gregory, special education/elementary education, Kansas City, Kansas; Morgan Groves, elementary education/early childhood education, New Castle, Colorado; Samantha Guilfoyle, psychology pre-counseling, Pryor, Oklahoma; Jamie Haddad, psychology pre-counseling, Oklahoma City; Abigail Hagans, psychology pre-counseling, Shawnee; Evangeline Han, English, Melaka, Malaysia; Ellise Harrison, family and community service: family life track, Henryetta, Oklahoma; Hunter Heath, sports and recreation management, Shawnee; Lacey Herbert, elementary education, Perryton, Texas; Jansen Hight, interdisciplinary in kinesiology and leisure studies and business administration, Spencer, Indiana; Alexander Holland, psychology pre-counseling, Dallas, Texas; Kathleen Houston, elementary education, Roanoke, Texas; Holly Hutcheson, family and community service, Shawnee; Jordan Jackson, family and community service: family life track, Elk City, Oklahoma; Augustin Janssen, personal training/strength and conditioning, Montevideo, Uruguay; Jamie Jefferson, sociology, Mustang, Oklahoma; Karis Johnson, psychology pre-counseling, Broken Arrow; Jeff Jolly, psychology pre-counseling, Allen, Texas; Tristen Jolly, elementary education, Allen, Texas; Jessica Joy, elementary education/early childhood education, Moore, Oklahoma; Ryan Joyce, sports and recreation management, Lake Forest, California; McKenzie Kepple, health and physical education K-12, Morrison, Oklahoma; Jordan Kruse, personal training/strength and conditioning, Omaha, Nebraska; Timotis Kuckailis, interdisciplinary in kinesiology and leisure science and business administration, Bethany, Lithuania; Elyse Kusakabe, English, Makawao, Hawaii; Rachel Landes, elementary education, Edmond; Lauren Ledbetter, psychology, Ardmore, Oklahoma; Jordan Logsdon, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Norman; Chase Longshore, sociology, Stilwell, Oklahoma; Anderson Lopez, history, Broken Arrow; Jalisa Lor, psychology pre-counseling, Tulsa; Jesha Lor, psychology pre-counseling, Tulsa; Rachel Lowe, English education, secondary, Lawton, Oklahoma; Victoria Majewski, early childhood education, Geneva, Illinois; Matthew Martin, sociology, Irving; Eddie Martinez, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Luther, Oklahoma; Abigail Mayfield, interdisciplinary in exercise science sports medicine and education, Blanchard, Oklahoma; Ann McAnelly, special education/elementary education, Lawton, Oklahoma; Cody McBrayer, psychology pre-counseling, Lamoni, Iowa; D’Ante Meeking, personal training/strength and conditioning, Wolfe City, Texas; Taylor Melton, elementary education, Ponca City, Oklahoma; Bethany Meraz, family and community service, Oklahoma City; Kysha Miller, sociology, Edmond; Jacqueline Molina, elementary education, Fort Worth, Texas; and Marina Montano, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Sherman, Texas.

Other candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences include Joseph Moran, sports and recreation management, Simi Valley, California; Lauren Morgan, psychology pre-counseling, Ardmore, Oklahoma; Paige Morrison, exercise physiology and wellness, McKinney; Dawson Myers, interdisciplinary in kinesiology and leisure science and sports management, Shawnee; Carleigh Neal, personal training/strength and conditioning, Mill Creek, Oklahoma; Shelbye Newton, early childhood education, Shawnee; Caitlyn Norwood, Shawnee; Bridget Oakley, elementary education/early childhood education, Los Olivos, California; Tanner Oxford, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Frederick, Oklahoma; Jinny Parra Grullon, sports and recreation management, Dominican Republic; Jordan Patterson, personal training/strength and conditioning, Arlington, Texas; Jordyn Patterson, psychology pre-counseling, Shawnee; Andrew Peercy, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Duncan, Oklahoma; Phillip Pelley, sports and recreation management, Tulsa; Kerianne Petersen, elementary education, Shawnee, Kansas; Levi Phillips, sports ministry, Wynnewood, Oklahoma; Skylar Phillips, elementary education, Colbert, Oklahoma; Haley Powell, anthropology, Moore, Oklahoma; Francisco Quesada, personal training/strength and conditioning, Shawnee; Jasmine Ratzlaff, sociology, Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Olivia Reel, family and community service: family life track, Tishomingo, Oklahoma; Andrew Reich, elementary education, Tecumseh, Oklahoma; Karly Rhodes, elementary education, Gainesville, Texas; Payton Richards, sociology, Shawnee; Jordan Roach, early childhood education, Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Heather Sanders, political science, Shawnee; Morgan Schaefer, English education, secondary, Edmond; Rachel Schrick, anthropology, Montrose, Colorado; Allison Scoggin, elementary education, Shawnee; Shekinah Sharpe, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Grand Prairie, Texas; Kathryn Sild, personal training/strength and conditioning, Sherman, Texas; Casey Smith, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Pearland, Texas; Samuel Smith, personal training/strength and conditioning, Stillwater, Oklahoma; Cody Soots, sociology, Claremore; Kyle Sparkes, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Oklahoma City; Jessica Spencer, psychology pre-counseling, Allen, Oklahoma; Phillip Spess, health and physical education K-12, Cleveland, Oklahoma; Sidney Spieker, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Sayre, Oklahoma; Kenna Stanton, family and community service: family life track, Lawton, Oklahoma; Charles Taylor, criminal justice, Adelanto, California; Summer Templeton, camp administration, Garland, Texas; Jana Tenbrook, English, Oklahoma City; Adrienne Townsend, early childhood education, Shawnee; Demetri Turner, sociology, Garland, Texas; Micheiah Tyler, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science, Edmond; Skyla Underwood, family and community service: family life track, Shawnee; Morgan Urick, psychology pre-counseling, Tomball, Texas; Lauren Vela, family and community service: family life track, Durant, Oklahoma; Kayla Wilbourn, psychology pre-counseling, Seminole, Oklahoma; Suzanne Wisham, personal training/strength and conditioning, Colorado Springs, Colorado; MiKayla Wolf, political science, Chickasha, Oklahoma; and Jessica Wright, history, Lexington, Oklahoma.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from OBU’s College of Nursing include April Cannon, Tulsa; Bridget Burton, Springdale, Arkansas; Hannah Christian, Elk City, Oklahoma; Rachel Detweiler, Corn, Oklahoma; Miranda Dozier, Parker, Colorado; Ashley Eubanks, Mesquite, Texas; Hannah Evans, Chandler, Oklahoma; Christine Ferguson, Benbrook, Texas; Bailey Garrett, Sand Springs, Oklahoma; Christin Garvey, Gainesville, Texas; Kyra Gilbert, Shawnee; Cory Grant, Aubrey, Texas; Kirsty Green, Carl Junction, Missouri; Kelsey Hays, Tecumseh, Oklahoma; Jennifer Holdridge, Oklahoma City; Alexandra Lanphear, Independence, Missouri; Maci Lewis, Elmore City, Oklahoma; Catherine Lingo, Yukon; Kierra Mattingly, Colorado Springs; Jennifer McMartin, Shawnee; Morgan Minx, Enid, Oklahoma; Kristi Neighbors, Blackwell, Oklahoma; Macy Palmer, Sand Springs, Oklahoma; Gracelyn Perkins, Colorado Springs; Brittney Roberts, Shawnee; Tucker Schultz, New Castle, Colorado; Katie Stiles, Aubrey, Texas; and Jade Young, Wichita, Kansas.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the James E. Hurley College of Science and Mathematics include Jennifer Austin, biology, McLoud, Oklahoma; Emma Beck, biology, Eudora, Kansas; Benjamin Burke, natural science, Edmond; Jenni Cartmell, biology, Chandler, Oklahoma; Kathryn Cooper, biology, Broken Arrow; Thayamie Cortes, natural science, Mansfield, Texas; Grace Eckstrom, biology, Stanton, Nebraska; Nathan Fawver, math education, secondary, Andover, Kansas; Tori Forney, natural science, Broken Arrow; Hannah Grandstaff, mathematics, Muskogee, Oklahoma; Isaac Gray, biochemistry, Shawnee; Graeson Griffin, physics, Shawnee; Emily Hancock, biology, Oklahoma City; Stephanie Hayes, chemistry, Tulsa; Madison Hendrickson, forensic biology, Lees Summit, Missouri; Kalli Henning, biology, Cypress, Texas; Magdalena Hernandez, forensic biology, Fredericksburg, Texas; Ashley King, math education, secondary, Shawnee; Morgan Knox, interdisciplinary in natural science and news and information, Grove, Oklahoma; Joseph Manning, physics, Crowley, Texas; Shawn Marshall, mathematics, Elgin, Oklahoma; Cory McCalister, math education, secondary, Oklahoma City; Darby Morgan, natural science, Weatherford, Oklahoma; Savannah Pittman, natural science, Choctaw, Oklahoma; Lauren Quick, biology, Shawnee; David Reynolds, physics, Oklahoma City; Jake Romoser, biology, Tulsa; Clay Smith, biology, Bedford, Texas; Jordan Spencer, biochemistry, Fort Smith, Arkansas; Samantha Sweeney, biochemistry, Shawnee; Kassity Ulin, natural science, Blanchard, Oklahoma; and Taylor Wilson, biology, Noble, Oklahoma.

From the Herschel H. Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry, candidates for bachelor’s degrees include Colin Brickhouse, religion: Bible, Altus, Oklahoma; Austin Briggs, Christian ministry: pastoral ministry, McAlester, Oklahoma; Gunner Briscoe, philosophy, Bixby; Austin Canfield, Christian ministry: student ministry, Tulsa; Glen Courtney, Christian ministry: student ministry, Mill Creek, Oklahoma; Garret Crawford, philosophy, Springdale, Arkansas; Mackenna Edwards, cross-cultural ministry and anthropology, Mckinney, Texas; Kevin Feamster, religion: Bible, Claremore; Weston Foote, religion: Bible, Shawnee; Houston Franklin, Christian ministry: pastoral ministry and religion: Bible, Durant; Hayley Graft, cross-cultural ministry: international church planting and Spanish, Oklahoma City; Brandon Handy, religion: Bible, Sherman, Texas; Gage Johnson, religion: Bible, Shawnee; Chris Joines, Christian ministry: student ministry, Owasso, Oklahoma; Seth Kester, cross-cultural ministry, Springfield, Missouri; Alex Lashley, Christian ministry: children's ministry, Gunter, Texas; McKaela Lee, cross-cultural ministry, Choctaw, Josh McDaniel, religion: Bible, Mustang, Oklahoma; Kaleb Miears, religion: Bible, Shawnee; Madelyn Noland, religion: Bible, Chickasha, Oklahoma; Blake Randolph, philosophy and religion: Bible, Goddard, Kansas; Ryan Ross, Christian ministry: pastoral ministry, Oklahoma City; Jessica Scott, interdisciplinary in cross-cultural ministry, photography and exercise science, Oklahoma City; Bradley Thatcher, Christian ministry: student ministry, Independence, Missouri; Calandra Travis, cross-cultural ministry and Spanish, Norman; Andrew Tucker, religion: Bible, McKinney; Jacob Valdez, Christian ministry: student ministry, Weatherford, Texas; and Rachel Watters, cross-cultural ministry, Bartlesville, Oklahoma.