OBU to Hold 104th Spring Commencement in Honor of 288 Graduates

May 17, 2018

Oklahoma Baptist University will confer degrees upon 288 students during OBU’s 104th Spring Commencement Friday, May 18. The ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. in Raley Chapel’s Potter Auditorium on the OBU campus in Shawnee. The Rev. Dr. John A. Reed Jr., senior pastor of Fairview Missionary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, will deliver the commencement address.

Reed has held several leadership positions within Baptist institutions, including president of the Oklahoma Baptist State Convention, vice president of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education and vice president over the western region for the National Baptist Convention. He became the senior pastor of Fairview in 1975 and has led the growing church ever since.

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 at OBU. 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 Alex Lopez, president of the Class of 2018, and Dr. Susan DeWoody, interim vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college of graduate and professional studies.

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. The group includes Aaron Wicker, Abigail Welch, Alexis Besch, Andrew Joyce, Ashley Berkey, Bethany Cole, Carolyn Sosinski, Chandler Warren, Ellen Mathews, Hannah Axton, Isabella Scarinzi, Ivy Penwell, Jan Klonowski, Jana Satzler, Jonathan Ball, Jonathan Stewart, Kaitlyn Precure, Karsten Ladner, Lauren Martin, Libby UnRuh, Luke Fornea, Mackenzie Palmer, Megan Funderburk, Megan Kirkendall, Oliver Payne, Olivia Jones, Payton Olive, Rebecca Ward, Sarah Lee, Taylor Seacat, Tori Travis and Victoria Harrison.

In addition to the address by Reed, the program includes greetings by Dr. Hance Dilbeck, executive director and treasurer for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, and the induction of the graduates into the OBU Alumni Association by Dr. Will Smallwood, senior vice president for advancement and university relations.

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 an honorary Doctor of Divinity from the University to the Rev. Dr. John A. Reed Jr.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from OBU’s Paul Dickinson College of Business, with academic majors and hometowns, include Caroline Abbe, finance, McKinney, Texas; William Adams, management, Hurst, Texas; Kevin Adamson, computer science, Plainview, Texas; Suzanne Afchain, management, Dumbéa, New Caledonia; Babji Atturu, computer science, Tirupati, Chittoor; Haley Ballard, professional accountancy, Overland Park, Kansas; Rebekah Briggs, professional accountancy, Blackwell, Oklahoma; Amanda Buckwalter, finance, Manhattan, Kansas; Emmanuel Cole, professional accountancy, Oklahoma City; Bailey Davis, interdisciplinary in business administration and communication studies, Choctaw, Oklahoma; Josue De Paz, finance, Oklahoma City; Franklin Edwards, finance, Mustang, Oklahoma; Omar Estrada Toscano, finance, Cancún, Mexico; Miranda Garza, management, Little Elm, Texas; Dean Goorabian, finance, Castle Rock, Colorado; Tyler Harris, professional accountancy, Coppell, Texas; Abby Hoover, interdisciplinary in marketing, natural science and kinesiology and leisure science, Sapulpa, Oklahoma; Allison Ingrim, finance, Dardenne Prairie, Missouri; Tanner Kasterke, professional accountancy, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Brant Kolarik, professional accountancy, Tecumseh, Oklahoma; Alex Lewis, management, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; McKenzie Lumry, marketing, Shawnee; Lauren Mackey, professional accountancy, Shawnee; Jonathan McCloy, management, Oklahoma City; Gage Meisinger, marketing, Claremore, Oklahoma; Kevin Mendoza, finance, Pauls Valley, Oklahoma; Kailey Moore, marketing, Choctaw; Alexander Mundt, international business, Ålsgårde, Denmark; Emily Myers, finance, Oklahoma City; Matthew Nealy, professional accountancy, Shawnee; Connelly Rader, marketing, Elk City, Oklahoma; Dalton Rhoden, management, Fort Gibson, Oklahoma; Chandler Rickey, management, Broken Bow, Oklahoma; Luis Angel Romero Sanz, international business, Zaragoza, Spain; Jessica Schooler, marketing, Shawnee; Nathan Sosa, professional accountancy, Edmond; Kristijan Stunkovic, international business, Shawnee; Houston Tyler, management, Norman, Oklahoma; Ryan Underwood, finance, Newcastle, Oklahoma; Erica Watkins, marketing, Ardmore, Oklahoma; John Williamson, professional accountancy, Oklahoma City; and Aaron Yount, professional accountancy, Shawnee.

From the Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts, candidates for bachelor’s degrees include Kamryn Bartley, communication studies, Oklahoma City; Haylee Belcher, communication studies, Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Brenna Bergeron, theatre, Goddard, Kansas; Rachel Buckner, communication studies, Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Rhianna Chandler, communication studies, Fletcher, Oklahoma; Madison Crow, graphic design, Sand Springs; Anna Dellinger, news and information, Oklahoma City; Nicholas Dingus, digital media arts, Grove City, Ohio; Braden East, communication studies, Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Adam Ewing, news and information, Cochrane, Wisconsin; Catherine Finch, communication studies, Choctaw; Keith Fraaken, graphic design, Fort Collins, Colorado; Lara Gatton, theatre, Oklahoma City; Seth Getz, music education, Tomball, Texas; Dasia Givings, music, Bristow, Oklahoma; Elizabeth Grimes, theatre, Midwest City, Oklahoma; Meagan Hill, communication studies, Sand Springs; Cassidy Hopkins, voice performance, Shawnee; Nathan King, music, Shawnee; Andrea Larson, music education, Mannsville, Oklahoma; Hannah Lounsbery, news and information, Gladstone, Missouri; Christopher Luckens, voice performance, Oklahoma City; Bryse A. Martin, communication studies, Shawnee; Rebekah McPheeters, communication studies, Tulsa; Samuel Melton, music education, Oklahoma City; Paige Neidy, communication studies, Clinton, Oklahoma; Allison Power, communication studies, Edmond; Jillian Pullen, music education, Oklahoma City; Paden Rogers, graphic design, Mustang; Sierra Roller, art, Muskogee, Oklahoma; Braelyn Ross, graphic design, Shawnee; Caleb Schantz, theatre, Yukon, Oklahoma; Trevor Schlosser, worship arts, Carrollton, Texas; Brooklynne Seale, music education, Broken Arrow; Colton Seamans, music, Reedsburg, Wisconsin; Paige Shelton, music education, Oklahoma City; Glen Simpson, art, Enid, Oklahoma; Pierce Spead, news and information, Norman; Collin Tanner, worship arts, Amarillo, Texas; Reagan Thatcher, digital media arts, Broken Arrow; Jacob Thiel, worship arts, Kennewick, Washington; Zoya Timoshenko, communication studies, Shawnee; Amber N. Troppman, studio art, Grove,   Oklahoma; Jennifer Watson, music education, Weatherford, Oklahoma; Grace Wohlschlegel, theatre, Council Grove, Kansas; and Rebekah Woo, art, Jenks, Oklahoma.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from OBU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences include Daniel Aguilera Erenas, pre-allied health and rehabilitation services, Móstoles, Spain; Destinee Allen, Health and Physical Education, K-12, Ardmore; Jeffrey Baldie, English education, Oklahoma City; Dempsey Ballard, interdisciplinary in kinesiology and leisure science, psychology and sports management, Durant, Oklahoma; Jaelen Barlow, pre-allied health and rehabilitation services, Allen, Texas; Sally Berry, elementary education/early childhood education, Purcell, Oklahoma; Stacee Blake, English education, Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Chance Blount, health clinical track, Sallisaw, Oklahoma; Megan Bowlin, health and human performance, health clinical track, Shawnee, Kansas; Kimberly Breeden, sociology, Oklahoma City; Darrian Broom, political science,  Oklahoma City; Trey Buckner, personal training/strength and conditioning, Kingfisher, Oklahoma; Jayme Byassee, elementary education, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Abigail Chadwick, creative writing, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Isabella Chiareli, sociology, Shawnee; Elizabeth Clark, interdisciplinary in education, natural science, and music, Piedmont, Oklahoma; Brian Coates, interdisciplinary in natural science, business administration, Seminole, Oklahoma; Jacob Cochran, sociology, Canyon, Texas; Megan Conner, elementary education, Rockwall, Texas; McKenzie Cooper, interdisciplinary in kinesiology and leisure science and communication studies, Shawnee; Anna Costello, pre-allied health and rehabilitation services, Moore; Sophia Couto, sports and recreation management, Mattoon, Illinois; Shimoya Currie, criminal justice, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica; Katherine Custer, interdisciplinary in psychology, health and human performance and education, Ardmore; Stephannie Davis, interdisciplinary in business administration, kinesiology and leisure science and art, Shawnee; Sabrina Defibaugh, Spanish, Yukon; Andre Del Rio Ibarra, interdisciplinary in communication studies, sports management, and kinesiology and leisure science, Santa María Huatulco, Mexico; Hunter Doucette, political science, Helotes, Texas; Morgan Dromgoole, special education/elementary education, North Richland Hills, Texas; Emma Emory, elementary education/early childhood education, El Reno, Oklahoma; Greggory Engle, psychology/pre-counseling, Durant; Will Engle, political science, Durant; Emily Fink, psychology/pre-counseling, Shawnee; Zachery Fowler, interdisciplinary in sports management and kinesiology and leisure science, Asher, Oklahoma; Lauren Gates, psychology/pre-counseling, Shawnee; Rachel Gilmore, psychology/pre-counseling, Shawnee; Ty Gilmore, political science, Inola, Oklahoma; Jackson Griffith, interdisciplinary in Bible religion, business administration and sports management, Parker, Colorado; Kayla Ham, elementary education, Norman; Emily Hamilton, psychology/pre-counseling, San Diego, California; Tyler Henson, English, Skiatook, Oklahoma; Faith Hoover, psychology/pre-counseling, Plano, Texas; Haylee Horton, special education/early childhood education/elementary education, Lewisville, Texas; Montana Hummingbird, health and physical education, Coweta, Oklahoma; Breanna Hurlbut, pre-allied health and rehabilitation services, Morgan, Utah; Brooke Hurley, family and community service: family life track, Yukon; Dani Ingle, health and human performance, health clinical track, Harpswell, Maine; Amber Isaac, psychology, Enid, Oklahoma; Ruth Ivers, creative writing, Shawnee; Peyton Jenkins, psychology/pre-counseling, Yukon; and Audra Jones, psychology/pre-counseling, Arlington.

Additional candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences include Shelby Jones, interdisciplinary in English, history and psychology, Shawnee; Lyndsey Kalinowski, English education, Bentonville, Arkansas; Mary Klerekoper, sports and recreation management, Longview, Texas; Andrea Knott, psychology, Shawnee; Jamie Knox, family and community service: family life track, Rochester, Minnesota; Paige Konelson, health and physical education, Shawnee; Cadyn Laing, early childhood education, Wichita Falls, Texas; Kelsey Lambert, creative writing, Wanette, Oklahoma; Amy Lashar, early childhood education, Shawnee; Skyler Lewis, special education/early childhood education, Edmond; Victoria Lewis, psychology/pre-counseling, Lawton, Oklahoma; Rachel Linton, special education/elementary education, Mansfield, Texas; Braygan Lippencott, sociology, Cheyenne, Oklahoma; Joshua Mackey, history, Copan, Oklahoma; Allyson Madden, pre-allied health and rehabilitation services, Shawnee; Amanda Maddox, early childhood education, Newalla; Aimee Mantz, elementary education/early childhood education, Houston; Kacie Mattke, family and community service: family life track, Broken Arrow; Megan McCoy, family and community service: family life track, Walters, Oklahoma; Tara McDannel, family and community service: family life track, Thornton, Colorado; Zachary Medeiros, personal training/strength and conditioning, Oklahoma City; Madison Miller, elementary education, Tulsa; Adalberto Monge, psychology/pre-counseling, San Bernardino, California; Daniel Moniz, health and human performance: non-clinical, Claremore, Oklahoma; Travon Moore, interdisciplinary in exercise science sports medicine and sports management, Oklahoma City; Amy Munger, family and community service: family life track, Harrah, Oklahoma; Kelsi Neese, early childhood education, Shawnee; Vladimir Nemcok, pre-allied health and rehabilitation services, Raeford, North Carolina; Madison Newton, elementary education, Eufaula, Oklahoma; Dennis Nguyen, pre-allied health and rehabilitation services, Hesperia, California; Kori Norris, English education, Blackwell; Dosha Owens-Beauplan, health and human performance: non-clinical track, Denton, Texas; Chloe Palladino, pre-allied health and rehabilitation services, Wetumka, Oklahoma; Autumn Parker, elementary education, Duncan, Oklahoma; Selena Pascual, elementary education, Richland, Washington; Kristin Phillipe, interdisciplinary in education, cross-cultural ministry children’s ministry and communication studies, Bartlesville; Ezra Pratt, history, Denver, Colorado; Erica Reed, elementary education, Katy, Texas; Sydney Reeves, family and community service: family life track, Hesston, Kansas; Tiffiany Reich, early childhood education, Tecumseh; Elisa Renfro, early childhood education, Pryor, Oklahoma; Katherine Reyes, health and human performance: non-clinical track, Vancouver, Canada; Kristin Rodriguez, family and community service: family life track, Redding, California; Alexa Rutledge, psychology/pre-counseling, Arlington; Hunter Sanders, history, Edmond; Grant Schamburg, health and human performance: non-clinical track, Weatherford; Kateryna Shkot, interdisciplinary in exercise science and sports management, Shawnee; Glen Simpson, English, Enid; Ashley Singleton, exercise physiology and wellness, Shawnee; Morgan Smith, English, Pond Creek, Oklahoma; Josie Soots, interdisciplinary in education, history and sociology, Shawnee; Kolten Speaks, interdisciplinary in kinesiology and leisure studies and sports management, Fort Smith, Arkansas; Ashlee Spencer, elementary education, Oklahoma City; Emily Storm, history, The Colony, Texas; Sidney Stover, psychology/pre-counseling, Choctaw; Mollie Stowe, psychology/pre-counseling, Tulsa; Lillie Syverson, English education, Mannford; Sarah Tener, elementary education/early childhood education, Oklahoma City; Tyre' Terry, exercise physiology and wellness, Oklahoma City; Amy Tinker, history, Oklahoma City; Jack Tully, pre-allied health and rehabilitation services, Ardmore; Victoria Vaughan, anthropology, Rogers, Arkansas; Elizabeth Vasquez, psychology/pre-counseling, McAlester, Oklahoma; Charis Walker, family and community service: family life track  Ponca City, Oklahoma; Joshua Whitehead, psychology/pre-counseling, McKinney, Texas; Jace Wilkins, sports and recreation management, McLoud, Oklahoma; Alexia Williams, elementary education, Inola, Oklahoma; Morgan Williams, family and community service: family life track, Forney, Texas; Andrew Wright, creative writing, Boswell, Oklahoma; Shelby Young, pre-allied health and rehabilitation services, Meeker, Oklahoma; and Micaela Yount, early childhood education, Bixby, Oklahoma.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from OBU’s College of Nursing include Lauren Baustert, Sand Springs; Marina Berkley, Overland Park, Kansas; Natalie Buzan, Bartlesville; Whitney Carmichael, Shawnee; Blake Compton, Shawnee; Olivia Curry, Shawnee; Marsha Davidson, Shawnee; Krysten Denney, Skiatook; Jared Fink, Wann, Oklahoma; Landry Forth, Shawnee, Hannah Gordon, Shawnee; Miranda Granger, Newcastle; Ashleigh Gruns, Jenks; Anna Hollingshead-King, Denton, Texas; Meaghon Hollyfield, Kirbyville, Texas; Katrina Horner, Norman; Sarah Klerekoper, Longview; Ciera Knapp, Noble; Ellen Magar, Midwest City; Kaitlyn Malaske, Harrah; Aleksandra Miletic, Belegis, Serbia; Ashley Morris, Oklahoma City; Cayla Munroe, Oklahoma City; Katrina Nguyen, Shawnee; Gregory Orr, Paden, Oklahoma; Sarah Pruitt, Flower Mound, Texas; Kyle Reich, Lewisville; Brittney Roberts, Shawnee; Tucker Schultz, New Castle, Colorado; Chelsea Sehorn, Shawnee; Maysn Ungerer, Roseville, California; Alexandra Vestal, Melissa, Texas; Sydney Ward, Edmond; and Cacy Wyatt, Oklahoma City.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the James E. Hurley College of Science and Mathematics include Brittany Anderson, biology, Bokchito, Oklahoma; Jordan Anderson, science education, Altus, Oklahoma; Sydney Barnes, biology, Edmond; Emily Bontekoe, biology, Howell, Minnesota; William Browne, biochemistry, Cibolo, Texas; Miavonna Craig, biology, Oklahoma City; Jantzen Faulkner, biochemistry, Ardmore; Joshua Frank, biology, Shawnee; Luke Jarboe, physics, Pryor; Rachel Kelley, biology, Newalla; Cooper Koons, natural science, Tuttle, Oklahoma; Hannah Lynam, biochemistry, Macomb, Oklahoma; Fernando Morillas Ramos, biology, Canovelles, Spain; Karly Murphree, biochemistry, Cushing, Oklahoma; Troy Officer, biochemistry, Edmond; Stephen Phillippe, biochemistry, Bartlesville; Connor Polson, biology, Tuttle, Oklahoma; Miranda Sheridan, biochemistry, Rifle, Colorado; Noah Stelzer, math education, Neosho, Missouri; Edgar Suazo, biology, Dallas; Annika Tolley, natural science, Parker, Colorado, and Colton Want, biochemistry, Amber, Oklahoma.

From the Herschel H. Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry, candidates for bachelor’s degrees include Haylee Belcher, cross-cultural ministry, Tahlequah; Mary Bridges, cross-cultural ministry, Cordell, Oklahoma; Bailey Byers, Christian ministry, Edmond; Keegan Byrd, Christian ministry: worship ministry, McKinney; Cade Chlouber, religion: Bible, Shawnee; Andrew Cranford, Christian ministry: pastoral ministry, Oklahoma City; Colin Crawford, Christian ministry: pastoral ministry, Coweta; Victoria Groce Daugherty, philosophy: apologetics, Fort Worth; Ashley Hackett, interdisciplinary in cross-cultural ministry, student ministry and psychology, Tulsa; Trevor Kelly, interdisciplinary in student ministry, computer science and music, Aurora, Colorado; Jeffery Lewis, Christian ministry: student ministry, Edmond; Aaron Livingston, religion: Bible, Claremore; Alex Lopez, biblical languages, Broken Arrow; Kaylee Montgomery, Christian ministry, Frisco; Lauren Rader, religion Bible, Frisco, Texas; Anna Ricks, Christian ministry: educational ministry, Arlington; Amyy Schumer, cross-cultural ministry, Inola; and Chancellor Stillwell, religion: Bible, Petal, Mississippi.

As part of a teach-out agreement between OBU and St. Gregory’s University, six candidates transferred to OBU this spring for the completion of their degrees. The candidates for bachelor’s degrees include Mardesia Sapien Finch, elementary education, Macomb; Krystal Lopez, exercise science, El Paso; Marcus Rethwill, visual arts, Portland, Oregon; Amy Stapleton, psychology, Seminole, Oklahoma; Edgar Villarreal, exercise science, Laredo, Texas; and Devika Wilson, biomedical science, Chouteau, Oklahoma.