OBU to Hold 107th Spring Commencement to Honor 277 Graduates

May 13, 2021

OBU will confer degrees upon 277 students during the University’s 107th Spring Commencement, held in five separate ceremonies Friday, May 14, and Saturday, May 15. The ceremonies will take place in Raley Chapel’s Potter Auditorium on OBU’s campus in Shawnee. The University planned multiple spring commencement ceremonies in order to facilitate physical distancing for graduates and their guests. All five ceremonies will be livestreamed on the OBU YouTube channel.

Dr. Doug Melton, pastor of Southern Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, and Kim Swyden, executive director of ministries of Jesus in Edmond, will serve as guest speakers during the ceremonies. Swyden will speak during the first commencement ceremony for the College of Nursing, taking place May 14 at 2 p.m. Melton will speak during all of the remaining ceremonies.

The ceremony for students in the Divisions of Teacher Education, Behavioral and Social Sciences, and Language and Literature will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 15. The ceremony for graduates from the Hurley College of Science and Mathematics as well as students from the Division of Health and Human Performance and Exercise Science, Sport and Recreation will follow at 12 p.m.

The third Saturday ceremony will kick off at 2 p.m. for students graduating from the Dickinson College of Business and the Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry and will also include interdisciplinary graduates. The final ceremony will begin Saturday at 4 p.m. for graduates in the Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts.

Graduating students will embark on a symbolic final walk across campus as OBU students before filing into Raley Chapel for each 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. Heath A. Thomas will preside over the ceremonies and deliver the charge to graduates.

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 Reagan Benton, Daniel Campbell, Anna Caughlin, Steven Clark, Blake Cope, Sarah Dean, Brittany Freeman, Layne Grady, Caleb Griffin, Jessie Harris, Rylie Helm, Kathleen Hill, Peyton King, Mackenzie Knox, Elizabeth Lette, Benjamin Ludwinski, Renee Moran, Brooke Newby, Josie Patterson, David Salters, Sarah Spivey, Madison Stone and Tiffany Williams.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from OBU’s Paul Dickinson College of Business, with academic majors and hometowns, include Alfredo Rafael Arrieche Loyo, management; Patty J. Bagwell, computer information systems, Meeker, Oklahoma; Cassie Rae Boboltz, professional accountancy, North Richland Hills, Texas; Heath Garrett Brown, management, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Luke Bradley Campbell, professional accountancy, Beckwourth, California; Eric Jeffrey Carlson, management, Ashland, Oregon; Jesus Chavez, management, Oxnard, California; Hsi Chen, management and marketing; Chloe Chester, marketing, Shawnee; Jamie Jean Edwards, marketing; Jarrett Tyler Ellis, marketing, Pryor, Oklahoma; Deise Inai Ferrara, marketing, Houston, Texas; Levi C. Foley, management, Greenville, Texas; Gianlucca Rubio Galdi, finance; Evelyn Garcia, professional accountancy, Newcastle, Oklahoma; Bryan Earl Geurkink, professional accountancy, Sand Springs, Oklahoma; Taylor Nicole Gilbert, marketing, Mesquite, Texas; Anthony J. Gorum, professional accountancy, Chandler, Oklahoma; Audrey G. Harlow, professional accountancy, Sapulpa, Oklahoma; Christopher B. Hawkins, computer science, Shawnee; Samuel Evan Hawkins, professional accountancy, Wellford, South Carolina; Steven Brae Johnson, professional accountancy, Morse, Texas; Dawson Jones, professional accountancy, Shawnee; Tyler Matthew Koonce, professional accountancy and Bible, Oklahoma City; Jacob Lipetzky, management, Brownstown, Michigan; Jacob Lott, marketing, McAlester, Oklahoma; Mariah Muic, interdisciplinary, business administration and communication studies, Allen, Texas; William Pettijohn, computer information systems, Allen, Texas; Jacob Power, management, Edmond, Oklahoma; Cooper B. Provine, finance, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Aaron Jerome Ragas, Jr., marketing, Plano, Texas; Alyssa Roark, professional accountancy, Shawnee; Ashley Ann Scrivner, management, Coppell, Texas; Cassidy Spotts, professional accountancy, Oklahoma City; Maximiliano Vergara Dominguez, international business; and Brianna Madison Yeager, marketing, Oklahoma City.

From the Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts, candidates for bachelor’s degrees include McKenna May Anderson, communication studies, Foresthill, California; Alex Benito, instrumental, Durant, Oklahoma; Lydia Delana Birkes, graphic design, Davis, Oklahoma; Sadye Booz, communication studies, Lake City, Florida; Emily Ann Boyne, communication studies, Wagoner, Oklahoma; Caleb Brown, digital media arts, The Colony, Texas; Rachel Nicole Campbell, theatre, Oklahoma City; Ashley Casallas, communication studies, Edmond, Oklahoma; Breeana Christian Crutchfield, communication studies, Bixby, Oklahoma; Rachel Elizabeth Darvin, piano performance-pedagogy emphasis, Stroud, Oklahoma; Victoria Frolich, interdisciplinary, news and information, art, and cross-cultural ministry, Oklahoma City; Darnival Deyjon Henry, interdisciplinary, communication studies and media Mesquite, Texas; Brenna Avery Holley, communication studies, Richardson, Texas; Kendra Michal Johnson, theatre, Shawnee; Julia Sage Jolly, communication studies, Allen, Texas; Katherine RuthAnn Logan, music education, vocal certificate, P-12, Amarillo, Texas; Morgan Martin, communication studies, Fayetteville, Arkansas; Rachel Mauldin, communication studies, Oklahoma City; Jacee Miller, communication studies, Shawnee; Christin Daniella Muller, interdisciplinary, animation and computer science, Little Elm, Texas; Vanessa Nicole Myers, graphic design, Ardmore, Oklahoma; Ashlynn Elizabeth Philpot, communication studies, Claremore, Oklahoma; Emili M. Ramos, theatre, San Antonio, Texas; Kaleigh Madison Reynolds, communication studies, Wylie, Texas; Sarah Kathryn Smith, music education, vocal certificate, P-12, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Laura Grace Stewart, music, Enid, Oklahoma; Caitlyn Marie Swanson, graphic design, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Joel Andrew Tetmeyer, music education, vocal certificate, P-12, Pilot Point, Texas; Afton Kyndall Urton, graphic design, Oklahoma City; Brennan Rhea Shaw VanBuskirk, studio art, Moore, Oklahoma; Braden Loy Wade, journalism and mass communication, media production emphasis, Wylie, Texas; Garrett Wheeler, theatre, Bixby, Oklahoma; Joshua White, graphic design, Shawnee; and Raelyn Nicole Williamson, worship studies, Ada, Oklahoma.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from OBU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences include Janai Terran Albertson, social science education, secondary, Oklahoma City; Emma LeeAnn Armstrong, psychology pre-counseling, Shawnee; Jordan Robert Atkins, health and human performance, clinical track, Kansas City, Missouri; Samantha Baird, elementary education, Shawnee; Samantha Banta, psychology, Okemah, Oklahoma; Gracelyn Noelle Basinger, health and human performance, non-clinical track, Broken Arrow; Mackenzie Beaver, forensic psychology, Tulsa; Emari Luz Benito, psychology, Durant, Oklahoma; Christina Brady, health and human performance, non-clinical track, Oklahoma City; Mikayla Danielle Brannam, elementary education, Chandler, Oklahoma; Savanna Grace Branton, early childhood education, Forney, Texas; Kessler Isaiah Brock, interdisciplinary, business administration and sports management, Claremore, Oklahoma; Kaylee Buell, criminal justice, Ponder, Texas; Keegan Benjamin Caldwell, history, Spiro, Oklahoma; Mackenzie Jo Camp, family and community service, family life track, Shawnee; Christen Carrington, early childhood education, Midwest City, Oklahoma; Hannah LaRee Carter, psychology pre-counseling, Shawnee; Kelsi Colleen Chavez, health and physical education, P-12, Cleburne, Texas; Sarah Faith Cheatwood, psychology pre-counseling, Broken Arrow; Adrianna Elizabeth Climer, health and human performance, clinical track, Shawnee; Curran Cochran, history, Oklahoma City; Logan Kenneth Coe, sports and recreation management, Atwater, California; Logan Kay Coleman, health and human performance, clinical track, Frederick, Oklahoma; Rachel Brooke Compton, English, Shawnee; Brooke Eva Cooke, elementary education, Shawnee; Lane David Cooper, health and human performance, non-clinical track, Shawnee; Joshua Michael Cornell, health and human performance, non-clinical track, Allen, Texas; Draelyn Brook Cross, interdisciplinary, health and human performance, and education, Anadarko, Oklahoma; Julie A. Day, health and human performance, non-clinical track, Peyton, Colorado; Cheyenne Demaree, health and physical education, P-12, Pryor, Oklahoma; Allison Marie Dighton, family and community service, community service track, Shawnee; Brooklyn Grace Brower (Dixon), psychology pre-counseling, Wynnewood, Oklahoma; Benjamin Domingue, sports and recreation management, McAlester; Jackson Charles Drakulich, history, Shawnee, Kansas; Jacie AnnLea Engler, health and human performance, non-clinical track, Broken Bow, Oklahoma; Ramon Alberto Enriquez, Jr., sports and recreation management, San Bruno, California; Olivia Kay Fellers, psychology pre-counseling, Highland Village, Texas; Julianne Ford, English education, secondary, Heavener, Oklahoma; Tiffany Alexis Fraley, elementary education, Oklahoma City; Jordan Tyler Gardner, health and human performance, non-clinical track, Yukon, Oklahoma; Shae Garner, interdisciplinary, health and human performance, and sports management Skiatook, Oklahoma; Jayda Grey Gibson, health and human performance, clinical track, Lewisville, Texas; Teresita Gonzalez, elementary education, Katy, Texas; Temesgen Joseph Hands, sports and recreation management, Newalla, Oklahoma; Breanna Lynn Hargrove, elementary education, Yukon, Oklahoma; Katherine Angela Harmon, psychology, Owasso, Oklahoma; Kelsey Ann Hawk, psychology pre-counseling, Marland, Oklahoma; James H. Heath, history, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Jarius Hicklen, sports and recreation management, Desoto, Texas; Zachary Daniel Hill, history, Green River, Wyoming; Kolton Drew Hodges, sports and recreation management, Liberal, Kansas; Caitylyn Annette Huckabaa, criminal justice, Duncan, Oklahoma; Irelynn Jayde Ingram, health and physical education, P-12, Oklahoma City; and Grace Jackson, early childhood education, Oklahoma City.

Additional candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences include Brooklynn Kate James, health and human performance, clinical track, Blanchard, Oklahoma; Madylan Avery Kean, English education, secondary, Seminole, Oklahoma; Baylen Scott Kelley, health and human performance, clinical track, Shawnee, Kansas; Shawn L. Kibbe, political science, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Katie Klakulak, psychology pre-counseling, Oklahoma City; Parker W. Lawter, political science, Norman, Oklahoma; Jermaine Lewis, sports and recreation management, Fort Worth, Texas; Daniele Manning, elementary education, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Amanda Marquardt, history, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Kaeley Brooke Mastin, early childhood education, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Brooke Cherith Mitchell, camp administration, Plant City, Florida; Frances Mynatt, English, Cypress, Texas; Brianna Nicole Niehoff, early childhood education, Waxahachie, Texas; Taylor Jean Norman, elementary education, Tulsa; Kasidee Norton, elementary education, Meeker, Oklahoma; Caroline G. Paige, psychology pre-counseling, Greenfield, Missouri; Shelby Nicole Palmour, sports and recreation management, Tulsa; Rebekah Parr, family and community service, family life track, Norman, Oklahoma; Kaitlyn Alexis Patterson, psychology, The Colony, Texas; Cole Payne, interdisciplinary, health and human performance, and education, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Shelby Phillips, health and human performance, clinical track, Fort Gibson, Oklahoma; Mikaela Anne Pitsch, psychology pre-counseling, Kenai, Alaska; Tesa Renee Potter, criminal justice, Wanette, Oklahoma; Charissa Marie RJC Price, health and human performance, non-clinical track, Oklahoma City; Nolan Ray Price, history, Pampa, Texas; Katarina Reach, psychology pre-counseling, Wichita, Kansas; Seth J. Redondo, psychology, Arlington, Texas; Blake Dylan Riley, criminal justice, Purcell, Oklahoma; Allison Makenzie Rippy, forensic psychology, Newcastle, Oklahoma; Avery Christine Robertson, sports and recreation management, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Candis Melanie Rodgers, family and community service, family life track, Oklahoma City; Amber Victoria Pedraza Rodriguez, political science, San Antonio, Texas; Hector Daniel Ruvalcaba, criminal justice, Tulare, California; Shelby Savage, health and physical education, P-12, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Jordan Taylor Schooler, early childhood and elementary education, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Emily K Simpson, family and community service, family life track, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Tyler Justin Smothers, English, Meeker, Oklahoma; Jaylin Nicole Stapleton, interdisciplinary, sports management and communication studies, Meade, Kansas; Brantly Ryan Thompson, health and human performance, clinical track, Tuttle, Oklahoma; Sydney Mae Thurmond, forensic psychology, Spring, Texas; Joseph Tison, history, Blair, Oklahoma; Tristan Villa, health and human performance, non-clinical track, Allen, Texas; Rachael Ann Von Dollen, psychology, Oklahoma City; Kase Vincent Warner, sports and recreation management, Norco, California; Jonathan G. White, family and community service, family life track, Oklahoma City; Mallory White, family and community service, family life track, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Emma Kathleen Whiteaker, family and community service, community service track, Arkadelphia, Arkansas; Nicole Emily Withrow, elementary education, Gravette, Arkansas; Ann Katherine Wood, psychology pre-counseling, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Nathaniel Josiah Worley, health and human performance, clinical track, Blackwell, Oklahoma; Colton Wayne Wyatt, health and human performance, non-clinical track, North Richland Hills, Texas; Grace Young, camp administration, Chandler, Oklahoma; and Catalina Nicole Zacarias, special education and early childhood education, Oklahoma City.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from OBU’s College of Nursing include (with all majoring in nursing unless otherwise indicated) Aubrie-Annah Lee Arganda, Anaheim, California; Rebecca Ann Beshears, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Bryce Dennis Birt, Cache, Oklahoma; Kiersten Danae Brakhage, Lahoma, Oklahoma; Mallory Lavon Branham, Konawa, Oklahoma; Cherie N. Brewer, Seminole, Oklahoma; Aubrey Nicole Cotham, Norman, Oklahoma; Katelyn Cruz, Rockwall, Texas; Hannah Michelle Daniels, Cedar Hill, Texas; Hannah Melinda Dunlap, Farmersville, Texas; Ashley Colleen Ellis, nursing and psychology pre-counseling, Royse City, Texas; Colin Feltman, Prague, Oklahoma; Katy Michelle Fischer, Owasso, Oklahoma; Sameera Freed, Fort Worth, Texas; Jessica Christin Fritchie, Prosper, Texas; Julia Renee Gaylor, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Natalie Elyssa Gorzovalitis, Olathe, Kansas; Nancy Brooke Green, Newalla, Oklahoma; Dana Renae Greeson, Newalla, Oklahoma; Gabriela Marie Guzman, Rowlett, Texas; Juliet Onyinyechi Hale, Oklahoma City; Halle Hill, Oklahoma City; Brittany Leshae Hodges, Vernon, Texas; Travis Holsten, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Rachel Keith, Davenport, Oklahoma; Kera Jenae Kottmeyer, Lincoln, Nebraska; Malia Ashley Leatherland, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Julia Hope Lewis, Arvada, Colorado; Samuel Brett Lewis, Arvada, Colorado; Audrey McCaw, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Morgan Roxie McCoy, Little Elm, Texas; Molly Kate Millard, Oklahoma City; April Christine Jean Miller, Tecumseh, Oklahoma; Dustin Allen Miller, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Natalie Narrin, Tulsa; Hanna Rayann Norfleet, Centrahoma, Oklahoma; Kaitlyn Grace Palmer, Bethany, Oklahoma; Laina Kelby Annell Poe, Johnson City, Texas; Sierra Nicole Potter, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Charity Jene Rickner, Chandler, Oklahoma; Rose K. Satchwell, Solvang, California; Michael E. Stewart, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Jacie Thompson, Oklahoma City; Taylor Makenna Thompson, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Elizabeth Leeann Walker, Jones, Oklahoma; Olivia Frances Ward, Monument, Colorado; Carrie Wilkins, Frisco, Texas; Abel Omar Wills, Jr., Oklahoma City; Cassidy Wright, Lees Summit, Missouri; and Roman Bethany Wright, Moore, Oklahoma.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the James E. Hurley College of Science and Mathematics include Matthew Anderson, biology, Durant, Oklahoma; Riley N. Bagwell, biochemistry, Meeker, Oklahoma; Makayla J. Blassingame, natural science, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Lauren Kerensa Tin Lai Brese, forensic biology, Honolulu, Hawaii; Gage Thomas Bullard, math education, secondary, Edmond, Oklahoma; Dakota Clark, biology,           Owasso, Oklahoma; Casey Glen Cox, natural science, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Allison J. Derry, natural science, Bel Aire, Kansas; Summer Dietz, mathematics, Lansing, Kansas; Aurora Frisby, biology, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Alexis Lynn Gilliam, biochemistry, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Caleb Joshua Gray, physics and mathematics, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Mary Griffith, natural science, Parker, Colorado; Lauren Harris, biology, Coppell, Texas; Katie Hebert, natural science, spring, Texas; Noah Richard High, biology, Lenexa, Kansas; Courtney Marie Kosemund, mathematics, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Austin Cole Link, natural science, Tecumseh, Oklahoma; Rebecca Mathews, mathematics, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Eli T. Paul, natural science, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Miranda L. Plaster, biochemistry, Keller, Texas; Sarah Powell, biology, Little Elm, Texas; Andrea Redmond, biology, Tulsa; Brecken Alyse Roquemore, chemistry, Aledo, Texas; Ethan Cole Sade, physics, Harrah, Oklahoma; Nickolas Lee Sitter, natural science, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Riley Lawrence Smith, biochemistry, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Kayla Tumbaga, biochemistry, Royse City, Texas; and Rylea Williams, forensic chemistry, Many, Louisiana.

From the Herschel H. Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry, candidates for bachelor’s degrees include Tyler Brittain, cross-cultural ministry, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Blayne Brower, religion, Bible, Anadarko, Oklahoma; Sarah Elizabeth Cordle, cross-cultural ministry, Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Bryan Christopher Dennis, Christian ministry, pastoral ministry emphasis, Norman, Oklahoma; Collyn Tyler Dixon, philosophy: apologetics and Christian ministry: pastoral ministry emphasis, Elgin, Oklahoma; Zachary T. Evans, Christian ministry, pastoral ministry emphasis, Fort Gibson, Oklahoma; Connor Davis Gantz, biblical studies, Purcell, Oklahoma; Sarah Marie Graham, global marketplace engagement, business emphasis, Newton, Kansas; Noah Bradley Graves, biblical and theological studies, practical theology emphasis, Ada, Oklahoma; Rylie Macall Hickman, philosophy: apologetics and religion: Bible, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Joshua D. Knox, philosophy: apologetics, Oklahoma City; Alexis Kay Large, interdisciplinary, business administration and Christian ministry, Rush Springs, Oklahoma; Braelyn Lingle, Christian ministry, women’s ministry emphasis, Altus, Oklahoma; Seth T. Moles, global marketplace engagement, TESOL emphasis, Fort Gibson, Oklahoma; Bayleigh Nicole Platter, Christian ministry, student ministry emphasis, Rowlett, Texas; Alyssa Faith Rodgers, biblical and theological studies: history and theology emphasis; Bethany, Oklahoma; Parker Ronspiez, biblical studies, El Reno, Oklahoma; Jonathan Avery Soder, philosophy, Hale Center, Texas; Caleb Stewart, biblical studies, Oklahoma City; and Rylee Lashae Woessner, children's ministry, Lawton, Oklahoma.