OBU to Honor 113 Graduates During Winter Commencement Dec. 18

December 17, 2021

OBU will confer degrees upon 72 undergraduate and 41 graduate students during Winter Commencement Saturday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. The ceremony will take place in Raley Chapel’s Potter Auditorium. Dr. Todd Fisher, executive director-treasurer elect of Oklahoma Baptists and senior pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee, will deliver the commencement address.

Graduates will take their ceremonial final walk as OBU students before filing into Raley Chapel. The students, in academic regalia, will proceed from the east to the chapel, passing through rows of OBU faculty and staff members before reaching the chapel’s east steps. The walk mirrors the one many of the graduates took as new students during Welcome Week.

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 Jaylin Anders, Reagan Benton, Natalie Bright, Jenna Brumley, Micah Chapman, Victoria Coolidge, Blake Cope, Brittany Freeman, Annie Grady, Layne Grady, Joshua Graham, Caleb Griffin, Anna Harris, Jessie Harris, Hannah Henry, Jayden King, Peyton King, Mackenzie Knox, Benjamin Ludwinski, Kortni McNutt, Katie McQuay, Justus Miller, Max Petersen, Max Posada, Anna Jo Puckett, Cole Reich, Jennifer Roberts, London Roberts, Sarah Spivey and James Stout.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from OBU’s Paul Dickinson School of Business include Diana Carranza Tarrillo, computer science; Peterson Rocha Ribeiro Costa, international business; Bruno Eusébio Ferreira, international business; Kaytlyn Ranae Mannering, professional accountancy; Jonah Morrow, finance; Payton Trey Posada, management; Diego Ruvalcaba, marketing; Caitlyn Stickney, finance; and Sherine Van Der Westhuizen, professional accountancy.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Henry F. McCabe Family School of Education include Kayla Ann Billings, early childhood/ elementary/ special education; Taryn Nicole Burks, early childhood education/ global marketplace engagement; Brittley Dean, elementary education; Julie Ann Franco, early childhood education; Danielle Harrington, elementary education; Elizabeth Nicole Hatfield, elementary education and early childhood education; Hannah Joy Hawkins, elementary education; Abigail Makayla Morgan, early childhood education; Elizabeth Neal, early childhood education/elementary education/family science; Blessing Onyegbule, education and family science; and Matthew Ryan Wilson, early childhood education.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Division of Exercise Science, Sports and Recreation include Lincoln Brunell Adams, health and human performance: clinical track; Felipe Alvear, health and human performance: non-clinical performance track; Noah Basinger, sports and recreation management; Robbi Ranae Blair, sports and recreation management; Hannah Reid Evans, health and human performance: non-clinical performance track; Jake Foshee, health and human performance: non-clinical performance track; Baylee Nicole Ryan Hall, health and human performance: non-clinical performance track; Cameron Ray Jennings, health and human performance: clinical track; Landrey Johnson, health and human performance: clinical track; Rylee Thomas Johnson, health and physical education, K-12; Katelyn Leanne Long, health and human performance: non-clinical performance track; James G. Meyer, health and human performance: non-clinical performance track; Rebekah Paige Minnich, sports and recreation management; Abigail Grace Parker, health and human performance: non-clinical performance track; Emily Elizabeth Patton, health and human performance: non-clinical performance track; Jessica Pinkston, health and human performance: non-clinical performance track; Kyle Townsend, pre-allied health and rehabilitation science; Chase Venable, sports and recreation management; Jancoba T. Vongor, health and human performance: clinical track; and Ethan Watson, sports and recreation management.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the James E. Hurley School of Science and Mathematics include Meagan Nicole Crowson, natural science; Sophia Glenda Ford, biology; Noah Harlow, natural science; and Joshua Reagan Spears, biology.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Warren M. Angell School of Visual and Performing Arts include Sanaa Boykins, communication studies; Connor Jay Bryant, journalism and mass communication: media production; Tiffany Lynn Buschman, communication studies; Kyle Bradley Daughabaugh, communication studies; Harmony Rae Dewees, vocal performance; Makalah Jessup, music education: vocal, P-12; Jay Jordan, journalism and mass communication: digital media arts; Devin Michelle Miller, journalism and mass communication: media production; Carington Paige Morris, communication studies; Hope Sanders, studio art; Rueben Deon Thompson, II, journalism and mass communication: digital media arts; Christopher Andrew Trent, communication studies; and TauShiawna Vick, graphic design.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences include Kirsten Barthelmess, psychology: pre-counseling; Sydney Lynn Boudreaux, criminal justice; Calli Ann Crooks, criminal justice; Brooke Foster, anthropology; Jake Griffin Patton, criminal justice; Skyler Cole Smith, criminal justice; Mikala Lane Thoendel, psychology: pre-counseling; Mary Elizabeth Ruth Underwood, psychology: pre-counseling; Madelyn Jane Nicole Willison, family and community service: family life track; Talesa Damariz Wilson, family and community service: family life track; Jennifer M. Wolf, psychology: pre-counseling.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Herschel H. Hobbs School of Theology and Ministry include Nancy Ann Fields, Christian ministry: women’s ministry emphasis; Allie Ames Graham, global marketplace: global education emphasis; Mayda Nguyen, philosophy and criminal justice; and Samuel S. Shim, Christian studies.

Candidates for the Master of Business Administration include Brooks Allen Ait Ahmed, Joshua F. Arnold, Hayden K. Ashley, Ellyson A. Baze, Colleen L. Butler, Michelle Renee Carr, Junjie Chen, Kelsey Nicole Doughty, Saleem Saleh Fadel, Vanessa Maria Garay, Jamie L. Hembree, Bryce Joseph Holiday, Nicholas A. Hostetter, Deidra Antoinette Johnson, Kimberly Beth Lipinski, Amina Akhabue Means, Kaitlyn M. Precure, Myles D. Russell, Robert James Sawler Jr., Brittany C. Street, and Dean A. Van Vors.

Candidates for the Master of Science in Nursing Education include Amy Kristine Bartel, Jamie Herron, Kathleen Lynn Kennedy, and Rebecca Williams.

Candidates for the Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy include Mykaela Eliesse Chlouber, Shannah N. Daymude, Phillip Landon Franz, Ysela Salinas Hackler, Michaela D. Hagler, Valari Anne Jett, Micah Moore, and Carlos Gustavo Simonini.

Candidates for the Master of Arts from the Herschel H. Hobbs School of Theology and Ministry include Jimmy Dean Berry, Christian studies; Bobby Ray Dunk, Christian studies; Ryan M. Fisher, Christian studies; Nathan Lee Howard, Christian studies; Everett Eugene Jackson, Christian studies; Emily Christine King, intercultural studies; Deborah Y. Williams, Christian studies; and Weston A. Young, Christian studies.

Watch the ceremony live on the OBU YouTube channel.