OBU to Honor 80 Graduates During Winter Commencement Dec. 16

December 12, 2023

OBU will confer degrees upon undergraduate and graduate students during Winter Commencement Saturday, Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. The ceremony will take place at First Southern Baptist Church, 6400 S. Sooner Rd., Oklahoma City. The December ceremony will include the awarding of 52 undergraduate degrees and 28 graduate degrees will be awarded. Rick Frie, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Jenks, will deliver the commencement address. A livestream will be available for watching the ceremony online.

Junior class marshals will escort the graduating class to their seats. The top-ranking junior men and women, based on overall grade-point average, serve as marshals. This group includes Rachel Antony, Sarah Black, Juan Caballero, Jason Cline, Eric Coager, Ruby Dilts, Olivia Draper, Abby Ettinger, Hannah Fresella, Jonnie Frizell, Candace Griffith, Brett Johnson, Jonathan Jones, Joseph Kelly, Dean Luebberst, Kimberlyn McDonald, Vinson Miller, Cheryl Morgan, Cailey Morris, Lauren Robinson, Joseph Sanders, Harrison Shuman, Leslie Smith, Margaret Wall, Jenna Watson, Aaron Weiland, Arturo Welch, Christopher Whinery and James Wymer.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Paul Dickinson School of Business include Lindsey Baird, marketing; Jaiden Balthrop, management; Micah Chapman, professional accountancy; Jacob Fuller, computer information systems; Gabrielly Lima, management; Lucky Lisangi, marketing; Grant Mann, finance and Michael Marshall, finance.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Henry F. McCabe Family School of Education include Ruth Brown, early childhood education; Reagan Tidwell, elementary education and Emily Tiger, elementary education.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Division of Exercise Science, Sports and Recreation include Landon Boddy, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Jaxon Canard, health and human performance, health (clinical) track; Jose Carrillo, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Matthew Mahler, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Hope McEndree, health and human performance, health (clinical) track; Seth Medina, interdisciplinary: sports management, education and history; Payton Russell, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis and Matthew White, sports and recreation athletic coaching.

The candidate for a bachelor’s degrees from the James E. Hurley School of Science and Mathematics is Katie Fortier, biology, minor in music.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Warren M. Angell School of Visual and Performing Arts include Natalie Bright, graphic design; Victoria Coffey, graphic design; Brock Brown, musical arts, minor in education; Chloe Haynes, communication studies; Makayla Knutson, communication studies; Graydon Tipps, mass communication, film and media emphasis; Ashtin Witt, communication studies and Stephanie Woolsey, mass communication, film and media emphasis, minor in graphic design.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences include Alyssa Banks, psychology, pre-counseling, minor in criminal justice; Jenna Brumley, psychology, pre-counseling, minor in graphic design; Piper Colvin, psychology, pre-counseling, minor in advocacy; Garrett Greene, psychology, pre-counseling, minor in criminal justice; Hannah Helmbacher, sociology, minor in Biblical studies; Mari Katheryn Jobe, psychology, pre-counseling, minor in criminal justice; Bailey Justice, family science, minor in advocacy; Braunya Lewis, psychology, minor in advocacy; Kayla McGruder, family science, minor in psychology; Matthew Miller, psychology, minor in criminal justice; Alexis Ruiz, politics, minor in Spanish; Samuel Sharp, forensic psychology, minor in political science; Zachary Steingas, criminal justice, minor in political science and Corben Stephens, forensic psychology, minor in Christian ministry.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Herschel H. Hobbs School of Theology and Ministry include Evan Anderson, Biblical and theological studies, history and theology emphasis, minor in computer science; Samuel Peek, philosophy, apologetics emphasis, minor in political studies; Micah Cash, Biblical studies, Biblical studies emphasis, minor in business administration; Paige Cooper, global marketplace, political science emphasis MacEo Doctor, Christian ministry, minor in Biblical studies; Tyler Madison, Christian ministry, minor in Biblical language;  Jachin McDonald, global marketplace, business emphasis; Carson McKay, Christian studies; Casey Mills, global marketplace, TESOL emphasis and Cameron Clark, interdisciplinary: history and theology, philosophy and music.

Candidates for the Master of Business Administration from the Paul Dickinson School of Business include Joshua Cornell; Zachary Frazier; Carly Grant; Hayden Meiser; Caitlin Mertz; Edith Phillips; Caitlyn Stickney and Matthew Walkingstick.

Candidates for the Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences include Emma Armstrong; Emily Carr; Sarah Cossey; Micah Fornea; Alexandra Jones; Rebekah Parr; Mikaela Pitsch; Melissa Powell; Candis Rodgers and Katie Wood.

Candidates for the Master of Arts in Christian studies from the Herschel H. Hobbs School of Theology and Ministry include Angela Bailey; William Bergstrom; Sebastian Conner; Brian Cope; Alex Davis; Patrick Driskill; Rodger Johnson; Jarrod Kendall; Lauren Lee and Steven Little.