Glennis Nagel – Director, Media Communications, 308.865.8454
A record number of graduate students received their degrees in ceremonies Friday, May 4, at the University of Nebraska at Kearney Health and Sports Center.
In all, 167 graduate students were awarded degrees. The next largest group of graduate students to earn degrees was in the summer of 1991 when 163 were graduated. The total number of students receiving degrees were 647, which is within one of matching the 1992 all-time record of 648, according to Robyn Schoenebeck of the UNK Office of the Registrar.
Delivering the commencement address was Speaker of the Legislature Mike Flood of Norfolk. He holds a bachelor’s degree in arts and letters from the University of Notre Dame and a law degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law. In 2000, he started US 92 Radio in Norfolk, and today he owns two radio stations.
He was elected to represent District 19 in the Nebraska Legislature in 2004. In 2007, he was elected Speaker of the Legislature and then re-elected by his colleagues in 2009 and 2011, serving an unprecedented six years as speaker. His committee service in the legislature has included the Committee on Committees, the Executive Board, Intergovernmental Cooperation, Legislative Performance Audit and the Rules Committee. Among his accomplishments as a legislator was the passage of LB 37 in 2009, which facilitated the establishment of the College of Nursing Northern Division on the Northeast Community College campus. In 2010, “Time Magazine” on-line named him to their “40 Under 40” list of rising stars in American politics.
In addition to his work in the Unicameral, he is a board member for Lavitsef Inc., Norfolk Rotary Club, Nebraska Broadcasters Association, Norfolk Community Healthcare Clinic, Madison Community Club and the Nebraska/Madison County Bar Association. He is the founder, and past sponsor, of the Norfolk Youth Leadership Council.
The University Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Duane Bierman, opened and closed the ceremonies as well as performed special music. Performing the National Anthem was a quartet of seniors, all of whom graduated with honors. The four included Brooke Brown of Scottsbluff on clarinet, Chris Gugel of Amherst on flute, Paloma Mena-Werth of Kearney on oboe and Robert Roth of Comstock on French horn. Roth wrote the arrangement for the group.
UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen gave the welcome, and Robert Phares of the Board of Regents, and a member of the 2012 Golden Anniversary Class, gave greetings on behalf of the board. Senior Class Reflections were presented by Christopher Deans of Hemingford, an honors graduate in biology. Andrea Walton Miller, president of the UNK Alumni Association Board of Directors, presented members of the Golden Anniversary Class. UNK Chancellor Kristensen presented the prestigious Ron and Carol Cope Cornerstone of Excellence Award.
Out-of-state graduates are listed below in alphabetical order by state.
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NOTE: Abbreviations that appear in the listings, and what they represent,
are as follows:
Undergraduate Degrees:
BA – Bachelor of Arts
BAE – Bachelor of Arts in Education
BS – Bachelor of Science
BSE – Bachelor of Science in Education
BFA – Bachelor of Fine Arts
BGS – Bachelor of General Studies
BM – Bachelor of Music
Graduate Degrees:
EDS – Education Specialist
MA – Master of Arts
MAE – Master of Arts in Education
MS – Master of Science
MSE – Master of Science in Education
MBA – Master of Business Administration
NOTE: Subject abbreviations in listings include:
ADMIN, Administration; BIOL, Biology; BUS, Business; CHEM, Chemistry; COMM,
Communication; COMP, Comprehensive; CONST, Construction; DEVEL,
Development; DIST, Distribution; ECON, Economics; EDU, Education; ELEM,
Elementary; EMPH, Emphasis; END, Endorsement; ENVIR, Environmental; GEO,
Geography; INDUS, Industrial; INFO, Information; INTERP, Interpretation;
MARK,
Marketing; MATH, Mathematics; MGMT, Management; MOD, Moderate; MUS, Music
PHYS, Physical; PROD, Production; SCI, Science; SECOND, Secondary; SCHL,
School;
SOC, Social; STU, Students; SP ED, Special Education; SYS, Systems; TECH,
Technology; THEA, Theatre; TRANS, Translation; VOC, Vocational.
NOTE: HONORS. Students graduating with honors have the honors and
selected honors organizations noted after their names. Honors, along with
the
grade point averages necessary to earn those honors, include: summa cum
laude,
3.90-4.00; magna cum laude, 3.80-3.89; cum laude, 3.70-3.79; and honorable
mention,
3.50-3.69. Honors organizations and the designations listed after students’
names
include: Honors Program (H), Mortar Board (MB) and Phi Kappa Phi (PKP).
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OUT-OF-STATE:
ARKANSAS
Maumelle – Jeremy Starzec MSEd Community Counseling
ARIZONA
Phoenix – Roy Metter BS Industrial Distribution Comp
CALIFORNIA
Half Moon Bay -Joseph Wilson BS Organizational
Communication Comp Honorable Mention
Irvine – Erin Rice MSEd Speech Language Pathology
COLORADO
Arvada Brian Chritz BS Industrial Distribution Comp
Magna Cum Laude
Arvada Ryan Pearse MAEd Curriculum & Instruction
Aurora Brian Cochran MAEd Curriculum & Instruction
Aurora Anna Tellinger MS Biology
Burlington Kali Anderson BSE Mathematics 7-12 Cum Laude
Colorado Springs Kristen Brunelle MSEd Instructional
Technology
Colorado Springs Elias Hammond BAE Health & PE K-12
Conifer Kasey McBride BS Family Studies
Evergreen Joshua Gesell BS Industrial Distribution
Comp
Glenwood Springs Wayland Weatherred MS Biology
Littleton Courtney Hemmert MS Biology
Morrison John Newcomer BAE Business Education 7-12
Parker Michael Baker BS Criminal Justice Comp
Sterling Aimee Lozier EdS School Psychology
Stratton Peter Younger BS Telecommunications Management
Comp
Westminster Alex Paicurich BS Business Administration Comp
Yuma Mary Baker MAEd School Principalship PK-8
FLORIDA
Clermont Gina Maitland MAEd School Principalship 7-12
Tallahassee Mark Root MS Biology
GEORGIA
Acworth Brian Chmielewski MA History
Atlanta Kristi Fonrouge MS Biology
IOWA
Ankeny John Stratton MA History
Centerville Katelyn Stamp BSE Physical Science 7-12 Cum Laude
Council Bluffs Colleen Schneider MAEd Physical Education
Exercise Science
Hawarden Kirsten Stotts MAEd Art Education
Inwood Joni Veldkamp BSE Communication Disorders Cum Laude
H
Missouri Valley Dalton Jensen BS Business
Administration Comp
Oakland Austin Taylor BS Criminal Justice Comp
Magna Cum Laude
Treynor Leslie Van Winkle BSE Communication Disorders
Summa Cum Laude
Winterset Annette Purdy MS Biology
Woodbine Tracy Dubas BFA Visual Communication & Design Comp
ILLINOIS
Wheaton Michael Warren MS Biology
INDIANA
Guilford- Peter Brown MS Biology
KANSAS
Hesston Steven Stutzman BAE Health & PE K-12
Kansas City Kristen Mikulan BS Family Studies
Oakley Taylor Rath BS Recreation, Park & Tourism
Management Comp
Oxford Casi Hamilton MAEd Art Education
Phillipsburg Kady Malmberg BAE Elementary Education
Summa Cum Laude H, MB
KENTUCKY
Madisonville Melanie Hofmann MAEd Art Education
LOUISIANA
Baton Rouge Anthony Ward BGS General Studies H
MARYLAND
Kingsville Alan Freeman EdS School Superintendent
MICHIGAN
Dryden Amber Samuel MS Biology
Gladstone Rachel Coyne EdS School Psychology
MINNESOTA
Monticello Abigail Jones BS Organizational Communication Comp
New Munich Christopher Uphoff MS Biology
MONTANA
Roy George Maruska MSEd Instructional Technology
NORTH CAROLINA
Asheville Autumn McCarver MS Biology
Fort Bragg Jessica Edmiston MAEd Curriculum & Instruction
NORTH DAKOTA
Bismarck Mandy Guinn MS Biology
NEW YORK
Bath Chrissandra Palermo MS Biology
OHIO
Canton Andrew Pacconi MAEd Special Education
SOUTH CAROLINA
Richburg Jessica Kuchler MSEd Science Math Education
SOUTH DAKOTA
Pierre Nathaniel White BA Theatre
Rapid City Suzanne Hardaswick MS Biology
White Paul Nepodal MAEd School Principalship 7-12
TENNESSEE
Lexington Tony Neisler BS Psychology
Nashville Travis Claybrooks BS Molecular Biology Comp
TEXAS
Cypress Timothy Cifelli MS Biology
Katy Claire Bryan MSEd School Counseling Student Affairs
Katy Katie Wilson BS Journalism: Advertising
Lubbock Latisha Dominguez BS Social Work Comp
VIRGINIA
Drakes Branch Anthony Pasciuta, Jr. MS Biology
King George Kaila Soltez MAEd Curriculum & Instruction
Springfield Christine Kadin BS Criminal Justice Comp
WASHINGTON
Kirkland Sarah Maley MA History
WISCONSIN
Cottage Grove Timothy Feit MS Biology
WYOMING
Cheyenne Casey Colbert BA Spanish Translation &
Interpretation Honorable Mention
