OBU to Honor 232 Graduates During Spring Commencement on May 18

May 16, 2024

The Oklahoma Baptist University spring class of 2024 will celebrate commencement at 2 p.m., May 18, at First Southern Baptist Church, Del City.

Ricky Dickson, the recently retired CEO of Blue Bell Creameries, will serve as this year’s commencement speaker.

Junior class marshals will escort the graduation class to their seats. Marshals are chosen from the top-ranking junior men and women based on overall grade-point average. This year’s group includes Samantha Lehr, Nya McDowell, Kennedy Neal, Jaxon Smith, Cheryl Morgan, Rachel Antony, Sarah Black, Pike Butler, Ruby Dilts, Erin Dyer, Briley Fleming, Jonnie Frizell, Candace Griffith, Lillian Harrel, Jonathan Jones, Joseph Kelly, Gabriel Lane, Savannah Mayfield, Kylee Mitchell, Allison Ryan, Joseph Sanders, Justyce Shirey, Harrison Shuman, Zewde Strange, Jenna Watson, Juan Caballero, Eric Coager, Brett Johnson, Dean Luebberst, Leslie Smith, Aaron Weiland, Arturo Welch and Christopher Whinery.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences include Patricia Alvarez, politics, minor in Spanish; Kaibryn Anderson, psychology: pre-counseling, minor in family and community service;  Addison Aylor, family science, minor in children's ministry;  Branom Bailey, forensic psychology, minors in athletic coaching and business administration; Christina Bailey, family science, minor in art;  Abigail Batdorf, psychology, minor in criminal justice; Jordan Brewer, psychology, minor in exercise science; Amaya Brooks, family science, minor in music; Sarah Bross, politics, minor in history; Logan Carey, history and politics; Liberty DeGeorge, psychology: pre-counseling and philosophy; Dallas Drakulich, family science, minor in graphic design; Trinity Evans, interdisciplinary: business administration, Christian ministry and psychology; Reagan Ford, criminal justice; minor in psychology; Macie Foster, family science, minor in natural science; Sydney Gardner, psychology, minor in women's ministry;  Anya Gerald, psychology: pre-counseling, minor in family science; Kynzington Hacker, criminal justice, minor in psychology; Shelby Hagans, family science, minor in psychology; Addison Higgins, psychology: pre-counseling, minor in graphic design; Bayleigh Hudgens, criminal justice, psychology; Zoelle Johnson, criminal justice, minor in psychology; Alexis King, psychology: pre-counseling, minor in family science; Olivia Lynch, family science, minor in student and family ministry; Karis McCollough, criminal justice, minor in advocacy; Talia Deborah McMahon, psychology: pre-counseling, minor in natural science; Taryn Miller, family science, minor in criminal justice; Max Petersen, politics; Brooklyn Pfennig, history, minor in marketing; Christian Pickerill, criminal justice, minor in psychology; Nicole Policastro, criminal justice, minor in psychology; Colby Reed, criminal justice, minor in politics; Marley Reed, psychology: pre-counseling, minor in art;  Ava Roper, family science, minor in psychology; Alexander Schovanec, psychology, minor emphasis in athletic coaching; Carlee Stecker, family science and psychology; pre-counseling; Emilie Vann, politics, minor in advocacy; Isabella Vinyard, criminal justice, minor in psychology; Michael Ward, history, minor in pre-law; and Madison Worley, criminal justice, minor in psychology.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Paul Dickinson School of Business include Emily Adler, professional accountancy; Nathaniel Anderson, finance; Jaiden Leanis Balthrop, social entrepenuership and management; Zachary Bramlett, computer science, minor in film and media; Cole Chezem, finance; Ryan Depuy, finance;  Parker Douglas, computer information systems, minor in Bible and theology and minor in philosophy; Michelle Earl, management; Bria Evert, professional accountancy;  Nolan Feazle, professional accountancy; Elijah Frost, management; Andrew Gardner, finance; Addison Girard, marketing; Christopher Haynes, professional accountancy; Jacob Landers, management; Benjamin Mason, marketing; Thomas Meadough, marketing; Alexander Nabavi, management; Cameron Pool, interdisciplinary: computer science and exercise science; Callum Raymick, management; Seth Spoo, management; Miklos Szabo, finance; Lauren Turner, professional accountancy; Jayden Tyson, computer science; Anadalight Vazquez, marketing;  Shelby Warden, management; and Aubrey Young, marketing.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the School of Nursing include Chloe Ainsworth, nursing; Savannah Auwen, nursing; Emma Barnett, nursing; Claire Barrett, nursing; Sydney Bell, nursing; Anna Black, nursing; Haleigh Buse, nursing; Gracie Carroll, nursing; Jacob Chesley, nursing; Jamie Cusack, nursing; Katelyn Dennis, nursing; Samantha Donato, nursing; Megan Gallagher, nursing; Hannah Henry,nursing; Taylor Hicks, nursing; Emma Lokey, nursing; Sarah Lucas, nursing; Kamryn Manlapig, nursing; Chloe McKnight, nursing; Gracey Means, nursing; Carly Meritt, nursing; Meghan Miller, nursing; Makenzy Morgan, nursing; Haley Myers, nursing; Emily Nelson, nursing; Damaris Pitsch, nursing; London Roberts, nursing; Kathline Seward, nursing; Rylee Simmons, nursing; Alexis Sprenger, nursing; Juliana Storer, nursing; Kaylee Swaner, nursing; Bailee Terry, nursing; McKenna Trautwein, nursing; Diana Trejo, nursing; Kennedy Valdez, nursing; Emma Vernon, nursing; Brianne Winner, nursing; Brashe Wood, nursing; and Skylar Wood, nursing.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Division of Exercise Science, Sports and Recreation include Mya Allen, health and human performance: performance non-clinical track; Legend Barrett, exercise science,  human performance emphasis; Matthew Beshears, sports and recreation: sports ministry emphasis; Brandon Brewer, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis, minor in Spanish; Emma Bullard, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; Samantha Campos, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Nicholas Carpin, exercise science: pre-allied health emphasis; Madison Chambers, exercise science: pre-allied health emphasis, minors in natural science and sports ministry; Olivia Cummings, exercise science: pre-allied health emphasis; Izayah Ebuen, sports and recreation management; Princeton Ferguson, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; Kennedy Fox, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis, minor in psychology; D'Erricka Frierson, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Brek Galbreath, sports and recreation management, minor in exercise science, sports medicine;  Austin Tyler Gonzales, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Rafael Gutierrez, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Brooke Hill, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; Clint Hurst, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; Hunter Hyde, sports and recreation management; Gabriel Irwin, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; Amari Jessie, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Johnathon Keith, exercise science, human performance emphasis;  Tyler King, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Angela Langford, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; Sloan Lewis, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Diego Maldonado, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Kimberly McKinney, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; Mia Pendleton, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; Anthony Phillips, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; Laney Rex, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; Payton Scott Russell, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis;  Jayden Shafer, sports and recreation, emphasis in athletic coaching; Aaron Smith, interdisciplinary: exercise science, psychology and anthropology; Madison Trowbridge, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis, minor in chemistry; Ryan Turbeville, exercise science, human performance emphasis; Olivia Walker, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis; and Jenna West, exercise science, pre-allied health emphasis.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the James E. Hurley School of Science and Mathematics include Sydney Adler, biology;  Valerie Basurto, biochemistry; Noel Cannaday, biology; Keegan Carter, biochemistry, minor in Spanish; Nathan Chan, biology; Isabela Gonzalez, physics, minor in mathematics; Nicholas Jacobs, forensic biology; Jacob Jungheim, biology; Rachel Lopez, biochemistry; Devon Mack, biology; Parker New, physics and mathematics; Marcus Petersen, physics; Ashlyn Smith, mathematics, minor in business information system strategy; Jade Stauffer, mathematics; James White, biology; and Brynne Wilson, biochemistry, minor in physics.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Henry F. McCabe Family School of Education include Lauren Allen, elementary education and early childhood education; Hunter Burnett, math education, secondary; Emma Carter, elementary education and early childhood education; Charlise Chezem, elementary education; Abigail Clayton, early childhood education; Hannah DeMoss, math education, secondary; Joryn Derry, special education and elementary education; Jenna Gaches, special education, elementary; Avery Hellmuth, social science education, secondary; Channing Hopkins, elementary education, minor in music education; Nathan Ivanoff, elementary education; Jane Ellen Mann, elementary education; Hannah McPherson, elementary education and early childhood education; Hannah Mehlhaff, special education and elementary education; Nicole Miller, English education, secondary; Destiny Mincher, elementary education; Amberlee O'Dowd, elementary education; Braedon Pitsch, elementary education; Joanna Potter, elementary education; Faythe Price, elementary education; Marysa Rake, elementary education; Emilee Robinson, special education and elementary education; Bailey Shiflet, elementary education and early childhood education; Kiley Stewart, English education, secondary; Emily Womack, special education, early childhood education and elementary education; and Isabella Zwiesler, special education and elementary education.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Division of Language and Literature include Madeline Brown, creative writing, minor in graphic design; Nicole Miller, double degree: creative writing and English education, secondary; Max Petersen, English; Elia Tyson, creative writing, minor in Teaching English as a Second Language; and Alexander Wheeler, creative writing, minor in theatre.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Herschel H. Hobbs School of Theology and Ministry include Benjamin Badgett, biblical studies: Bible and theology emphasis, minor in psychology; Cara Brunet, Christian studies; Luke Carter, Christian ministry: pastoral ministry emphasis, minor in worship studies; Liberty DeGeorge, philosophy and psychology: pre-counseling; Faira Dempsey, Christian ministry: student and family ministry, minor in history; Lauren Dyer, biblical studies, minor in family science; Kora George, Christian ministry, minor in biblical studies; Christian James, biblicial studies, minor in psychology; Andrew Jarboe, cross-cultural ministry, minor in history; Reagan Johnson, global marketplace engagement: Teaching English as a Second Language; Clay Kelch, biblical studies: Bible and theology, minor in psychology; Austin Long, biblical studies: Bible and theology, minor in history; Timothy Michaux, biblical studies: practical theology, minor in education; Matthew Miller, Christian studies;  Rebekah Phillips, Christian ministry: student and family ministry; Collier Robertson, biblical studies: history and theology, minor in Christian ministry; Blake Sanders, biblical studies, minor in worship studies; William Snoddy, Christian studies: student and family ministry, minor in apologetics; Jade Stauffer, philosophy; Zac Stinson, biblical studies:Bible and theology, minor in communications studies; Reid Tipton, theology and ministry, biblical studies, minor in psychology; and Megan Williams, Christian studies: student and family ministry, minor in family community service.

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees from the Warren M. Angell School of Visual and Performing Arts include Jordan Allen, mass communication, emphasis in journalism; Jaylin Anders, music education, vocal certificate, K-12; Mary Brannon, graphic design, minor in creative writing; Emily Brock, communication studies; Katelyn Burks, communication studies, minor in marketing; Hannah Crosswhite, musical arts, minor in education; Emily Day, music education, vocal certificate, K-12; Elizabeth Houghton, journalism and mass communication: film and media, minor in marketing; Payton Hufford, art; Kaelyn Ina, communication studies; Jacob King, journalism and mass communication: film and media; Garrett Lincoln, journalism and  mass communication: film and media; Isiah Lissade, communication studies; Xavier Lott, communication studies; Kaelyn McMurry, fine arts; Whitney Petter, communication studies, minor in marketing; Harold Randolph, musical arts, minor in education; Alexander Schroeder, communication studies; Troy Shields, communication studies, minor in business administration; Lydia Storm, art; Catherine Thompson, musical arts, minor in biblical studies; Hannah Tinsley, graphic design; and Madison Webb, musical arts, minor in biblical studies.

This spring will mark the third commencement at First Southern Baptist Church, Del City since last year. Raley Chapel’s Potter Auditorium on the OBU campus has served as the traditional location for commencement since the iconic building was constructed in 1961. Due to damage caused by the EF2 tornado on April 19, 2023, the chapel’s auditorium is not available for the commencement ceremony.

For more about OBU’s Spring 2024 Commencement, please visit the Commencement Information page, okbu.edu/student-life/commencement. The ceremony will be available through a YouTube live stream.