USAO Honors 130 Spring Grads

CHICKASHA – More than 1,500 people attended Friday night’s commencement in two ceremonies at the college – the fourth time a two-ceremony schedule has been used to alleviate overcrowding in Te Ata Memorial Auditorium.

Presiding over the ceremony was Dr. John Feaver, president of the college.

“I ask of you to emerge and you go back to the communities you decide … I ask that you lend an effort to improve them,” Feaver said. “To improve the quality of life for your neighbors and beyond your neighbors to the communities and the world.”

Patsy Jo Heidlage of Claremore, president of the USAO Alumni Association, presented the Association’s Distinguished Graduate Award to Bled N’Guessan, who also earned her American citizenship on commencement day.

N’Guessan graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry and a minor in liberal arts. She is from the Ivory Coast and will be attending the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy in the fall.

“Aside from Bled’s work as a student and her community engagement, she is, above all, a genuine joy to be around and a student of the highest character,” said Dr. Zachary Simpson, assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies at USAO. “Much of this – though not all – is surely owing to Bled’s unique background (she immigrated to the United States from the Ivory Coast), which has given her a depth of experience and wisdom that goes beyond her age.”

While at USAO, she was named to USAO honor society Hypatia, Alpha Lambda Delta, Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society and Who’s Who Among American Universities and Colleges. She received the Evolving Leader Award, the Commitment to Diversity Award and was the 2010 USAO Homecoming Queen.

N’Guessan also was a member of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, USAO Ambassadors, Student Government Association Supreme Court and was a Freshman Orientation Leader. She was active in Compassion International, sponsored children in Kenya and Nicaragua and organized fundraising for pregnancy centers in Haiti and Mexico. She worked as a math and chemistry tutor and a chemistry lab assistant.

Six graduating seniors were recognized as Spring 2012 Distinguished Graduates for the college’s four academic divisions.

Drama major Jessica Gray from Walters received distinction from the Division of Arts and Humanities. Gennifer Majors, a physics major from Morrilton, Ark. was named the outstanding graduate for the Division of Business and Social Science.

Gabrielle Barros, a elementary education major from Moore, and Meghan Duggins, a deaf education major from Kansas City, Mo., were distinguished by the Division of Education and Speech Language Pathology. Jeffrey Eike, a Blanchard resident with double majors in music and computer science from Ames, and Shaylea Shebester, a biology major from Pauls Valley, were named the outstanding graduates for the Division of Science and Physical Education.

The evening ceremony began with the traditional “Pomp and Circumstance” processional performed by Dr. Stephen Weber, professor of music. For the 6 p.m. ceremony, T. Alex McCabe, who graduated with a degree in music, sang Agnus Dei by composer Georges Bizet. The later ceremony featured Eike performing the song, “A Touch of Tuba.” Both were accompanied by Rhenada Finch, piano instructor at USAO.

Weber, Dr. Ken Bohannon, associate professor of music, and Dr. Jan Hanson, professor of music, led graduates and guests in singing “The College Hymn.” Dr. Dan Hanson, professor of music, performed the recessional, “A Summer Song,” a composition made popular by the English folk rock duo Chad and Jeremy in 1964.

Copies of the ceremony will be available on DVD in the USAO Media and Community Relations office or by phone at 405-574-1318.

Feaver issued 80 bachelor of science degrees, 46 bachelor of arts degrees and five bachelor of fine arts degrees.

Receiving bachelor of fine arts degrees were:

Anadarko: Lori Jane Spray

Little Axe: Alyssa Marie Pence

Noble: Sarah Marie Yandle

Oklahoma City: Bridgette Catherine Bullock

Wayne: Chelsea Anne LaGace

Receiving bachelor of science degrees were:

Alex: Marti Lanae Williams

Altus: Genevieve J. Cagaoan

Ames: Jeffrey Dean Eike

Anadarko: Lana Rae Ataddlety, Darren Hill, Ephraim Daney Paddlety-Kelley

Blanchard: Johnathan Ray Hutchins, Trever Scott Lee

Canada: Emily N. Stevenson

Chickasha: Hope Danielle Aldridge, Cody Blake Bogle, Phillip Michael Check, Sara Frances Cox, Nicole Lynn Duncan, Jennifer R. Griswold, Korie Danielle Hargus, Jacklyn Nicole Henderson, Shelby O’Neal Young

Claremore: Robert Brandon Heidlage

Dibble: Alishia Rose Knight

Duncan: Lauren Whitney Halleran, Whitney LeAnn Null

Edmond: Taylor Anne Fain

Elgin: Emily Dawn Jones

Fletcher: Chance Davis Wilson

Indiahoma: Lauren Sierra Lafferty

Manford: Brianna Lynell Zoch

Moore: Gabrielle Angelica Barros, Tiana Marie Cook, Kyle Jacob Moralez, Taylor Jordan Peterson, Eric Ramos

Mustang: Melanie Ann Clason, Lorna Maria Gonzalez-Colon

Newcastle: Meghan Rashael Scott, Rachel Leigh Watson

Ninnekah: Kourtney Dawn Lively, Joseph Matthew Smirl

Norman: Tanner Levi Collins, Sarah Elizabeth Hill

Oklahoma City: Joshua Andrew Fisher, Allison Lesley Gordon, Joseph Trent Oakman, Maggie Lee Oliver, Dakota Ray Webster, Michael Anthony Williamson Jr., Bradley Joe Robertson

Pauls Valley: Shaylea Dawn Shebester

Pocasset: Nikissiah Rhae Widener

Ryan: Jennifer Michelle Ninman

Shawnee: Taleah Christine Farasyn

Stillwater: Liberty Jordan Payne

Stratford: Garan Mark Qualls

Tahlequah: John Art Knox

Tulsa: Nicole Michelle Thomas

Tuttle: Priscilla Margaret West, Michelle Dee Crooks, Mason Joel Dobbins, Cassandra Mae Garrett, Alexandria Jordan Giese, Mende Susanne Giles, Norma R. Jones, Loren Taylor Nelson

Wagoner: Autumn AnnMarie Fosburg

Yukon: Leslie Marie Bros

Out of State

Morrilton, Ark.: Gennifer Elease Majors

Springdale, Ark.: Lexxa Suzanne Kever

Gridley, Calif.: David Dennis Forsythe

Kansas City, MO.: Meghan Marie Duggins

Arlington, TX: Nolan Joseph Crowdus

International

Abidjan, Ivory Coast: Bled M. N’Guessan

Nairobi, Kenya: David Ochieng Otieno

Belgrade, Serbia: Dusan Rasovic

Sangre Chiquito, Trinidad: Antonio Stewart Charles

Glasgow, United Kingdom: Christopher Douglas Lee

Handcross, United Kingdom: Charlie Beach

Liverpool, United Kingdom: John James Gardner

Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom: Anthony Nesbit

Sterlingshore, United Kingdom: Sam Ryan Shaddick

Receiving bachelor of arts degrees were:

Ames: Jeffrey Dean Eike

Anadarko: Adrian Allen Smith, Jocelyn Clarene Ware

Apache: Autumn Marie Watts

Blanchard: Kristoffer Dean Keepers, Ashten Diane Troutman

Broken Arrow: Timothy Alexander McCabe

Broken Bow: Yazsharay Amber Gail Morales

Chickasha: Danja Rachelle Lessor, Alicia Jasmine Martinez, Kelli Louise Murray, Allyssa Christine Roeske, Lindy Nicole Summerford, Thomas Ray Wise

Comanche: Jefferson Darwood Gray, Braylen Dale Rogers

Elk City: Jamie Brooke Lowrance

Harrah: Nicole Lynn Garland

Healdton: Mackenzie G. Stephenson

Lawton: Kyle Alan Reed

Lindsay: Paige Michelle Holden

Marlow: Amy Lynn Heath, Andrew Joel Morphew

Midwest City: Roderick Wayne Kohl

Moore: Megan Renne Graumann

Mustang: Daniel Robert Gibson

Newalla: Robin Renee Mosher Teeter

Noble: Kyle Eathan Daily

Oklahoma City: Christopher William Bennett, Rhoda Kaye Burnsed, Jessica Anne Ferguson, Alan M. Field, Colby Tye Frazier, Roberta Lynn Lake, Seth Michael Turnage, Romus Cezar

Pauls Valley: Whitney Paige Story

Rush Springs: Ismael Paige Lawrence

Shawnee: William Barr Gilmer

Tuttle: Somer Dawn Ogburn

Walters: Jessica Alexis Gray

Wayne: Katie Marie Pyatt

Yukon: Christopher Michael Kiefer

Out of State

Morrilton, Ark.: Gennifer Elease Majors

Rosedale, NY: Kyle Justin Hunt

International

Campinas, Brazil: Breno Figueiredo

Edinburgh, United Kingdom: Niall Thomas Coulson Crick.