CONTACT: Anita Moody, Director, Public Relations/Marketing
1-304-384-5288, news@concord.edu
www.concord.edu
(EDITOR: Please note that all hometowns are in W.Va., unless otherwise noted. All candidates for graduation—both graduate and undergraduate—are included at the end of this file. The list is sorted by state [West Virginia, other states alphabetical, international] hometown, alphabetical, and then candidate’s name, alphabetical.)
CU Hosts 132nd Spring Commencement, Seven Valedictorians, 283 Graduate
Athens, W.Va. – The 132nd spring commencement was held in the Leslie R. and Ruby Webb Carter Center at Concord University on Saturday, May 19 at 10 a.m.
There were 268 undergraduate candidates and 15 graduate candidates for graduation. “Headcount” for the spring semester was 2,429 students.
The Concord University Brass Ensemble provided the prelude, processional and the recessional and Assistant Professor of English, Dr. Paul J. Kane, provided the opening and closing meditation.
William J. Ofsa ‘52 served as grand marshal for the ceremony and Lethea Smith ‘97 served as marshal.
Dr. Beasley thanked members of the commencement committee and offered congratulatory remarks to the class of 2007, saying, “My research suggests that you have studied under some of the most demanding faculty in the state of West Virginia, if grading practices are an indication. I believe that if you continue to apply these lessons . . . that it will make you proud and it will make us proud.”
The Honorable Richard Browning, member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, said, in part, “Dr. Beasley asked me to conduct some research and my research indicates that 422 students at Concord University received a PROMISE scholarship. Additionally, 508 students received some sort of money from the Higher Education Grant Program.” He shared remarks from the Governor, and then concluded by saying, “When I got out of college 33 years ago, I thought I had arrived . . . this is your comfort zone . . . please don’t stay in it, go out on a limb and challenge things that need to be challenged.”
Others bringing greetings included: R.T. “Ted” Rogers, chair of the Concord University Board of Governors; Dr. Hugh Campbell, president of the faculty; David A. Barnette ‘74, chair of the Concord University Foundation, Inc., and Rosalie S. Peck ’63, president of the Concord University Alumni Association, Inc.
Next, the valedictorians were recognized by Dr. Dean Turner, vice president and academic dean. Concord was honored to have seven: Kira Marie Bailey from Huntington, Rebecca Aileen Ball from Oak Hill, Amanda Elizabeth Barie from Princeton, Logan Ross Browning from Summersville, Kelsey Jade Craft from Princeton, James Bryan Gibbs from Princeton, and Stephen Daniel Taylor from Spencer.
Dr. Turner then presented the candidates for graduation to the President. Carolyn Fluharty Cox, registrar of the University, presented the diplomas to the candidates. Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Kathryn Liptak, assisted the President in the hooding of all candidates for the Master of Education degree.
The candidates then enjoyed a reception on the lawn of the Carter Center.
---Graduate Listing---
MASTER OF EDUCATION-CANDIDATES FOR GRADUATION:
WEST VIRGINIA
BECKLEY: Amanda N.S. Meadows; Ashley Marie Taylor
BLUEFIELD: Ashley Nicole Pettus
BURLINGTON: Sara Lynne Harris
CAMP CREEK: Allison Elizabeth Marie Clark
GHENT: Amanda D. Wills
MAXWELTON: Jackie Lynette Wykle
PETERSTOWN: Michael Lane Mann
PINEVILLE: Amanda Elayne Hilton
PRINCETON: Donna Keaton Sizemore
QUINWOOD: Heather Marie Nutter
VIRGINIA
BOISSEVAIN: Angela Renea Thompson
BLUEFIELD: Kerry Alycia Richmond
GALAX: Judy Ann Owens
NARROWS: Tori Danielle Bowman
UNDERGRADUATE CANDIDATES FOR GRADUATION:
WEST VIRGINIA
ALDERSON: Kelly Kim Parker; Benjamin Scott Reynolds
ANAWALT: Terry Leon Price
ANSTED: Lynsey Taylor Crist
ATHENS: Leah Maria Baker ; Sara Rulina Casto; Zachary Kent Choate; Jessica Suzanne Fizer; Kristin L. Jennings; Predrag Lazic; Bre Meadows Lemaster; Stephanie Christine Lewis; Jessica Yvonne Lilly; Andrew Derrick Lowe; William Rogers Muldoon; Christopher Jon Nelson; Eriko Osawa; Jhonna Antoinette Moye-Rebich; Melinda Alice Ronat; Megan Diane Sanders; Courtney Beth Stewart; Kayla Kathleen Ward
BALLARD: Tara Marie Boothe; Justin Mark Spencer
BEAVER: Morgan George Bragg; Stephanie Thressa Lilly; Melva Kay Shrewsbury; Nicholas Layne Snyder; Caleb Thomas Sotak
BECKLEY: Angela Dawn Bennett; Lisa Dawn Manning Bolon; Kristen Nicole Bozarth; Wendy Leigh Garcia; Jennifer Catherine Gills; Amanda Desirea Hayhurst; Jennifer Lee Hendrick; Ashley Rae Jackson; Leonard Mark Jenkins; Roy James Lucas IV; Michael George Meador; Richard Dwight Meadows, Jr.; Stacey Leigh Flint Powell; Justin Jeremiah Tabor; Malinda Ann Thacker; Alexis R Williams
BEESON: Jennifer Lynn Walls
BERWIND: Adam Alexander Grose
BEVERLY: John Martin Coontz
BIRCH RIVER: Samantha Lea Woods
BLUEFIELD: Brandon R. Bailey; Bobby Berlin Barber; Nicole Amie Baskin; Michael Joel Belcher; John Lee Eller; Felicia Sharmaine Forrest; Michael David Foster; Michael Meade Jessee Jr; Christopher Dean Lusk; Joseph Marion Mosko; Michele Lee Sexton; Matthew Wayne Stonestreet; Christopher Ryan Ward; Dustin Zachary Williams
BOLT: Tara Ann Noel
BRADLEY: Amanda Sue Kincaid; Jason Lee Holliday
BRENTON: Benjamin Nathan Hatfield
BUCKHANNON: LeAnne Marie Davis
BUD: Adam Jeffrey Bishop
CAMP CREEK: Jamie Charlene Skeen
CANEBRAKE: Steven Gregory Hale
CANVAS: Ashley Nicole Acord
CHARLESTON: Holly Ann Damron; Elizabeth Erin Rhule
CLEAR CREEK: Tena Marie Collins
COAL CITY: Lonnie Lawrence Bowe; Justin Shawn Davis; Elizabeth Anne Farley; James Howard Underwood
COOL RIDGE: Andrea Nicole Lilly; Joseph Scott Chapman
CRAB ORCHARD: Melissa Sue Brown; Kimberly Faye Johnston
CRAIGSVILLE: Patrick Scott Bay
DANIELS: Andrea Elisa Dillon; Zackary Ryan Dotson; Sean M. Noland; Tiffany Lynn Radford
ELIZABETH: Matthew Kevin Sellers
FAYETTEVILLE: James Riley Sheehan; Geoffrey Allen Pittman
FLAT TOP: Gail B. Murano
FORT GAY: Jeremy T. Lemaster
FRANKFORD: Scarlett Jean Anderson
GARY: Kristen LeAnne Blankenship
GHENT: Cristina Marie Lilly
GLEN DANIEL: Joshua Harold Milam
GORDON: Joseph Edward Lares, II
GREENVILLE: Alicia Kaye Mann
HANOVER: Raven Prophet Perez
HINTON: Amber Nicole Ballard
HUNTINGTON: Kira Marie Bailey (valedictorian)
IAGER: Jason Bryan Matney
JOLO: Larry Jacob Mullins
JUMPING BRANCH: Leanna Ellen Buckland; Lauren Marie Osborne
LASHMEET: Brandon Shaun Davis
LERONA: Roger Shawn Allen
LEWISBURG: Chivon Noelle Perry; Lisa Ann Stansell
LINDSIDE: Kristen Johnson Dillon; Ashley Lynden Riffe-Williams
LYNCO: William James Daniels
MABEN: Rebecca Leuann Tolliver
MABSCOTT: Brandon Lee White
MADISON: Nicholas Adam Dolin
MANNINGTON: Katherine Diane McCollum
MATHENY: Gary Lane Stewart, II
MONTCALM: Sharon Denise Blackwell
MOUNT HOPE: Bethany Anne Donelow
MULLENS: Glenna Faye Cordell; Lyndsey Marie Schurdell; James Edward Tunstalle III
NEW MARTINSVILLE: Megan Jean Delisi
NEW HAVEN: Joseph Scott Johnson
NORTHFORK: Antonio Randall Wright
OAK HILL: Rebecca Aileen Ball (valedictorian); Autumn Marie Crouch; Linda Kay Goins; Charles Edward Shelton Jr.; Joshua Daniel Watkins
OCEANA: Rosa Marie Tilley
OMAR: Kellie Louise Johnson
PARKERSBURG: Adam Monroe Carrico
PETERSTOWN: Erin Grey Francis; Angela Davis-Parker; Jonathan Matthew Bradley; Stacey Renea Jewell; John Adam McKenzie; Jennifer Dawn Polk; Elizabeth Ruth Terry
PINEVILLE: Clifford Joe Preece; Micah Alexander Bailey
PIPESTEM: Amanda Jo Coburn; Melissa Gail Cole; Alisha Alvis
PRINCETON-: Amanda Elizabeth Barie (valedictorian); Maranda Ann Bolin; Lindsey Marie Byars; Kelsey Jade Craft (valedictorian); Jason Matthew Daily; Melanie Ann Farmer; Kevin Douglas Gallimore; James Bryan Gibbs (valedictorian); Maria Ruth Gonzin; Jodi Lynn Graves; Sherry Gail Grimm; John F. Hale, III; Jacob Neil Hall; Choskie Allen Harmon II; Megan Danielle Harvey; Laura Susan Haye; Amber Michelle Knowles; Amanda Grace Lawrence; Nicholas Lee Massey; Toney Dominick Morrello; Heather Nicole Ouimette; Christopher Brian Presley; Jessica Sue Puckett; Terry Allen Rotenberry; William Orrin Slade; Kristy Elyse Smith; Trena L. Stovall; Leslie Anne Sullivan; Laura Rebecca Terry; Adam J Thompson; Shanna Leigh Tibbs; Ashley Lea Vaughn; Wendy Dawn Watson; Hillary Celeste Williams; Amber Destiny Worrell
PROCIOUS: Joshua Keith Shamblin
PROSPERITY: Faith Renee Hanshew; Amanda Beth Williams
RAINELLE: Susan Ganine Sim
RAYSAL: Brittany Rochelle Puckett
RIPLEY: Jennifer Anne McCafferty
SAINT ALBANS: Andrew Scott Rice
SAINT MARYS: Britney Lee Williams
SARAH ANN: Sherry Michelle Blankenship
SCARBORO: Cassandra Leigh Burns
SHADY SPRING: Joshua David Harvey; Kristopher Keith Huff; Veronica Lynn Goad, Whitney Beth Shelton; Elizabeth Ann Surbaugh
SHENANDOAH JUNCTION: Holly Gail Sole
SLAB FORK: Benjamin Lee Tolliver
SPENCER: Stephen Daniel Taylor (valedictorian)
SUMMERSVILLE: Afton Brooke Hughart; Dean Caleb Paxton; Logan Ross Browning (valedictorian)
TALCOTT: Danielle Denise Richmond
TORNADO: Melissa Dawn King; Megan Lee Hash
UNION: Aubrey Franklin Houck, Jr.; Aaron Layne Copeland; Shari Lynn Walker
WAR: Tivis Paul Phillips
WEBSTER SPRINGS: Crystal Lynn Roberts
WHITE OAK: Nicole Danielle Oakland
WICK: Jonathan Lee Hendrickson
WILLIAMSBURG: Amanda Cole DePriest
WILLIAMSTOWN: Nikki Marie Keith
WINONA: Toni Leigh Frame
CALIFORNIA
FOLSOM: Gino David Polastri
DELHI: Ryan K Pimentel
FLORIDA
LAKELAND: Terrance Sharod Lee
PLANT CITY: Torrince Jermaine Ruth
ILLINOIS
WOODSTOCK: Leanna Marie Neuner
KENTUCKY
HAZARD: Brittany Rose Campbell
MARYLAND
NEWBURG: Lindsay Michelle Damon
NEW YORK
PUTNAM VALLEY: Amie Stella Vedral
NORTH CAROLINA
NEWPORT: Timothy Charles Ellis
OHIO
CENTERVILLE: Robert James Schwendeman
LOVELAND: Eric Francis Crouse
NELSONVILLE: Harold Michael Leake, Jr.
PLAIN CITY: Ashley Lynn Hay
SOUTH CHARLESTON: Donald Edward Colley, III
PENNSYLVANIA
PROSPECT: Stephanie Young
VIRGINIA
BOONES MILL: Katrina Lee Cheatham
CHESAPEAKE: Rebecca Marie Meador
CHILHOWIE: Jerad Walter Ward
COVINGTON : Brad Anthony Wood; Kimberly Ann Waugh
DAMASCUS: Laurel Elizabeth Cole
FREDERICKSBURG: Ryan Carmine Hall
MANASSAS: Debbie Lanette Biggs
MARION: Michael Paul Little
PARROTT: Robert Kelly Stoots
POCAHONTAS: Jesse Matthew Call
RICH CREEK: Sara Elizabeth Smithson
RICHLANDS: Benjamin Doyan Kimbrell
RURAL RETREAT: Craig Alan Maxey
ROANOKE: Jeremy Michael Craft
SALEM: Megan Heather Nichols
SPRINGFIELD: Reginald Leonel Leger
STANARDSVILLE: Kalichia Laquan Humphrey
STAUNTON: James Adamson Watts
TAZEWELL: Whittney Brooke Graham
WARM SPRINGS: Katherine Dyan Persinger; Megan Elizabeth Persinger
WARRENTON: Aurelia del Carmin Rose
INTERNATIONAL
CANADA
BRITISH COLUMBIA-KELOWNA: Nathaniel Gilbert Nagy
BULGARIA
BOURGAS: Evgeniya Gospodinova
IHTIMAN: Beatriche Petkova
VARNA: Mladen Rumenov Marinov; Ivaylo Penchev; Ralitsa Ivanova Velikova
INDIA
CALCUTTA: Payal Pugalia
NIGERIA
WARRI-DELTA STATE: Edmund O Amoye
JAPAN
KOABE: Keisuke Watanabe
NAKASAIWAI-CHO: Yu Sakurada
-CU-
PHOTO: valedictorians include: Kira Marie Bailey from Huntington, Rebecca Aileen Ball from Oak Hill, Amanda Elizabeth Barie from Princeton, Logan Ross Browning from Summersville, Kelsey Jade Craft from Princeton, James Bryan Gibbs from Princeton, and Stephen Daniel Taylor from Spencer.
Jesse Call, a candidate for graduation with the Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and the Bachelor of Arts degree in history, and Kayla Ward, a candidate for graduation with the Bachelor of Arts in English-Writing & Literature, assisted in the writing of this press release. Their hometowns are Pocahontas, Va. and Athens, respectively.