It was a great honor on Sunday to welcome families,
friends and other distinguished guests to the December Graduates’
Recognition Ceremony and Reception in the Jane P. Batten Student Center.
The occasion represented an incredible milestone in the lives of our
newest alumni, and also in the life of the institution—as these students
are a part of the very first graduating class of Virginia Wesleyan University!
I was pleased to share my gratitude with the family members and friends who have supported these students in achieving their education. Likewise, it was an opportunity to applaud our dedicated faculty whose skilled teaching, advising, and mentoring has provided invaluable guidance over the last four years.
Many thanks to keynote speaker Dr. Leslie Caughell, Assistant Professor of Political Science and the recipient of our 2017 Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Caughell shared advice on finding happiness in a life filled with obligations. She encouraged graduates, among other suggestions, to find value in the simple things, to treat others with kindness and generosity, to practice empathy, to show gratitude, and to find a career they love and find intellectually engaging.
Students were welcomed to their new graduate status by Alumni Council Vice Chair Troy DeLawrence ’93, who applauded the ambition and resiliency of December graduates and encouraged them to stay connected with the vast network of Marlin alumni.
Congratulations to the following candidates for December graduation:
Bachelor of Science
Christine J. Commons (biology)
Duncan J. Miller (biology)
David Dewayne Pintor, Jr. (mathematics)
Alexia L. Vassiliadis (mathematics)
Bachelor of Arts
Amberly M. Alston (comprehensive liberal studies)
San Juan M. Alston (social science)
Tiffany Amber Barndt (criminal justice)
Patrick J. Barrett (social science)
Tiffany Barrett (mathematics)
Christopher D. Battle (communication)
Montana S. Bieder (business and environmental studies)
Jordan Ashley Brenner (criminal justice)
Victor Brunious, Jr. (business)
Samantha N. Bush (psychology)
Amanda Leigh Butler (comprehensive liberal studies)
Michael Carver (business)
Avriana A. Chavez (comprehensive liberal studies)
Jamielynn Chewning (social sciences divisional)
Caleb L. Coro (English)
I was pleased to share my gratitude with the family members and friends who have supported these students in achieving their education. Likewise, it was an opportunity to applaud our dedicated faculty whose skilled teaching, advising, and mentoring has provided invaluable guidance over the last four years.
Many thanks to keynote speaker Dr. Leslie Caughell, Assistant Professor of Political Science and the recipient of our 2017 Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Caughell shared advice on finding happiness in a life filled with obligations. She encouraged graduates, among other suggestions, to find value in the simple things, to treat others with kindness and generosity, to practice empathy, to show gratitude, and to find a career they love and find intellectually engaging.
Students were welcomed to their new graduate status by Alumni Council Vice Chair Troy DeLawrence ’93, who applauded the ambition and resiliency of December graduates and encouraged them to stay connected with the vast network of Marlin alumni.
Congratulations to the following candidates for December graduation:
Bachelor of Science
Christine J. Commons (biology)
Duncan J. Miller (biology)
David Dewayne Pintor, Jr. (mathematics)
Alexia L. Vassiliadis (mathematics)
Bachelor of Arts
Amberly M. Alston (comprehensive liberal studies)
San Juan M. Alston (social science)
Tiffany Amber Barndt (criminal justice)
Patrick J. Barrett (social science)
Tiffany Barrett (mathematics)
Christopher D. Battle (communication)
Montana S. Bieder (business and environmental studies)
Jordan Ashley Brenner (criminal justice)
Victor Brunious, Jr. (business)
Samantha N. Bush (psychology)
Amanda Leigh Butler (comprehensive liberal studies)
Michael Carver (business)
Avriana A. Chavez (comprehensive liberal studies)
Jamielynn Chewning (social sciences divisional)
Caleb L. Coro (English)
Clemi S. Daniels (social sciences divisional)
Rebecca Lynne Davis (business and Hispanic studies)
Kyla A. Edwards-Henderson (English)
Jennifer L. Ellington (comprehensive liberal studies)
Shelby L. Emch (music)
Hannah Eva Fisher (business)
Ashlei N. Gates (communication)
Jennifer Winnett Glazier (English)
Brenna Victoria Gonzales (criminal justice and sociology)
Taylor S. Hardy (business)
Jenine A. Harland (social science)
Allison R. Heitsman (criminal justice)
James R. Koonce (criminal justice)
Ja’Maiya S. Logan (political science)
Allison H. Mackley (recreation and leisure studies)
Mechelle Monique Osby (social sciences divisional)
Solomon N. Ott (history)
Kristin Lee Rempas (international studies)
Kristara Besa Richards (criminal justice and psychology)
Erick A. Rivera (sociology)
Michelle Sanderson (political science)
Victoria L. Sierra (English)
Melissa S. Stroup (psychology)
Kaitlynne M. Thomas (biology)
Paige E. Trageser (criminal justice)
Tyler MacKenzie Watts (English)
Destiny A. Winters (history and social science)
Alexandra D. Wright (recreation and leisure studies)
I look forward to hearing about these graduates’ many accomplishments and the great ways they will make a positive impact on the world.
To watch the webcast of the December Graduates’ Recognition Ceremony, visit the VWU Digital Broadcasting Network events page. View a photo gallery on the Virginia Wesleyan Flickr page.
Kyla A. Edwards-Henderson (English)
Jennifer L. Ellington (comprehensive liberal studies)
Shelby L. Emch (music)
Hannah Eva Fisher (business)
Ashlei N. Gates (communication)
Jennifer Winnett Glazier (English)
Brenna Victoria Gonzales (criminal justice and sociology)
Taylor S. Hardy (business)
Jenine A. Harland (social science)
Allison R. Heitsman (criminal justice)
James R. Koonce (criminal justice)
Ja’Maiya S. Logan (political science)
Allison H. Mackley (recreation and leisure studies)
Mechelle Monique Osby (social sciences divisional)
Solomon N. Ott (history)
Kristin Lee Rempas (international studies)
Kristara Besa Richards (criminal justice and psychology)
Erick A. Rivera (sociology)
Michelle Sanderson (political science)
Victoria L. Sierra (English)
Melissa S. Stroup (psychology)
Kaitlynne M. Thomas (biology)
Paige E. Trageser (criminal justice)
Tyler MacKenzie Watts (English)
Destiny A. Winters (history and social science)
Alexandra D. Wright (recreation and leisure studies)
I look forward to hearing about these graduates’ many accomplishments and the great ways they will make a positive impact on the world.
To watch the webcast of the December Graduates’ Recognition Ceremony, visit the VWU Digital Broadcasting Network events page. View a photo gallery on the Virginia Wesleyan Flickr page.
