ASU graduates

JONESBORO — Arkansas State University conducted its 2017 spring commencement ceremonies May 13 at the Convocation Center.

Doug Whitlock, who has served as the university’s interim chancellor since September, addressed graduates and the audience at a morning ceremony and again during an afternoon ceremony. Whitlock conferred degrees to 2,210 graduates representing the six colleges of Agriculture, Engineering and Technology; Business; Education and Behavioral Science; Liberal Arts and Communication; Nursing and Health Professions; and Sciences and Mathematics.

Michaela Supple, an exercise science major from Albuquerque, N.M., who received a Bachelor of Science, addressed the morning audience. Evelyn Taylor, assistant professor of social work and recipient of the faculty award for excellence in teaching provided the morning remarks on behalf of the faculty.

R.E. Wilson Award winner Jared Gowen, of Garner, spoke on behalf of the graduating class in the afternoon. The afternoon ceremony also featured LaQuita Saunders, assistant professor of history, co-director of the Pre-Law Center and honoree for the faculty award for excellence in academic advising.

Whitlock became the fifth individual to hold the title of chancellor at Arkansas State after serving as president and president emeritus of his alma mater, Eastern Kentucky University. He served as the featured speaker for the ceremonies.

“Commencement is a time of excitement at any university for candidates, family and friends, and I congratulate all candidates assembled here, ” Whitlock said. “It is a milestone event in your lives. You should be commended and congratulated.”

The chancellor asked the new graduates to consider leadership as an objective in their future endeavors.

“For a long time in America, we have given the impression that the objective of a college education is to make more money,” Whitlock said. “The thinking is a college education will give us a marketable skill set that will enable us to earn. In my mind, the objective of a college education is to build leaders with the ability to think critically, creatively and use what students have learned.

“If leaders happen to make more money, that’s a bonus. If we’ve done our job of educating you well at Arkansas State University, and I think we have, then we have prepared you for leadership in whatever field you choose to pursue.”

The graduating class include 28 who graduated summa cum laude, 108 magna cum laude, 141 cum laude, 30 with University Honors, 68 in Honors and 46 received Honors certificates. Graduates represented 65 of the 75 counties in Arkansas, along with 38 states and 22 countries.

Area graduates were:

Amity

Kathryn Speights, Master of Science in Nursing.

Hot Springs

Aundrea Allen, Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, cum laude, Honors program; Jeffrey Barnette, Master of Science in Nursing; Angela Bates, Master of Science in Education in Special Education K-12; Theresa Brown, Master of Science in Education in Education Theory and Practice; Lance Harris, Certificate Program in Building-Level Administration; Matt Huggs, Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership; Kevin Johnson, Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering; Ja’von Long, Bachelor of Arts in Criminology; Kristen Lovelady, Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry; Amy Mitchell, Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership; Sharla Moore, Master of Science in Education in Education Theory and Practice; Madison Noble, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, magna cum laude; Robert Noble, Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, cum laude; Monica Norman, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, cum laude, Honors program; Anna Norton, Associate of Arts; Maria Pinkerton, Master of Science in Education in Education Theory and Practice; Hannah Rice, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, cum laude; Jacob Richardson, Master of Science in Education in Education Theory and Practice; Christopher Saunders, Master of Science in Nursing; Samuel Raj Subbiah, Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science; William Taylor, Bachelor of Science in Education, Mathematics; Vanessa Thompson-Smith, Bachelor of Social Work, Honors program; Kathryn Winfrey, Master of Science in Education in Education Theory and Practice.

Malvern

Taylor Henslee, Master of Science in Nursing; Alyssa Skinner, Master of Social Work.

Pearcy

Anthony Farnam, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics; Caleb Marsh, Bachelor of Science, in Biological Sciences, cum laude, Honors program.

Royal

Carter Weston, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.