JONESBORO -- Arkansas State University recently announced 1,405 students who were awarded diplomas on the undergraduate and graduate levels during the 2016 fall commencement ceremony Dec. 10 in the Convocation Center.
Lynita Cooksey, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs and research, conferred the degrees to graduates representing six colleges: Agriculture, Engineering and Technology; Business; Education and Behavioral Science; Liberal Arts and Communication; Nursing and Health Professions; and Sciences and Mathematics.
"Your education at Arkansas State has paved the way for lifelong learning," Cooksey said. "It has provided you with a path to influence the world. Use the knowledge you have gained at A-State and your experiences in the future to make a difference. I encourage you to be the change you want to see in the world."
Kwangkook Jeong, faculty award winner for excellence in scholarship and associate professor of Mechanical Engineering, addressed the students and crowd on behalf of the A-State faculty.
"You have all gone through times of incredible stress with your heavy loads and troubles, but only to be rewarded. I'm proud and excited that you now get to apply what you have learned to your job or other studies," he stated.
The class included 58 students receiving honors. Thirty-five cum laude graduates earned a grade-point average of 3.6-3.79; 22 graduated magna cum laude of 3.8-3.99 GPA and one summa cum laude graduate with a 4.0 GPA.
Also recognized at the ceremony were the Arkansas State Department of Military Science and the ROTC in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the program's beginning at the university in 1936 and the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Army Cadet Command.
The 2016 fall graduation list for Arkansas State included:
Amity
Erica Doster, Specialist in Education in Educational Leadership; Karmen Nolen, Master of Science in Education in Education Theory and Practice.
Bismarck
Mary Corley, Master of Science in Education in Special Education K-12; Kelly Minton, Master of Science in Education in Education Theory and Practice.
Hot Springs
Madison Blancaflor, Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communication, cum laude, honors program; Maggie Floriani, Master of Science in Education in Special Education K-12; Mary French, Master of Science in Education, Special Education Instructional Specialist; Jerry Hale, Associate of Science; Jordynn Kight, Master of Science in Education in Special Education Instructional Specialist; Brooks Lee, Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership; Ramsey Lindsey, Master of Science in Education in Education Theory and Practice; Tobin Packard, Specialist in Education in Educational Leadership; Linda Self, Master of Science in Education, Special Education Instructional Specialist; Debra Stewart, Master of Science in Education in Education Theory and Practice; Kimberly Walker, Master of Science in Education, Special Education Instructional Specialist; Kristina Ward, Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction.
Hot Springs Village
Hannah Gorman, Master of Science in Education in School Counseling.
Malvern
Heather Branum-Kindy, Specialist in Education in Educational Leadership; Ragen Bray, Master of Communication Disorders; Shavon Jones, Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies; Kenneth Kalahiki, Master of Science in Education, Special Education Instructional Specialist; Pamela Smith, Master of Science in Education in Education Theory and Practice.
Mountain Pine
Justine Jackson, Master of Science in Education, Special Education Instructional Specialist P-4.
Royal
Ryan Baker, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, honors program; Lewis Hunt, Specialist in Education in Educational Leadership.
School on 02/19/2017