More than 225 receive degrees during Winter Commencement

Graduating from Tusculum College during winter commencement ceremonies were 227 individuals in a ceremony held on Saturday, Dec. 13.

On Saturday 81 students earned Bachelor of Science degrees and 80 earned Bachelor of Arts degrees. In addition 36 graduates earned Master of Arts degrees and 20 received Master of Business Administration degrees.

The new graduates were addressed by Tusculum President Nancy B. Moody, who recognized the hard work of the path to graduation, saying “you have made a commitment and stuck with it to the point that you have forever changed the direction of your life for the better.” Adding, “I am confident that you learned to think critically, not to accept at face value everything you read, hear, or see. You demonstrated your ability to debate ideas and to see both sides of an argument before making judgment. These are a few of the qualities of an educated person.”

She told the group, “May you be fortunate enough to earn in the years ahead, and may you be wise enough to return some of your blessings to those who aspire to follow in your footsteps.”

Two student speakers addressed the graduates, including Jacquelyn Waddell of Greeneville, who received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology.

Waddell spoke of the challenges of adult learners whose lives are already full of family and work responsibilities. She encouraged her fellow graduates to use whatever they have learned, but also take time to enjoy their accomplishment. “This is your moment.”

Also speaking was Martin Jorgensen, a residential sports science major from Beder, Denmark.

Graduation speakers representing the Class of 2014 were Jacquelyn Waddell, left, and Martin Dan Jorgensen.

“Every day is a new beginning,” he told fellow graduates. “I think of the friends I’ve made and the education I’ve earned. All of it can be used as a springboard into the real world.”

He encouraged his fellow graduates to be “like the weather” and not stagnate. “Although you don’t want to change constantly like the weather in East Tennessee, you do want to keep moving if the weather stagnates, you have a drought.”

Mark Stokes, college chaplain, presented a sermon titled “Great Expectations.” He told the audience, “Like beauty and brilliance, we are not responsible for having them, but we are very responsible for what we do with them. Our lives are gifts of God’s grace.”

He added, “Successful life management is a matter of exchanging a life you cannot keep for a life you cannot lose. It is trading the temporary goods of this world for unending, secure treasure. No matter how much or how little you may have in ability, opportunity or wealth, you can manage your life in such a way as to become very rich.”

Among those earning diplomas, by type of degree, were:

MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION CONCENTRATION
Lisa Yvonne Crowder
Alexandra Nichole Dalton
Vikki Hunt Dillard
Lyndsey Renee Elrod
Valerie Savannah Harrell
Kelli Patricia Heard
Toni Michelle Hobby, Honors
Amy Lynn Inman
Kristin Marie Mays, High Honors
Vicky LeAnne McCarter
Rebecca Rankin McKee, Honors
Courtney Bare Miller, Honors
Angela Kay Ott
Lori Paxton Ricker
Mark Anthony Seal
Benjamin Coy Willings

MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION CONCENTRATION WITH AN
EMPHASIS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
Amy Shyanne Bales
Carrie Michelle Bledsoe, Honors
Christa LeighAnn King, Honors
Charles Arthur Painter, High Honors

MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION
ORGANIZATIONAL TRAINING AND EDUCATION CONCENTRATION
Robert William Minton

MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CONCENTRATION
Emily Campbell
Patricia Ann Carroll
Tonya Mechelle Greenlee
Michelle Hawkins, Honors
Jane Pate Hutton, High Honors
Markus Eugene Jackson, Honors
Lisa Regina Kirk, Honors
Wendy Danielle Robertson
John Harold Rode
Tiffany Dee Rose, High Honors
Stacey Marie Sayne, Honors
Andrew David Traugot, High Honors
Anton V. Tuz, Honors
Vincent Whitright, Honors

MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING
Patrice Yolanda Blue
Justin Conley Harvey
Britney Marie Hopkins, High Honors
Lindsay Hope Welch, Honors

MASTER OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION
Matthew P. Albert
Jeffrey Michael Bowles
Paul Henry Britt Jr.
Lonnie Marc Burns
Dale L. Butler
Kevin Bradley Carter
Angela Marie Daugherty
Christopher Carl Gibbs
Crystal Ann Hill-Fields
Ryan S. Holliday
Sandra Lynn Lawson
Jessica Leach
Jose B. Lopez
Julie Ann Lopez
Michael James McClendon
Michael Ryan Newport
Jennifer Zubko Reynolds
Charles Michael Snow Jr.
Jeffrey Scott Yeomans

BACHELOR OF ARTS
Alexis Blake Anderson
Nequoiah C. Anderson
Michael Clark Ayers
Thomas James Bitner, Cum Laude
Joseph Wade Borden†
Katharine Marie Chadwick
Aisha Noelle Collins
Darien Crank
Jarrod Daniel Cupp
Mia Karina Damico
Cassidy Rose Ebers
Zackery Tres Elliott
Lindsay Nicole Firster
Samuel Taylor Foster
Mason Andrew Fox
Melinda Jayne Franklin
Keagan Thomas Graham
Amanda Marie Grempel
Paris Tanashia Hardnett
Kristin Marie Hensley
Joshua Ronald Jaro
William Anthony Jennings
Martin Dan Jorgensen, Summa Cum Laude*
Stacie Marie Justis, Cum Laude
Katheryn Michelle Kolodi
Cyrus Jackson Lampley
Anthony Bernard Latimore Jr.
Melissa Raye Mauceri
Jennifer Dawn Mayo
Tyler James Miller
Corrinne E. Moore
Amy Leigh Morford, Cum Laude
Jonathan Ryan Norton
Georgia Paturalski
Leah Katelyn Powell
Jordan Tyler Rhinehart
Jeffrey Daniel Roberts, Magna Cum Laude
Jamie L. Rossman, Magna Cum Laude*
Jack Emile Scariano III
Tynan L. Shadle
Scott Charles Simmons Jr.
Madison Lashea Stephenson
Chelsea Elyse White

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN HUMAN
GROWTH AND LEARNING,
ELEMENTARY K-6
Lindsey Nicole Daniels, Magna Cum Laude
Rachael Jeanette Frantz
Kristi Leigh Seymour
Lauren Victoria Wallace, Cum Laude

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN
INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES,
ELEMENTARY K-6
Melissa Ann Alsip, Cum Laude
Abby Christina Anders
Kathryn Elizabeth Branam
Stephanie Michelle Brennan, Cum Laude
Yancey Britte Lynch
Steven Donald Mull
Ryan Clifford Ogle, Magna Cum Laude
Anthony Neal Palmer
Courtney Campbell Parton
Courtney LeAnn Payne
Natalie Ruth Saunders
Jeffery Dewayne Smith II
Emily Rebekah Teague
Madison Nicole Weems
Margaret Lynn Woods

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN
PSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONCENTRATION
Caroline Elizabeth Barton
Amanda Day Brooks, Cum Laude
Linda Gail Burton, Summa Cum Laude
Matthew Christopher Casey
Sarah Marie Cedillo, Cum Laude
Leslie Alicia Clemmons
Jennifer Ann Conner
Christina Renee Davis
Jamie Elizabeth DePriest
Melissa Gail Dunlap
Karen Jane Hatfield
Kimberly Joann Hayes
Brian Martin Hensley
Tammy Bray Johnson, Cum Laude
Jessica Briann Jones
Melissa S. Kelley, Cum Laude
Melanie Renee Kimbrough, Cum Laude
Pamela Christine Lamb
Leah Faye Lawrence
Jessica Machluf
Trena R. Russell
Tiquasia Deloris Simmons
Kyra Joelle Smallwood
Tracy Nicole Wells Vandiver
Jacquelyn Clintina Agee Waddell, Summa Cum Laude
Kavaldeep White

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
MANAGEMENT
Mary Lyda Anderton
Logan Samuel Callahan
Sabrina Darlene Clark
Casey L. Cline, Magna Cum Laude
Tiffany Dawn Coffey
Hannah Sidney-Nicole Collins
Sara Len Douglas
Jordan Tyler Elkins
Robert Patrick Espinoza, Cum Laude
Hayley Elizabeth Fields
Gary Allen Fryman, Cum Laude
Angela Montgomery Gibby
Rachel Ilene Hazen Hale
Christopher Joel Hartwell
Angela Sue Hill
Amy Darlene Hinkle, Cum Laude
Eric Lynn Hinkle, Cum Laude
Tim Holseberg
Jason Hykle
Eric Barton Johnson, Magna Cum Laude
Matthew Jerry Johnson
Kay Jones
Renee Eileen Khan, Magna Cum Laude
Nathaniel Devin Lawrence
Dale Allen Linkous
William Keith McCord III
Dana Ruth Mihovch
Adam Ray Nelson
Ashley Ann Paulson
Patricia Ann Polfus, Magna Cum Laude
Tommy Lee Price II, Cum Laude
Nancy Denise Proske, Cum Laude
Justin Mark Reaves, Cum Laude
Joshua Michael Reeves
Mark Timothy Roberts, Cum Laude
Heather Juette Rollins, Cum Laude
Regina Sue Rose
Monica L. Smith
Dawn Marie Spangler
Nancy LeAnn Sutton
Jake Evan Turnmire
Michael Ryan Winstead

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Brianna Hope Allen
Joseph Rhyne Brent
Stephen Wayne Buchanan, Magna Cum Laude
Lauren Elizabeth Bullerdick
David Anson Cagle
Jennifer Joy Cagle
Ashley Christine Carver
Susan Kaye Cutshall
Kristen Marie Johnson Dalton, Cum Laude
Brian Joseph Decker
Christopher Walter George
Eric Lee Henderson, Cum Laude
Zachary Hunter Holcombe
Renee Johnson
Kerri Ann Keaton
William Thomas Kidwell, Cum Laude
Bobby James Lambert
Tabitha Nicole Linkous
Tokena Decia Love
Jennifer Anne Mann, Magna Cum Laude
Shannon Ellison Marion
Michael Eugene Meade
Jared Houston Moore

Jessica Lynne Moore
John Timothy Nelson, Cum Laude
Marita Nicole Robinson
Maria Antonia Salami Tobuasiche
Clinton David Serman
Justin Grant Sewell, Cum Laude
Deanna Dolores Sheffey, Cum Laude
Megan Nicole Slack
Deborah Smith
Jordon Tyler Smith
Megan Elizabeth Smith
Sierra Grace Stair
Malinda Beth Thrasher, Cum Laude
Russell James Vandermeeden