December 15, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University conferred degrees to more than 1,000 graduates Saturday morning during its 162nd Commencement at Diddle Arena.
Degrees were conferred to 1,071 students (81 associate’s, 778 baccalaureate, 211 master’s and one specialist) who completed their programs this fall as well as five students who completed a cooperative doctoral degree in educational administration offered by WKU and the University of Louisville.
About 800 students participated in the ceremony at Diddle Arena.
President Gary Ransdell told graduates that 2007 has been a wonderful year with numerous achievements, sustained enrollment growth and a continued transformation of the campus and of WKU’s mission to become as a leading American university with international reach.
“As you leave this Hill, you take with you years of memories and experiences,” Dr. Ransdell said. “You life has been shaped by your WKU experience, and WKU has been shaped by your influence. You carry with you what we hope is a fire and a passion for service, a commitment to virtue, a capacity for success and for impact, a honed talent in your chosen field, and an absolute confidence in your abilities and your strengths. You are destined to lead.”
Jonathan (Joe) Thomas of Russellville was recognized as the Ogden Foundation Scholar, which is presented to one graduating baccalaureate degree senior who has demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and outstanding university and civic engagement.
Thomas, who completed a second bachelor’s degree in chemistry this year, also was an Ogden College of Science and Engineering honor graduate in December 2003 when he received a bachelor’s in agriculture. He is the son of Billy and Patty Thomas and the husband of Lindsay Thomas.
Cooperative doctoral recipients
The recipients of the cooperative doctoral degree in educational administration were Beverly C. Ennis of Greensburg, Rhonda Stuart Helm of Bowling Green, Molly Beth Kerby of Bowling Green, Sherry M. Reid of Bowling Green and Thomas E. Rendek of Hopkinsville.
Other honor graduates
Five other students were recognized as Scholars of the College. They were the following: from the Ogden College of Science and Engineering: Nicholas Johnson, a mathematics major from Rochester and the son of Mark and Sheree Johnson; from the Potter College of Arts & Letters: Amy Meador, a sociology and psychology major from Knoxville, Tenn., and the daughter of Alecia and Charles Meador; and Gabriel McMurtrey, a Spanish and recreation administration major from Bowling Green and the daughter of Alecia and Charles Meador; from the University College: Allison Clark, an interdisciplinary studies major from Glasgow and the daughter of Lawrence and Kathy Clark; from the Gordon Ford College of Business: Maegan Pearman, a management major from Hodgenville and the daughter of Cynthia and Christopher Morgan and Rocky Pearman.
Other recognitions
WKU commissioned four Army ROTC graduates as second lieutenants – Chris Disponett of Bowling Green, Nathan Jenkins of Bowling Green, Nicholas Leitz of Hoyleton, Ill., and Brandon Warren of Nolensville, Tenn.
WKU’s School of Nursing recognized its first cohort of December graduates in the Prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. This group was the first admitted two years ago under a new twice per year admissions process; previously, the program admitted students once per year and all graduated in May.
The BSN graduates are Terra Arnold of Central City; Courtney Bemiss of Greenbrier, Tenn.; Lauren Carstens of West Chester, Ohio; Jennifer Cates of Madisonville; Carie Cosby of Smiths Grove; Jaimee Duncan of Hendersonville, Tenn.; Lynde Fawcett of Campbellsville; Christina Florence of Brownsville; Tiffany Gordon of Campbellsville; Lauren Graves of Smiths Grove; Mary Halcomb of Bowling Green; Catherine Henderson of Radcliff; Amy Hire of Lafayette, Tenn.; Michelle Hosteter of Bowling Green; Rebecca Hughes of Bowling Green; Breeze King of Tompkinsville; Katie Kinser of Bowling Green; Sara Laneville of Cottontown, Tenn.; William Loughran of Greenville; Jennifer Lueken of Jasper, Ind.; EmmaLee McCrary of Pegram, Tenn.; Lesa Pinnegar of Bowling Green; Jessica Raines of Nashville, Tenn.; Carrie Shuffett of Greensburg; Kimberly Snyder of Franklin; Wesley Speir of Fairview, Tenn.; Amanda Strautman of Bowling Green; Cala Stroud of Portland, Tenn.; Tiffany Towles of Louisville; Maghan Tromly of Owensboro; Shenette Vicente of Madison, Tenn.; Joanne Walton of Bowling Green; Tami Weisshaupt of Vine Grove; Angela White of Shepherdsville; Sarah Williams of Bowling Green; and Cara Wright of Germantown, Tenn.
The ceremony was broadcast live on WKYU-PBS along with a webcast online. The ceremony will be replayed on WKYU-PBS at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 17.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Registrar’s Office at (270) 745-3351.
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