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[MUSIC PLAYING]
Good morning.
Good morning and welcome to Eastern Kentucky University's
Fall 2013 Commencement Exercise.
This morning we honor degree candidates in the College of
Education, Health Sciences, and Justice and Safety.
If I may, I'd like to ask the audience to please arise for
the presentation of the colors and remain standing for our
national anthem, performed this morning by Cheyenne
Jennings, a senior American sign language english
interpretation major from Danville.
Please remain standing as the university singers, under the
direction of Dr. Richard Waters, present "My Old
Kentucky Home."
[MARCHING ORDERS]
[MUSIC - CHEYENNE JENNINGS, "STAR SPANGLED BANNER"]
[APPLAUSE]
[MUSIC - EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY SINGERS, "MY OLD
KENTUCKY HOME"]
[APPLAUSE]
[MARCHING ORDERS]
Please be seated.
Parents, families, and friends, members of the Board
of Regents, distinguished guests, faculty, and staff,
thank you for joining us today to celebrate with our fall
graduates this singular milestone in their lives.
Today we formally confer 970 bachelors degrees, 342
masters, 111 associate degrees, and 21 doctoral
degrees, for a total of 1,444 degrees.
[APPLAUSE]
That number includes many who have achieved academic
distinction.
We're proud of all those who are graduating with honors.
But I want to recognize at this time three groups in
particular.
Would all those who will be graduating with a summa ***
laude GPA average of 3.9 or higher please stand so that we
may honor you?
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
Would all those who are participating this morning
from our nationally prominent honor's program as honor's
scholars please stand and be recognized?
[APPLAUSE]
And finally now would all those graduates who are
members of EKU's highest multi-disciplinary honor
society, Phi Kappa Phi, also stand?
[APPLAUSE]
Again, congratulations, not only to those two groups but
to all those who are graduating
with honors this morning.
Throughout her 107 year history, Eastern Kentucky
University has been known as a school of opportunity.
And we will always hold that distinction.
I am particularly proud to acknowledge this morning the
many first generation college graduates who
are earning a degree.
This means that neither their parents nor anyone in any
earlier generation was a college graduate.
Will all the candidates for degrees who are the first
generation in their families to earn a college degree
please stand and be recognized?
[APPLAUSE]
Commencement is also the time when we recognize the many
others who have contributed to the success of all of our
degree candidates with resources, encouragement,
occasional cajoling, love, and understanding.
With that in mind, I ask the following to stand as you are
presented and remain standing so that we may welcome and
honor you as a group.
Will the parents of the candidates for graduation
please stand?
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you, parents.
Will the spouses of the graduation candidates please
stand today?
[APPLAUSE]
Will the grandparents of the candidates for graduation
please stand?
Grandparents.
[APPLAUSE]
And, finally, will children and other family members of
the candidates please stand?
[APPLAUSE]
Will the faculty and staff who have instructed and served
these candidates this morning please stand?
Faculty and staff.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you very much.
I feel like we should have everybody stand up now.
Now I would like to recognize some special individuals here
on the platform, members of our EKU Board of Regents.
Will each regent please stand when
presented and remain standing?
Mr. Craig Turner, chair of the board from Lexington.
Mr. Ernie House, Vice Chair of the board from London.
Mr. Gary Abney from Richmond.
Miss Janet Craig from Lexington.
Dr. Amy Thieme, the faculty regent from Richmond.
And Sarah Carpenter, student regent from [INAUDIBLE].
[APPLAUSE]
I would like to thank these members of the Board of
Regents for their continued service and the support of
Eastern Kentucky University.
Dr. Claire Good, our interim vice president for student
affairs and dean of students, will now
introduce our student speaker.
Dr. Good.
Each semester, a member of the graduating class is selected
for the honor of presenting a student commencement address.
This morning that honor belongs to Jamie Stout of Coal
Grove, Ohio, who's graduating summa *** laude with a
bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
Sharing in Jamie's special day today are her sons, Brandon
and Justin Stout, her mother, Wanda Wilson, and her fiance,
Colby Arnold.
I know they are proud of Jamie as are we.
It is my pleasure and privilege now to introduce the
student speaker for this morning's commencement
program, Jamie Stout.
[APPLAUSE]
Go Jamie.
All right, Jamie.
President Benson, distinguished faculty and
staff, family, friends, and fellow graduates, good morning
and thank you all for being here to share this milestone.
Contrary to what a lot of people think, we just entered
the minority.
Only about 28% of Americans achieve a
bachelor's degree or higher.
It took hard work, determination, and sacrifice,
not only of ourselves, but from those who have supported
our dreams, nurtured us and our
ambitions along this journey.
It is because of them that we are here today.
I'd personally like to thank my family and friends who
supported and encouraged me, my fellow graduates who
welcomed and accepted me, and the faculty who saw something
in me and challenged me to be better and to do more than I
ever thought possible, and most of all, to God for
bringing me here to this amazing place and making all
of these opportunities possible.
Thank you so much.
Now, I don't want to take up much of your time today, no
overused quotes, or philosophical words of wisdom.
I just want to take a few moments to share my heart with
you and some of my experiences here at Eastern.
I'm a nontraditional student who returned to college after
a few years--
decades actually--
off to raise my family and travel with the military.
So to say I was nervous returning to college after so
many years is an understatement.
Honestly, I was at the lowest point in my
life when I came here.
The life that I had known and depended on was gone.
Have you ever been scared, didn't know where you belong,
feeling like you just didn't fit in?
Well, that was me.
So I know a little something about being scared and not
knowing what to expect.
I think I cried every day the first week, questioning if I
could do this.
Why did I do this?
What was I thinking?
How was I going to manage school, work, and my adult
responsibilities?
And what were people going to think?
I had children older than my classmates.
I was older than some of my professors.
And I'm pretty sure I was one of the
only grandmas on campus.
But soon my answers came.
This is where my story of transformation began.
A few weeks into my first semester, one of my professors
asked the class why are you here?
No response.
He asked again.
He continued to probe and dig, but still no one answered.
He wouldn't let it go.
It wasn't a rhetorical question.
He really wanted to know.
But more importantly, I think he wanted us to know.
He went on to tell us some stories of unspeakable things
he had seen during his career.
And again he asked why are you here?
You could do anything else, be anything else,
a baker or a florist.
Why would you choose to do work in a field where the
images of what you've seen will haunt you?
Why?
Well, he made me think that day, I mean really think about
why I wanted to do this work and if I could handle it.
My answer was simple yet life changing.
No matter how horrible those images may be, the thought of
sitting back and doing nothing would haunt me more.
He may not know it that day, but he changed my life.
I still had questions, just not the same ones.
I no longer asked if I could do this, but instead
what more can I do?
How can I make things better?
So I say to all of you professors, never
underestimate the power you have to change a life.
After that day my world began to change.
My fears and anxieties began to subside and were replaced
with confidence and skill.
I began to realize that the staff and students that I'd
been intimidated by not only welcomed me but soon became my
biggest cheerleaders.
They encouraged me on my days of doubt and celebrated my
victories along the way.
They helped me devise a plan and helped drag me into the
21st century.
I had never heard of Blackboard before.
And let's just say Word was not my friend.
My professors and dean all taught me how to be a
professional in the field of criminal justice.
But more than that, they taught me
something about myself.
They not only helped me find the person I thought I'd lost,
but they helped me discover the person I never
dreamed I could be.
They pushed me to think and to question, to be open to
viewpoints other than my own, and ultimately to act.
They mentored and guided me and challenged me not to
accept the status quo.
And most importantly, they inspired me to make a
difference, not only in my field, but in our community.
And I've already begun to see the difference, a very real
difference that an EKU education can make.
I'd like to share just a few examples of
those with you today.
I had the opportunity to participate in a year long
field study with the Innocence Project, a network that aims
to exonerate those who've been wrongfully convicted.
This allowed me to see all the working parts of the criminal
justice system and to work on real cases with real victims.
My participation was not about a grade on a
test or in a class.
It had real consequences for people and their lives.
I feel very privileged to have been a part of that, and it
showed me that I really could make a difference.
Another example happened during the course of my
internship with the Kentucky General Assembly.
I came into contact with a Kentucky state police officer.
He confided in me about a family situation concerning
domestic violence.
Even with his 25 years plus of experience and training, he
was at a loss.
He didn't know how to handle the situation.
Everything he tried made matters worse.
So I shared with him all the literature that I had as well
as my own personal insights and writings.
Several weeks later, he came to me with tears in his eyes
and thanked me for helping him understand
and change his responses.
He said there were no words to tell me what I had done for
his family.
Wow.
Now I have no words.
One final example took place last week while I was in
Washington, D.C. doing research with Saudi officials
about their newly enacted domestic violence law.
One of the men helping me was a lawyer, a judge, and a
member of the Higher Judicial Institute in Saudi.
He allowed me a very rare, no holds barred look inside a
traditionally guarded culture.
And an amazing thing happened while we
were working together.
We let our guards down and had an honest,
open, cultural exchange.
He told me that even though I had come there to learn from
him, he had learned just as much from me.
He realized that we were more alike than we were different.
He said that if others would come together and share
information the way that we had, there wouldn't be as many
misconceptions or as much fear.
And there it is again, fear of those different from
themselves.
These situations where both humbling and awe inspiring.
I was able to use what I had learned here at Eastern to
break through some of the barriers of race,
culture, and religion.
It's stories like these that set Eastern apart.
I share them with you because they sum up what an
education can do.
I've attended three other universities in two other
states and another continent.
And nothing compares with my experience here.
It doesn't matter your age, gender, or ethnicity.
Everyone is welcome.
It doesn't matter where you came from, EKU meets you where
you are and helps you get to where you want to be.
It's not just about lectures and textbooks.
It's about real world experience and
life altering growth.
Before I came here, I would have never had the courage to
pursue the opportunities I've had, to interview a ***
victim, meet with a convicted murderer, witness autopsies,
cold call a foreign embassy and ask to poke around in
their business, or walk into our state capitol and say hire
me because I want to learn how I can make a difference to the
people of Kentucky.
Now I have the skills and the confidence to act with
integrity and boldness.
As we leave here today, excited with anticipation and
maybe a little afraid, not knowing what the
future holds, it's OK.
There's no shame in it.
We're all human.
But we mustn't let those fears define us or
prevent us from acting.
Courage doesn't mean you're never afraid.
But rather, it's stepping out in faith anyway in the face of
your fears.
It's how we choose to respond to our fears that will
determine who we become.
That's why Eastern is so important to me.
It helped me change my responses.
We have received the best education possible, both
professionally and personally.
We are equipped with the tools to not only compete out there
but to excel.
So when facing challenges, rather than asking can I do
this, ask how can I make things better?
So to the naysayers out there who think this is just a piece
of paper, you're wrong.
It's not just a piece of paper.
It has power, power to transform lives, first your
own, and then others.
I don't know exactly where I'll end up or what path I'll
take to get there.
But I do know one thing.
Eastern has prepared me for whatever comes my way.
I am confident that you are as prepared as I am.
If you remember nothing else about today,
remember two things.
It's OK to be scared sometimes, just don't let the
fear stop you from doing what's right or prevent you
from becoming the person you want to be.
And two, you're never too old, too young, or too anything to
learn, to grow, or to change a life.
Now it's our time to step out and make a difference.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
Well, good morning and welcome.
I'm Craig Turner, chairman of the Board of
Regents here at Eastern.
Earlier this year, the Board of Regents commissioned a
national search looking for its 12th president.
During that process, one name quickly rose to the top, Dr.
Michael T. Benson.
Dr. Benson had already served with great distinction for
more than six years as president at Southern Utah
University and as president at Snow College prior to that.
Dr. Benson is a skilled administrator, an astute
financial manager, a highly successful fundraiser, and an
accomplished scholar.
Eastern found a visionary leader who is also a dynamic
communicator.
All of these skills are necessary and needed to take
this university to the next level of excellence.
One of the most important factors that influence the
regent's decision was his commitment and personal
involvement with the student body.
President Benson is committed to the success of each and
every one of our students.
And he is also committed to working with the faculty and
staff to foster and facilitate a learning environment that
sets Eastern apart.
Since arriving on our campus in August, there's been a
whirlwind of activity.
Dr. Benson's first four and a half months have been marked
by an air of contagious confidence and a positive can
do attitude.
He leads by example.
His personality and his demeanor promote an openness
to change tempered by a healthy respect for tradition.
He patiently listens to students, faculty, staff,
alumni, community leaders, and always respectful of their
perspective views.
Dr. Benson, I find, makes informed decisions.
His ability to decide and execute is
what sets him apart.
He understands that at times to make a
decision is to divide.
But making the right decision is always the clear path.
I find him to be focused in his duties yet never
forgetting that his family is the most important
thing in his life.
He's a classically trained pianist and an
accomplished athlete.
Dr. Benson received his undergraduate degree from
Brigham Young University, his master's degree from Notre
Dame, and his doctoral degree from Oxford University in
Great Britain.
He blogs about higher education issues for the
Huffington Post.
He's been named one of Utah's 100 most influential people,
and cites former President Harry Truman as
his leadership model.
I can tell you that he operates under the premise
that the buck stops here.
In Eastern's 107 year history, this is the first time that
Eastern has selected a sitting president to assume the helm.
And we feel very fortunate that President Benson accepted
the call, moved his young family almost 2,000 miles
east, and now calls Richmond his home.
I have complete confidence that we selected the right
person for the job and that our future is in good hands.
Ladies and gentleman, I'm extremely proud to introduce
your keynote speaker and the 12th president of Eastern
Kentucky University, Dr. Michael Benson.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you very much, Mr. Turner.
It's a real pleasure for me to have this
opportunity to speak to you.
Craig mentioned some of the firsts.
I'll mention a few others.
I'm the first that has to follow Michelle Obama as the
commencement speaker.
I'm the first to speak to you with this enormous video
board behind me.
And no one's looking at me.
They're looking at the board.
I think I'm the first president, Craig, to have a
Twitter account.
So I invite all of you to follow me at EKUprez.
P-R-E-Z.
[LAUGHTER]
I am delighted to have this opportunity.
I have learned a great deal in my four and a half
months here on campus.
I've learned to love, in a very short time, this
remarkable institution.
And I want to talk about it for a few
minutes this morning.
First though I want to think Jamie.
Jamie, you represent everything that Eastern
Kentucky University stands for.
And we're proud of you, and we know you're going to go out
and do wonderful things in the world and make a difference
and make us all proud.
I've learned three important lessons since coming to
Kentucky with my family.
The first is just how important counties are in this
commonwealth.
[LAUGHTER]
The second is L8 should be the eighth wonder of the world.
[LAUGHTER]
And the third is basketball is not just a sport.
It is a way of life.
[APPLAUSE]
And by the way, we have another one of these exercises
this afternoon right when our very own Colonels are taking
on the Badgers of Wisconsin.
So I wish Coach Neubauer and our student athletes the very
best today.
To the graduates before me-- and I can tell you, this is an
incredibly inspiring sight--
my hearty congratulations.
This is a singular accomplishment in your life,
and this is a day you will always remember.
I sincerely hope a bond has been formed between you and
this university.
Jamie talked a little bit about that.
But as I speak today and as you reflect on this day's
events, I hope you'll remember back to what's happened to
you, to the experiences that you've had, to the faculty
members that have positively impacted you, to the staff
that have gone out of their way to help you, to the
classmates you've met, to the fact that your world view and
your perspective, I hope, has been broadened and enriched
and enhanced.
Your diploma is more than just a piece of
paper, as Jamie said.
It is your ticket into the world of educated persons and
an invitation to join for life the Eastern Kentucky
University family.
From this time forward, the name, the traditions, the
influence of this university are freely yours just as your
achievements, your success, indeed the tenure of your life
will reflect on EKU.
The founding of this institution is one built on
blood, toil, sweat, and sacrifice.
You have worked hard to reach this milestone in your life.
Subsequent successes will require that
same measure of sacrifice.
As Thomas Paine stated, "what we obtain too cheap, we esteem
too lightly.
It is dearness only that gives everything its value."
This is a wonderful institution with rich
traditions and an inspiring history, and a wonderfully
committed faculty and staff.
As I mentioned, in a very short period of time, my wife,
Debbie, and I, and our kids, have come to love Eastern.
I predict that as the time passes and distance widens
between you and your experience here at EKU, you
will remember even more fondly the [INAUDIBLE]
days in Richmond.
Always remember what you have learned here, the experiences
you enjoyed, the friendships you have forged, and what that
degree from EKU means to you both personally and
professionally.
And pledge to do something, whatever it might be, to give
back to EKU in the future.
I can promise you that there is nothing more rewarding than
the feeling of giving back.
To you graduates, as you consider your academic
accomplishments this afternoon, I would like you to
reflect on the words of the inimitable Mark Twain.
He once wrote this.
"When I was a boy of 14, my father was so damn ignorant, I
could hardly stand to have the old man around.
But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old
man had learned in
seven years." [LAUGHTER]
So at the conclusion of today's ceremony, I would like
each of you to find your mom and dad or another family
member or a friend, give them a hug of appreciation, and let
them know just how pleased you are that they've learned so
much while you've been away at EKU.
Among the many publications that arrive in my office, a
scholarly journal crossed my desk the other day from
Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania.
What caught my attention was the image on the front cover,
a very simple photograph of a place called Shearer Hall at
Shippensburg with this inscription
above its entry way.
"Collect whatever talent, erudition, eloquence, and
authority the broad land can supply.
And go forth and teach this people."
These inspiring words come from the great American
educator Horace Mann in the 4th of July address that he
gave in Boston in 1842.
You graduates before us today represent an incredibly
minuscule portion of the world's population in, first,
having access to higher education, and, second,
availing yourself of this opportunity and now having
earned degrees.
I commend you for this accomplishment and charge you
to do something with that education and the experience
that you have gleaned.
You did not earn these degrees in a vacuum, nor are you
exempt from the burden to do something to
benefit with your education.
Don't be afraid to try and fail because in the words of
eBay CEO Meg Whitman, the price of inaction is far
greater than the cost of mistakes.
I have to confess that when I was invited to give this
commencement address several months ago, I thought a great
deal about what I should say, what maybe my theme could be.
I drafted a couple of different versions.
And about three or four days ago, I set those all aside.
And I said I'm going to speak about something a little
different today.
And that was a direct result of the events of the last week
and the passing of a remarkable man by the name of
Nelson Mandela.
None of us, I would suppose, had the
chance to meet Mr. Mandela.
But his life and example has certainly impacted his
countrymen, the world, and many, many generations.
In the few moments that I have today, I'd like to tell you a
quick story about an amazing American.
He also was black, about whom you may know very little.
But I've come to learn a great deal about this particular
individual, and I have nothing but the utmost respect for him
and for his life.
His name is George Washington Carver.
He was born into slavery in January of 1864.
We're not even sure of the date.
But we do know it was in January of that year in a
small community called Diamond, Missouri to parents
who were purchased as slaves for $700 by a German American
immigrant by the name of Moses Carver.
When he was one week old, he was kidnapped, along with his
sister and his mother, by night raiders from Arkansas.
And they were brought, of all places, to Kentucky.
Moses Carver hired a gentleman by the name of John Bentley to
find his property.
Unfortunately, only George was found.
His sister and his mother were lost forever.
Mr. Bentley won this one week old baby's ransom in exchange
for a race horse that was valued at $300.
When slavery was abolished, Moses and Susan Carver, these
first generation Americans, raised George and his older
brother, James, as their own.
His parents encouraged George to pursue
his educational pursuits.
And they even taught him how to read and write.
He applied to Highland College in Kansas.
And he was delighted when he received
the acceptance letter.
But guess what happened when he arrived in 1885.
He showed up on campus, and they saw that he was black,
and they rejected him for admission.
Undaunted, he traveled to nearby Ness County and
manually farmed 17 acres, raising all sorts of crops and
fruit trees while conducting agricultural research.
In 1888 he borrowed $300, an enormous amount of money in
1888, to enroll at Simpson College.
And one of his professors, one of the faculty members there--
and as I read this, I thought this is probably not unlike
the kind of attention that students at EKU get.
This faculty member saw in George Washington Carver this
innate ability as an artist and a particular affinity and
propensity toward agriculture.
He encouraged him to study botany, which he did at my
grandfather's alma mater, Iowa State
University in Ames, Iowa.
He was the first black student at Iowa State in 1891 and
later became its first black faculty member.
A few years later in 1896, Mr. Carver was contacted by his
friend Booker T. Washington, who was the first president
and principal of the Tuskegee Institute.
And he invited Mr. Carver to head up his department of
agriculture.
This led to a long and distinguished career focused
on a whole range of uses of all things peanuts, over 100,
as well as alternative crops to cotton, including soy beans
and sweet potatoes.
I should mention at this point that as Mr. Carver continued
to publish and do additional research, he was invited to
come and work for a private entrepreneur at a salary of
$10,000, which equated to about a half million dollars
in today's dollars.
And he turned him down.
He said that it was much more important for him to stay at
Tuskegee and continue his research and to try and make a
difference.
It is impossible today to overstate what an enormous
impact Mr. Carver's research and teaching had on the South
and on agricultural practices.
His work helped struggling sharecroppers in the South,
many of whom were former slaves who were now faced with
necessary cultivation under harsh conditions, including
the devastation of the boll weevil in 1892.
The development of these new crops that Mr. Carver
advocated and the diversification of crop use
helped to stabilize the livelihoods of these people
who had backgrounds that were not unlike Mr. Carver's own.
This is a very interesting.
On top of his classroom teaching and research, Mr.
Carver pioneered a mobile laboratory to take his lessons
to the farmers.
The classroom was known as the Jesup Wagon after a New York
financier and Tuskegee donor, Morris Ketchum Jesup.
Carver's prominence as a scientific expert made him one
of the most famous African Americans of his time and one
of the best known African American intellectuals up to
that point.
His admirers were people such as President Theodore
Roosevelt, the King of Sweden, even Mahatma Gandhi contacted
him, and he advised him on matters of
agriculture and nutrition.
Think about this.
While America was still very much a segregated society, in
1916 Mr. Carver was invited to become a member of the British
Royal Society of Arts, an incredible distinction and a
rare honor for an American.
While Carver was still alive, my hero, Harry Truman, then a
senator from Missouri, sponsored a bill in favor of a
monument for him during World War II.
Supporters of the bill argued that the wartime expenditure
was warranted because the monument would promote
patriotic fervor, particularly among African Americans, and
encourage them to enlist in the military.
The bill passed unanimously in both houses of Congress.
In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated $30,000
for the monument west of Diamond, Missouri, his
birthplace, the site of a plantation where Carver lived
as a child.
This was the first national monument dedicated ever to an
African American.
The 210 acre complex includes a statute of Carver as well as
a nature trail, museum, and cemetery.
Now, while he wrote extensively on agricultural
practices and on the use of peanuts and soy beans and
sweet potatoes, he also wrote eight cardinal virtues, which
I'd like to leave with you today in conclusion, that he
asked his students to live by.
This is what Mr. Carver said to his students.
First, be clean both inside and out.
Second, neither look up to the rich nor down to the poor.
Third, loose, if need be, without squealing.
Fourth, win without bragging.
Fifth, always be considerate of women,
children, and older people.
Sixth, be too brave to lie.
Seventh, be too generous to cheat.
And eighth, take your share of the world and
let others take theirs.
Finally, on his tombstone is written
this very simple epitaph.
"He could have added fortune to fame.
But caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in
being helpful to the world." Your task, my friends, is to
be helpful to the world.
To be sure, you, the class of 2013, enter a world of
tremendous uncertainty filled with strife and conflict and
opportunity.
One of my favorite poems is entitled
Procipice by Robert Browning.
A few lines from Browning's remarkable prose speak to what
happens to those ready for such challenges and equipped
to tackle such opportunities.
"For sudden, the worst turns the best to the brave.
The black minute's at end, and the elements rage.
The fiend-voices that rave shall dwindle, shall blend,
shall change, shall become first a peace out of pain."
To the graduates before us today, the worst of times
turns the best to the brave.
This is your moment.
Seize the opportunity, and strive to make a difference.
So my advice today is simple.
Stay curious.
Do good.
Contribute.
Give more than you take.
Make a difference.
And go Colonels.
Thank you very much.
[APPLAUSE]
Our provost, Dr. Janna Vice, will now proceed with the
formal conferring of degrees on our graduates.
Dr. Vice.
President Benson.
The deans of the colleges will join me in presenting the
candidates for the graduate and undergraduate degrees.
Dr. Jerry [? Pegoginic ?]
will present candidates for master's degrees from the
colleges of education, health sciences,
and justice and safety.
Will the candidates for the following degrees please stand
and remain standing?
Doctor of education, master of arts, master of arts and
education, master of arts and teaching, doctor of nursing
practice, master of public health, master of science,
master of science in nursing.
President Benson, these candidates have met all the
requirements for the degrees and have been
approved by the faculty.
I present them to you for the conferring of their degrees.
Dean Verna Lowe will present candidates from
the College of Education.
Will the candidates for degrees in the College of
Education please stand and remain standing?
President Benson, these candidates have met all the
requirements for their degrees and have been
approved by the faculty.
I present them to you for the conferring of their degrees.
[APPLAUSE]
Dean Deborah Whitehouse will present the candidates from
the College of Health Sciences.
Will the candidates for degrees in the College of
Health Sciences please stand and remain standing?
[APPLAUSE]
President Benson, these candidates have met all the
requirements for their degrees and have been
approved by the faculty.
I present them to you for the conferring of degrees.
Dean Allen Ault will present the candidates from the
College of Justice and Safety.
[APPLAUSE]
Will the candidates for degrees in the College of
Justice and Safety please stand and remain standing?
[APPLAUSE]
President Benson, these candidates have met all the
requirements for their degrees and have been
approved by the faculty.
And I present them to you for the conferring of degrees.
President Benson, these candidates have met all the
requirements for their respective degrees and have
been approved by the faculty.
The deans and I present them to you for the conferring of
their degrees.
Candidates, the long anticipated hour has come.
You are here with family and loved ones looking on.
The faculty and officers of the university are gathered in
witness and testimony to your conduct and purpose.
Therefore, by virtue of the authority granted in me by the
Board of Regents of Eastern Kentucky University, and with
the faculty's recommendation, it is now my pleasure to
confer upon each of you the appropriate degree, the
requirements of which you have fulfilled, and do hereby vest
each of you with the rights and privileges pertaining to
that degree.
Your diploma confirmed and acknowledged by the great seal
of the university.
Please be seated.
[APPLAUSE]
Mr. Steven Higginbotham will now read the
names of the graduates.
This is both a solemn and a joyous occasion.
As names are called, I ask each of you to show the
decorum, the dignity, that the occasion warrants.
In this way, each graduate can receive the recognition he or
she deserves.
Thank you very much.
William D. Bowling, doctor of education.
Scott Tyrone Ferguson, doctor of education.
James M. Davis, doctor of education.
James I. Dantick, Junior, doctor of education.
Anne Hughes Burns, doctor of education.
Carolyn Camille Singleton Towns, doctor of education.
That's my mom!
[LAUGHTER]
John Andrew Stratmon, doctor of education.
Brett Eugene Moris, doctor of education.
Ryan Martin Wilson, doctor of education.
Frank Peter Cobala, Junior, doctor of education.
William John Sullivan, doctor of education.
Lisa Newton Ganow, doctor of education.
Peggy Conrad Patrili, doctor of education.
[APPLAUSE]
Sally Anne Sugg, doctor of education.
Neally R. Trailer, doctor of education.
Jill M. Cornelison, doctor of education.
[APPLAUSE]
No, no.
Jill M. Cornelison, doctor of nursing practice.
Thank you.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
Rachel Lynn Hovermale, doctor of nursing practice.
[APPLAUSE]
Master of Arts.
Darren John Burrell.
Zachary Ryan Lorentz.
Master of Arts in education.
Tiffany Marie Bryson.
Sonia Fay Coal.
Danielle Nicole Cooke.
Claire Alice Jones.
Shanna R. Kaslowsky.
Joseph Stewart Linden.
Sheila Ambler Lipmen.
Sarah Catherine Moss.
Kelly Ray Tagoric Brown.
Angela Diane Wilson.
Master of Arts in teaching.
Eric Wesley Jackson.
Stacy Michelle Pachinski.
Kelly Marie Simmons.
Master of Public Health.
Ben Kipcami Chariyot.
Madoo Shaw.
Ruth Francine Tucker Sloan.
Master of Science.
Gregory J. Amacuchi.
Matthew Thomas Harris.
Nicholas Schroeder.
Michael J. Clark.
K. Elizabeth Cambrone.
Travis Maguire.
Mallory Kate Garrison.
Ellen Catherine Molten.
Kelsey Spencer Bennet.
Julia E. Plymesser.
Brittany Lee ***.
Blake E. Ford Stedman Deon Hopkins.
Ashley E. Moore.
Kaitlin Elizabeth Connors.
Charotech Lakite Lateech.
Vookie Manditch.
Chelsea Elizabeth Crosca.
Molly Beth Johnson.
Alissa M. Crump.
Britney Nicole Billingsley.
Emily Rose Justice.
Regina Fay Miller.
Victoria Lyn Kramer.
Claire Elizabeth Carr.
Stacey Lynn Wallace.
Anna Daniella Grotto.
Kelsey Marie Yardberry.
Mary Whitney Jocelyn Cook.
Victoria Erin Hartmon.
Celeste Bell Marie Roberts.
Laurie Shay Fusion.
Britney N. Tombs.
Kelly Marie Olm.
Melissa Denise Phelps.
Master of Science in nursing.
Myrtle Marie Brown Mills.
Jennifer Lyn Tosiak.
Master of Science.
Bridget G. Benjamin.
Heath A. Bergman.
Nicole Leanne Cherigan.
Ashley Brooke Collette.
Chusenwa Chu.
John S. Crumbly.
Jake Dylan Harris.
Genalee R. Kenyan.
Deborah Lusinski Tarca.
Jessica Merson.
Donna S. Minot.
Molly Colleen O'Brien.
Ashley Marie Phillips.
Julianne Kimberly Fips.
Master of Arts in teaching.
Chelsea Alexandra Tull.
Zachary Todd Smith.
Helen E. Towsher.
Bethany Ray Jean Wagoner.
Crystal Dawn Keller.
Courtney Elizabeth Wright.
Kevin W. Parks.
Joshua D. Gross.
Austin John Murdoch.
Kathleen Muriel Sulfridge.
Luke Joshua Sulfridge.
Maria Christina Torrez.
Frederick Hall Varney.
Bachelors of Science in education.
Kaitlin Sherrel Kelly.
Kayla Noel Davis.
Michael Patrick Barr.
Christina Kelly Stallard.
Samuel Richard Stallard.
Joshua Aaron Broadwell.
Tyler Ross Nutter.
Samuel Jordan Codil.
Jacqueline R. Herd.
Elizabeth Marie Hann, *** laude.
Lindsay S. Jones, summa *** laude.
Jonathan Bart Smith.
Erin Michael Combs, *** laude.
Christopher Morrell Daniel.
James Marcus Brandon Byas.
Abbey Nicole Baily, magna *** laude.
Britney Nicole Musgrove, *** laude.
Violet Terese Mills, *** laude.
Nikki Sue Maise.
Lindsay Ray Colver, magna cume laude.
Ahsley A. Johnson.
Kaley Michelle Rutz.
Margaret Anne King.
Audrey Lyn Readnower.
Melinda Danielle Vickers.
Devin L. Terrain.
Sharlesteen Phylicia Williams.
Randy Morrell.
Megan Nicole Borth.
Catherine Elizabeth Holder.
Lauren Elaine Reynolds.
Carla Marie Tuchilow.
Donald Paul Van Winkle.
Christie Anne Sap.
Jennifer Lyn Lowe.
Geraldine Joan Bowling.
Amanda Lynn Riley, *** laude.
Sarah K. Moore, magna cume laude.
Timothy Scott Moore.
Christa Lashawn Burrows, cume laude.
Catherine Grace Clunts.
Latasha Brooke Adams.
Kaitlin Lauren Kelly.
Meagan Marie Schmidt, *** laude.
Beverly Elizabeth Pew.
Alise Helen ***, *** laude.
Kaitlin Elizabeth Stavermen, summa *** laude.
Madelaine Helen Schuler, magna cume laude.
Paige Lauren Hupante, *** laude.
Shay Emerson Tucker.
Anna Catherine Helmer.
Lindsay Catherine Kunapkick, magna *** laude.
Rachel Leah Errs, magna *** laude.
Andrea Marie Brian, summa *** laude.
Lacy Jane Collop, magna *** laude.
Brandy Nicole Fletcher.
Jordan Elizabeth Ruth.
Jessica Nicole Lester.
Susan Catherine Jones.
Angela Michele Combs, summa *** laude.
Jessica Lynn Bushcutter, *** laude.
Tiffany Lee Long.
George Zachary Tibbs.
Leandra Euline Brown.
Patricia Renee Bodee, summa *** laude.
Robin Elizabeth Hawkins, magna cume laude.
Samantha Lynn Utz, summa *** laude.
Chelsea Nicole Butler.
Whitney Paige Bowling.
Amanda K. Elliott, cume laude.
Angela Nicole Chambers.
Kendra Dawn Compton.
Courtney Shylee Compton.
Lacy Marie Cob.
Sean Michael Shuppard.
Ebony Nicole Franklin Jackson.
Anita Danielle Kelly, *** laude.
Courtney Lynn Winel.
Britney Nicole Mathis.
Amanda Brooke Williamson.
Storm Terrel Cherry.
College of Health Sciences, bachelor of arts.
Benjamin De La Cruz.
Roman Alexander Lawson.
Kaylee Marie Flynn.
Tasha Nicole Wallin.
Amber Marie Wittaker.
Chelsea Lyn Roderick.
Kenny Evans Wilson.
Zachary David Green.
Ethan Everett Bates.
Mary Margaret Noel Cheeks Smith.
Bachelor of science.
Ronnie Gail Robinson.
Kelsey Rene Peck.
Meghan A. McNay.
Bobby Joe Robinson.
Jacqueline Jaruto Barketcheer.
Tammy Lynn Anderson.
Kristi Renee Mance.
Megan Dionne McAllen.
William Henson Hogan.
Justin Patrick Blakeman.
Justin Owen Eperson.
Julianna Lebran White.
Jordan Lee McClure.
Britney Lorin Jones.
Brooklyn Michaela Louis.
Rebecca Danielle Spencer.
Andrew Charles Reilley.
Lacy D. Crane, *** laude.
Margaret E. Owen, summa *** laude.
Patricia Anne Ratliffe.
Heather Elaine Fewson.
Christina Paige Hornsby.
George Martin Demoree.
David Anthony Carter.
Jonathan Kyle Adams.
Shannon Renee Kluntz.
Tiffany Lynn Pearson.
Danielle Leah Gillesky.
Chelsea Lynn Neil.
Dearen Michelle Welner.
Erin Michelle Gilky.
Britney Leanne Black.
Melissa Marie Snow.
Jaquentin D. Jenkins.
Taylor L. Alstadt.
Zachary Laten Ervin.
Robert Allen Worthington.
Christopher Thomas Cantrell.
Sierra Nicole Smith.
Chrissa R. Schmidt.
Kristin Elaine Graves.
Sarah Lee Bellamy.
Benjamin Oldages.
Jordan Marie Turner.
Philip Allen Fox.
Linda Han Kuntz.
Sarah Marie Danielle Adams.
Rachel Elizabeth Abrams.
Carolyn E. Worselbocker.
Brandon Scott Johnson.
Kevin Andrew Ross.
Alexander Lewis Cassbar.
Luke Austin Pray.
Christian L.L. Albertson.
Mary Anita McCormick.
Anthony Wayne Brown Junior.
Christina Marie Stallman.
Jesse Eugene Gary.
Dylan A. Miskal.
Margaret E. Whitfield.
Tony Kashera Garrett.
Gena Begley.
Bachelor of Science in nursing.
Jordan Tyler Simpson.
Jenny Caitlin White.
Sierra Emmerich Ham.
Amanda Lee Stegman.
Courtney Nicole Bales.
Whitley Paige Chestnut.
Lauren Reanne Hubbard.
Sarah Jane Jones.
Samantha Michelle Allen.
Christina Michele Demeno.
Casey Nyoka Elaine McQueen.
Kaitlin Nishole Tincher.
Rachel Marie Blake.
Ashley Nicole Robinson.
Ashley Nicole Swinford.
Alison Kathy Kemp.
Smita Prosi.
Jessica Anne Geiger.
Brittany Lynn Tipton.
Mary Pauline Web, *** laude.
Autumn Marie Chancy.
Jacqueline Amanda Oswalt.
Carrie Anne Soulsby.
Tyler Christian Morris.
Associative Science in nursing.
Morgan Paige Howell.
Tonya Ray Tingle.
Rebecca Suzanne Lutrol.
Rosa Nicole Carunchick.
Sherry Lynn Moore.
Brandon Morgan Stanley.
William Raymond Catlit the Third.
Melanie Renner Feelpot.
Megan Louise Moren.
Catherine Anne Biseden.
Trinity Lynn Faith Ellis.
Kali Brooke Slade.
Cecelia Farren Hicks.
Cassandra Hill Greenly.
John Eric Sadlyn.
Rebecca Ann Campbell.
Brandy L. King.
Miranda D. Harrison.
Robert Samuel Martin the Third.
Randy Joe Carpenter.
Melinda S. Lewis.
Josephine Moosisy.
Associates of Applied Science.
Sydney Marie Brock.
College of Justice and Safety, Bachelor of Science.
Travis Scott Toland.
James I. Roman Junior.
Samuel Ramsey Christopher.
Matthew Stephen Custerer.
William Chadwick Garrett.
Matthew Robert Peterman.
Eric Ezra Haslam.
Michael R. Rubo.
Mary Chris Andrea Godzee, magna *** laude.
Erica Shay Feltner.
Spencer Declean Moore, *** laude.
Michael Chase Deaton, *** laude.
Alah Annette Hightower, summa *** laude.
Brandon Todd Brodus.
Spencer Keith Gray, *** laude.
Christopher Stephen Simpson.
Ricardo Delgado, *** laude.
Cecil Allen Horn.
Trailer Dennis Davis.
Elizabeth Anne Miller.
Jamie Don Stout, summa *** laude.
Donovan Preston Nolan.
John Paul Cutter.
Merrick A. Stewart, *** laude.
Justin Matthew Lamb.
Zachary Daniel Heidel.
Andrew Thomas Kid, *** laude.
Gregory Kirk Smith, magna *** laude.
Brian Lee Dewise.
Brooke Lee Cumston.
Taylor Mitchell Logsdon.
Clayton Edward Bennel.
Abdula Alcaldi.
Caleed Alcaldi.
Thomas Wayne Dodson.
Kirk David Keele.
Joshua Christian Brey, magna *** laude.
Hosum Obigawy.
Hussein Marat Junior.
Erin Renee Cherry.
Christa Lee Gilreeth.
Shannon Potter Henegore.
Thomas Mandred Hagin.
Michael Dwayne Phelps the Second.
Cody Carmichael Carol.
John Mitchell Goodbee.
Coltor Ray Turner.
Trisha Rachelle Halman.
William Asmore Lacy.
Brandon Scott Campbell.
Cody Michael Molvee, *** laude.
Michael Austin Collins.
Steven Thomas Gibson.
Morgan B. Murphy.
Joshua Lawrence Bullock.
Robin Lynn Hench, *** laude.
Julio C. Geronimo.
Michael Logan Morell.
Kyle Jeffrey Brag.
Jacob Craig Moore.
Albert Lee Johnson.
James Lucas Manuel, magna *** laude.
Lance David Blackwell.
Jacob Ryan Wagner.
Donald Tyler Wells.
Joshua Wayne Brady.
Megan Nicole Toliver.
Jesse Alexander Smith.
Christopher David Foss.
Hose Manuel Torres, *** laude.
Otis Wesley Broderick.
Mark Allen Stallard, *** laude.
Jennifer Jean Chesser.
Bethany Shay McFaddin.
Alfred Jeffrey Harris.
Emily A. Johnson.
Julia Elise Nash.
Sam Thomas Parker.
Amber Nicole Gill.
Benjamin T. Thompson.
Destiny Hope Richards.
Jonathan Tyler Douglas Mitchell.
Catherine A. Fields, *** laude.
Diana Christine Brush.
Catherine Elise Brown.
Patricia Dawn Rodis.
Tracy Amanda Smith.
Dawn Renee Hearn.
Janet Lee Henderson, magna *** laude.
Margaret Rose Sewel.
Salom Melfee Almutary, *** laude.
Abdullah Dimig Alhari.
Maneah Hussein Alkatani, magna *** laude.
Stephanie J. Skidmore, magna *** laude.
Stacy Marie Dumase.
William Logan Wolf.
Joshua Aleck Slimcer.
William P. Warner.
Dennis Kyle Clarke.
Cory Dean Elliott.
Harrison Junior Wells the Fourth.
Mohamed Habib El Habib.
Ahmed Rashed Al Yamahi, summa *** laude.
Ali Kafan Al Yamahi, magna *** laude.
Daniel Allen Delaney.
Ashley Lamar Solacavage.
Anthony Nathan Mud.
Solest Dion Washington.
Brandy Christina Hope Burton.
Samuel David Lowden.
Norma Mayan.
Associate of Arts.
Courtney D. Hill.
Joshua Tyler Wise.
Robert Coal Anderson with high distinction.
Joseph Watemen Richardson.
James Allen Agee.
Graduates, the moment for which you have worked so long
and hard is now at hand.
If you have not already done so, please move your tassels
from the right to the left and congratulations.
[APPLAUSE]
Let me just add parenthetically I know, for
all of you family and friends, you came to see maybe your
graduate, maybe somebody else.
That was a lot of hands to shake, but
every name is a story.
It's hopes.
It's dreams.
It's aspirations.
It's a graduate of EKU that's going to go out and make a
difference.
So I congratulate the class of 2013.
We could not be more proud of you.
Way to go.
[APPLAUSE]
Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Hudnall, chair of our
department of military science, will now issue the
oath of office to Second Lieutenant Merrick Stewart.
At this time, will the parents of our commissionee and all of
our veterans please stand and remain standing
for the oath of office?
Raise your right hand and repeat after me.
I-- state your full name.
I, Merrick Alan Stewart--
Having been appointed an officer in the army of the
United States--
--having been appointed an officer in army
of the United States--
--in a grade of second lieutenant--
--in the grade of second lieutenant--
--do solemnly swear--
--do solemnly swear--
--to support and defend--
--to support and defend--
--the Constitution of the United States--
--the Constitution of the United States--
--against all enemies--
--against all enemies--
--foreign and domestic--
--foreign and domestic--
--and that I will bear true faith and allegiance--
--and that I will bear true faith and allegiance--
--to the same--
--to the same--
--and that I take this obligation freely--
--and that I take this obligation freely--
--without any mental reservation--
--without any mental reservation--
--or purpose of evasion--
--or purpose of evasion--
--and that I will well and faithfully--
--and that I will well and faithfully--
--discharge the duties--
--discharge the duties--
--of the office upon which I am about to enter.
--upon the office of which I am about to enter.
So help me God.
So help me God.
Congratulations, Lieutenant.
[APPLAUSE]
As you know, Eastern Kentucky continues to garner national
and international recognition for how friendly we are to
veterans and how proud we are of all of our
service men and women.
So congratulations Lieutenant Stewart.
Alumni are so very important in the life of the university.
And we are so very fortunate at Eastern to have the loyal
support of more than 125,000 alumni.
Now I would like to introduce Glenn Raglin, president of our
international alumni association and ask him to
offer words of greeting to our newest members of that alumni
association.
Thank you, President Benson.
This morning, graduates, you're joining a very special
group of individuals, men and women from all over the world
who have brought great honor to this institution by
distinguishing themselves in their careers and in their
communities.
In your time here at EKU, I hope that in addition to your
academics you have learned the importance of service.
It is my hope that you will go into your communities and into
the workforce, that you will give back with acts of
service, and that when you are settled into your career,
consider giving some of your time to your Eastern Kentucky
University.
Being a graduate of this institution
gives me great pride.
And I'm always sharing about the campus beautiful.
I hope that you will find opportunities to share with
others about your experiences here.
Now, Fall 2013 graduates, please stand.
By virtue of the degree conferred upon you by the
faculty and Board of Regents of Eastern Kentucky
University, I hereby declare you members of the Eastern
Kentucky University International Alumni
Association with all the rights and privileges of
membership.
Congratulations and welcome.
Be blessed.
You may be seated.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you very much, Glenn.
I would like to take this time to thank our musicians for
today's ceremony.
Pianist Chase Moore, national anthem soloist, Cheyenne
Jennings, and the university singers.
I would also like to recognize our banner bearers, Chelsea
Toll for the graduate school, [? Patish ?]
Renee Bode for the College of Education, Robert Martin the
Third for the College of Health Sciences, and [? Ila ?]
Hightower for the College of Justice and Safety.
Thank you to all those who have participated in our
ceremony today.
[APPLAUSE]
Finally, the mace-bearer today has been Dr. Sheila Pressley,
chair of our faculty senate.
And our sign language interpreters for the deaf and
hard of hearing are Tammy Cantrell and Marcy Patrell..
[APPLAUSE]
Graduates, I call to your attention the charge to the
graduating class which constitutes the last page in
your commencement program.
Now, for one last time, let us recognize with a hardy round
of Colonel applause our Eastern Kentucky University
newest graduates.
Congratulations.
[APPLAUSE]
If you would please stand now for the singing of the alma
mater led by the university singers followed by the
recessional.
As the recession begins, please remain standing until
the platform party has left the arena.
Thank you very much.
[MUSIC - EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY SINGERS]
[MUSIC PLAYING]