Hastings College held its 134th Commencement on Saturday, May 16, 2020 via streaming on Facebook and YouTube. During the ceremony, the College awarded degrees to 194 undergraduates and 12 Master of Arts in Teaching graduates. Graduates represented 20 states and nine countries.
While the ceremony was done virtually, Commencement continued a tradition of featuring a senior speaker, with Kaelan Dea ‘20 giving a virtual address. Dea is a marketing major from Greenwood, Nebraska. He served as Student Association President during the 2019-20 academic year and was named a recipient of the Bronco Award, Hastings College’s highest non-academic award for students making outstanding campus contributions.
Roger Doerr, chair of the Hastings College Board of Trustees, presided over the ceremony — the 51st consecutive Hastings College commencement he participated in or attended. In addition to conferring degrees on the new undergraduates and MAT graduates, he awarded honorary doctorates to three faculty members who are retiring this academic year:
- Dr. Steven Bever was awarded the Honorary Degree Doctor of Science,
- Dr. Jeri Thompson was awarded the Honorary Degree Doctor of Science and
- Dr. Hillary Watter was awarded the Honorary Degree Doctor of Fine Arts
Doerr also awarded honorary degrees to several faculty who retired recently:
- Dr. Jim Fritzler was awarded the Honorary Degree Doctor of Fine Arts,
- Dr. John Bohmfalk was awarded the Honorary Degree Doctor of Science,
- Tom Kreager was awarded the Honorary Degree Doctor of Fine Arts,
- Dr. Constance Malloy was awarded the Honorary Degree Doctor of Humane Letters,
- Doug Phelps was awarded the Honorary Degree Doctor of Humane Letters and
- Dr. Lee Wigert was awarded the Honorary Degree Doctor of Science.
Undergraduate and MAT degree recipients are included below.
Graduation honors are awarded to those students with outstanding academic records in their undergraduate work. Degrees with distinction are awarded as follows: Summa Cum Laude, overall GPA of 3.97 or higher; Magna Cum Laude, overall GPA of 3.94 or higher; and Cum Laude, overall GPA of 3.85 or higher.
“HD” designates those students who graduated with high distinction in their major(s), while “D” indicates the students who graduate with distinction in their major(s). High distinction is awarded to graduates who have earned 3.85-4.0 grade point average, while distinction is awarded to those who have earned at least a 3.7 grade point average in their major(s).
Note: The order of the list below is Bachelor Degrees – United States, Bachelor Degrees – International, Master of Arts in Teaching – United States, Master of Arts in Teaching – International.
Listings are by state and city.
Bachelor Degrees – United States
Alaska
Kodiak
- Nolan Blake Wandersee — Exercise Science
Arkansas
Hartman
- Ismael Anthony Frias — Health Systems
Arizona
Chandler
- Tyler David Kennedy — Agri-Business
Phoenix
- Basil Paul Rabayda — D in Theatre
Scottsdale
- Cole Robert Achtzehn — D in Marketing
California
Brentwood
- Kaishon Xavier McGuire — Exercise Science
Compton
- Isaiah Xavier Jackson — Sports Communication
Fresno
- Gunnar Todd Gardner — D in Recreation & Sport Management
Livermore
- Dragos Dobrin — Human Resource Management
Manteca
- Daniel Christopher Gonzalez — HD in Recreation & Sport Management
Oakdale
- Max Brian Stevens — Exercise Science
Oceanside
- Anthony Martinez — Biology
Pleasant Hill
- Kseniya Doronkina — Psychology
Stockton
- Keilen Pedro Mocencio — Sociology
Colorado
Aurora
- Charlotte Ruth Gochenour — HD in Special Education, and D in Elementary Education
- Selena Raeal Gochenour — Health Systems
Berthoud
- Madeline Claire Pelster — Biology
Burlington
- Jared Wayne MacLeod — Sociology
Castle Pines
- Nathan James Holdridge — D in Business Administration/Economics/Finance
Castle Rock
- Madison Joann Mooney — Cum Laude with HD in Elementary Education
Centennial
- Celeste Annalisa Borg — Cum Laude with HD in Psychology
- Rebecca Lynn Eaton Garner — Personalized Program
Colorado Springs
- Greer Anderson — Summa Cum Laude with HD in Communication Studies/Theatre
- Alexandra Dee Dominguez — Health Systems
- Kiley Rae Logan — Elementary Education
Evergreen
- Madeline Rae Downie — Summa Cum Laude with HD in English
Highlands Ranch
- Erik Weston Wetteland — Cum Laude with D in Accounting
Mead
- Camilla Somer Lee — Summa Cum Laude with HD in Chemistry
Montrose
- Wyatt Lawton Edeker — Business Administration
Parker
- Rudy Marquez — Hospitality Management
Sterling
- Megan Francis Kaiser — Biology
Thornton
- Holden Augustus Banks — Personalized Program
Windsor
- Sarah Ann Barger — Cum Laude with HD in Business Administration/Spanish
Connecticut
Shelton
- Anya Irene Bliska — D in Psychology
Florida
Clearwater
- Ryan Webster Ierna — Physics
Palm Harbor
- Steven Robert Barnes — Sociology
Indiana
Millersburg
- Riley Lanae Wagner — Marketing
Iowa
Logan
- Chad Andrew Uhing — Accounting
Waterloo
- Darren Genuwine Scott — Marketing
Kansas
Fairway
- Jeremiah Joel Moorhead — Human Resource Management
Kanorado
- Jon Douglas Satterly — Recreation & Sport Management
Ottawa
- Stefan Foulke — D in Psychology
Minnesota
Circle Pines
- Nathaniel Richard Navratil — Magna Cum Laude with HD in Communication Studies/Sociology
Plymouth
- Jadah Mariah Morrison — Communication Studies
Spicer
- Allison Christina Kennon — Summa Cum Laude with HD in Communication Studies
Missouri
Warrensburg
- Nathaniel Louis Miller — Exercise Science, Recreation & Sport Management
North Carolina
Dallas
- Alyssa Roth — Psychology
Nebraska
Alliance
- Karli Jacqueline Farritor — D in Psychology
Arlington
- Chelsea Nicole Bowers — HD in Exercise Science
Ashland
- Jessica Nicole Klaudt — Summa Cum Laude with HD in Business Administration/Hospitality Management
Aurora
- Trevor Richard Alber — Sports Communication
- Ethan David Bergmann — Computer Science
Ayr
- Hannah Rene Anderson — Elementary Education, Special Education
Beatrice
- Ryan Wells Parthemer — Sociology
Bennington
- John Bartels Hiscock — Magna Cum Laude with HD in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology
Bladen
- Morgan Stromer — HD in Studio Art
Broken Bow
- Travis John Kleeb — D in Physics
Bruning
- Melissa Sue Hinrichs — Physics
Burwell
- Miranda Michele Worden — Exercise Science
Cairo
- Hannah Ann Adams — Cum Laude with HD in Marketing
Central City
- Cassidy R Ostrand — Cum Laude with HD in Biology
Chadron
- Jayden William Stack — Cum Laude with D in Mathematics
Columbus
- Carly Rose Cremers — Summa Cum Laude with HD in Elementary Education/Theatre
- Emily Fay Grant — Biology, and HD in Health Communications
- Parker James Grant — Physics
- Joseph Jahn — Summa Cum Laude with HD in Mathematics/Physics
Daykin
- Blair Nicole Hofstetter — Chemistry
Doniphan
- Nathan Michael Remm — Business Administration
- Reid Scott Schultz — D in Elementary Education
Edgar
- Alyssa Ann Brennfoerder —Elementary Education, Special Education
Fairfield
- Brendan Lee Lipovsky — Sociology
Fairmont
- Jacob Allen Galusha — D in Accounting
Fremont
- Elizabeth Erin Hansen — Summa Cum Laude with HD in English
- Autumn Teff — HD in Studio Art
Friend
- Bryce Richard Eigsti — Cum Laude with D in Wildlife Biology
Glenvil
- Amanda Jo Scott — Psychology, Sociology
Gothenburg
- Riley Ostendorf — Recreation & Sport Management
Grand Island
- Emily Elizabeth Bykerk —Biology
- Alex Dominguez — Music Education
- Emily Renae Herbek — Summa Cum Laude with HD in Communication Studies/Marketing
- MaKenna Rae Supencheck — D in Elementary Education
- Alondra Zapata Gonzalez — HD in Sociology
Greenwood
- Kaelan James Dea — Magna Cum Laude with HD in Marketing
Gretna
- Haleigh Merchelle Cunningham — Cum Laude with HD in Elementary Education/Special Education
- Justin Thomas Hines — Magna Cum Laude with HD in Construction Management
- Grant Kevin Svec —Biology
Hastings
- Jessica Marie Beatty — Human Resource Management
- Nastasha Patrice Boden — HD in Business Administration
- Dakota Samuel Boydston — Studio/Digital Art, Digital Media
- Cadee Ashlyn Brown — Business Administration, Marketing
- Sara Emma Brown — Accounting
- Ricardo Santana Castillo —Sociology
- Jada Daiss — Biochemistry/Molecular Biology
- Courtney Danielle Dittmer — Computer Science
- Shandra Leigh Farmer — Summa Cum Laude with HD in Business Administration/Human Resource Management
- Delaney Rose Feezell — Cum Laude with HD in Studio/Digital Art
- Skyler Joe Good — Business Administration
- Nicholas B Hamburger — Business Administration
- Dacia Marie Hartman — HD in Art Education/Studio/Digital Art
- Heather Dawn Hartman — Religion
- Madison Marie Hittner — D in Elementary Education
- GenAurtury Chandell Jackson — Business Administration
- Riley James Johnson — Business Administration, D in Human Resource Management
- Zachary Steven Kitten — Cum Laude with HD in Business Administration
- Nolan Ryan Kohmetscher — HD in Education
- James Thomas Lapka — History
- Benjamin Thomas LeBar — Cum Laude with HD in Communication Studies
- Paige Marie Lehrling — Cum Laude with HD in Elementary Education/Special Education
- Blaise Alan Lemke — Political Science
- Laura C. Lindholm — Cum Laude with HD in Business Administration
- Abigail Loetterle VanSkiver — HD in Elementary Education
- Ellen Mae Marquardt — Cum Laude with HD in Elementary Education/Special Education
- Brook Ann McCurdy Castellanos — Political Science, Sociology
- Kendall Gene Oberheide — Agri-Business, D in Economics
- Elizabeth Ann Obermiller — HD in Elementary Education/Special Education
- Sophia Elizabeth Pankratz — Cum Laude with D in Biology
- Megan Marie Petr —Business Administration
- Samuel Michael Richard Reimer — Summa Cum Laude with HD in Biology
- Jordan Daniel Richardson — HD in Elementary Education
- Brittany Elizabeth Rutt — Biochemistry
- Collin Larry Schnase — Accounting
- Thomas Fredrick Schnase — Hospitality Management
- Makenzie Rae Sommerfeld — Psychology
- Chantilly Chanel Spady — D in Marketing
- Nathaniel Stolzenburg — Business Administration, Marketing
- Shelby Ana Stone — Elementary Education
- Casey Jordan Sutherland — Magna Cum Laude with HD in Exercise Science/Health Systems
- Shaun Alexander van der Torre — Business Administration, Construction Management
- Garrett Gregory VanSkiver — Accounting
Hemingford
- Taeller Nikole Ansley — D in Elementary Education/Special Education
Hildreth
- Sophie Mae Gruwell — D in Psychology
Inland
- Ashleigh Suzanne Hinrichs — Psychology
Juniata
- Breeanna Carol Fluckey — Magna Cum Laude with D in Biology
- Molly Rae Loetterle — Studio Art
- Marcus James Medcalf — History
- Skyler Michael Molina — Sociology
- Ema Lydia Rose Schutte — Math Education
- Chloe Maureen Swoboda — Health Systems
Kearney
- Joseph Bennett Daake — Psychology
- Jarod Dale Zikmund — Culinary Arts Management, Business Administration
Lexington
- Allen Nazario Castaneda — Criminology
- Trevor Anthony McKeone — Cum Laude with HD in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology
Lincoln
- Logan Paul Cale — Mathematics
- Dylan E Fitzgerald — Mathematics
- Andru Gregory Hansen —Communication Studies
- Sierra Rose Johnson — D in Elementary Education/Special Education
- Shelby G Lee — Psychology
- Case Jerome McNally — Biology
- Brock Hayden Rathman — Biology
- Abby Nicole Riedel — HD in Accounting
- Hogan Scott Shaw — Recreation & Sport Management
Manley
- Daniel Gene Stohlmann — Cum Laude with HD in Agri-Business
McCook
- Josiane Bibi Dominguez — Health Systems
Mullen
- Allyson Mardell Ginkens — Cum Laude with HD in Exercise Science, Recreation & Sport Management
- Gideon Arthur Monette —English, Journalism
Murdock
- Cale Dean Arent — Hospitality Management, Business Administration
North Platte
- Bryce Corwin Byrn — Exercise Science
Omaha
- Kaitlin Lindsey Bierman — Summa Cum Laude with HD in Biology
- Zachary Ryan Fritton — Business Administration
- Gabrielle Rose Grasso — Cum Laude with HD in Human Resource Management and D in Business Administration
- Melissa Faith Loney — Cum Laude with HD in Studio Art
Orleans
- Shelby Elizabeth Dietz — Elementary Education
Papillion
- Lauren Theresa Feden — Cum Laude with HD in Studio Art, and D in Chemistry
- Emelia Margaret Henely — D in Health Systems
- Jacob David Mounce — Political Science, Sociology
- Mariah Marie Seip — Cum Laude with HD in Biology/Psychology
Polk
- Abigail Marie Collingham — Exercise Science
Red Cloud
- Amanda Marie Wulf — HD in Health Systems
Saint Paul
- Makayla Kay Mudloff — Psychology
- Neely Kathryn Tubbs — Biology
Wood River
- Blake Andrew Earnest — Business Administration, Marketing
- Elijah James Hunter — Exercise Science, Recreation & Sport Management
- Bethany Joy Turner — Communication Studies, Marketing
York
- Emma Bell Grenfell — Cum Laude with HD in Health Systems
Nevada
Las Vegas
- Zachary V Johnson — Psychology
Oklahoma
Broken Arrow
- Haylee Brianne White — Marketing
Texas
Houston
- Abdulwahab Marei — Business Administration, Marketing
- Johnny Joseph Thomas —Community Health & Wellness
New Braunfels
- Hagen Dane Tucker — Economics
South Houston
- Erik Tello — Business Administration
Wisconsin
Hewitt
- Jessica Kathryn Trad — Magna Cum Laude with HD in English
Wyoming
Casper
- Trevor Richard Shain Kraft — Computer Science, Mathematics
Cheyenne
- Trenton Michael Eldridge — Exercise Science
- Abby Marie Morillon — Health Systems
Bachelor Degrees – International
Australia
Canberra
- Lauren Mary Raftery — HD in Marketing/Recreation Management
Melbourne
- Alexander John Kay — Recreation Management
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Gracanica
- Samira Selimovic — D in Business Administration
Brazil
Piracicaba, Sao Paulo
- Fernando Morales Lisboa — Exercise Science, HD in Recreation Management
Canada
St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec
- Laurie Potvin — Biology
Colombia
Medellin, Antioquia
- Mateo Cuartas Arcila — Economics, D in Business Administration
Germany
Kaiserslautern
- Megan Waterhouse — D in English
Norway
Stokke, Vestfold
- Jenny Rying Borge — Communication Studies
United Kingdom
Rayleigh, Essex
- Luke James Wakeling — Exercise Science
West Sussex
- Tyrone Leonard Madhani — Business Administration
Master of Arts in Teaching – United States
Arizona
Tempe
- Ryan Michael Christensen-Hinchey — Health and Physical Education
California
Tracy
- Alberto Landeros —Physical Education
Colorado
Aurora
- Michelle Nicole DeCoud — English/Language Arts
Nebraska
Edgar
- Jessica Fay Shipley — History
Grand Island
- Nolan Kawata — Health and Physical Education
Hastings
- Victoria Nicole Bowens — Art Education
- Robert Alan Collins — English/Language Arts
- Mark Gueswell — Business, Marketing and Information Technology; English as Second Language
- Angelo Thomas Martinez — Business, Marketing and Information Technology; English as Second Language
Juniata
- Kervin Trevell Brown — English; English as Second Language
South Carolina
Wellford
- Travis John Agagah — Health and Physical Education
Master of Arts in Teaching – International
United Kingdom
Swindon, Wiltshire
- Daniel Ryan Jelley — Business, Marketing and Information Technology
Hastings College is Nebraska’s premier private college. A four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement, Hastings’ student-centered initiatives include providing books, an iPad and a two-week study away experience at no additional cost. A block-style semester schedule allows professors and students to focus on fewer classes at a time and promotes hands-on experiences. Discover more at hastings.edu.
