Commencement
May2,2026•2pm
keep rising Commencement atBethanyCollege
This year’s Commencement theme, “Keep Rising,” reflects the spirit of a class that completed their degrees during a pivotal time for both the College and the wider world These graduates have learned not only through coursework, but also through moments of transition, renewal, and resilience. Their experiences remind us that perseverance the ability to adapt, imagine, and continue building forward is a form of creativity As they leave Bethany, they carry with them the understanding that learning, like hope and faith, is a lifelong journey best pursued in community.
Arts, Letters, Humanities
• White
Business, Accounting
• Olive Green
Economics
• Copper
AcademicHeraldry
Thecaps,gowns,andhoodsworninthecommencementexercisesarepatternedafterthe academicregaliacommoninmedievalEuropeanuniversitieswherebothstudentsand facultywererequiredtoweargownsatalltimes Today,thesegownsrepresentan adaptationofthecapeormantlewornbychurchofficialsinreligiousprocessions In1896, collegesanduniversitiesintheUnitedStatesadoptedauniformcodegoverningacademic dress
Thetraditionalcolorforacademicgownsisblack However,facultywithadoctorate degreemayweargownsoftheprimarycoloroftheinstitutionwhichawardedthedegree.
Education
• Light Blue
Engineering
• Orange Fine Arts
Journalism
Library Science
• Brown
• Crimson
Law
• Purple
• Lemon Yellow
Medicine
• Green
Music
Philosophy
Physical Education
Science
• Pink
• Dark Blue
• Sage Green
• Golden Yellow
Speech
• Silver Gray
Theology
• Scarlet Red
Thebachelor’sdegreegownisdistinguishedbyalong,pleatedfrontandlong,pointed sleeves Itiswornclosed
Themaster’sdegreegownissimilarbuthassquaresleeves,slitattheelbow.
Thedoctor’sgownfeaturesbroadvelvetpanelsdownthefrontandflowingsleeveseach withthreebarsofvelvet Thevelvettrimmingmaybeeitherblackorthedistinctivecolor ofthefieldoflearningrepresentedbythedegree.Master’sanddoctoralgownsmaybe worneitheropenorclosed.
Capswornmayvarywiththeuniversityandindividualchoice TheblackOxfordcap,or mortarboard,isthetraditionalheadgear AlsowornarethesoftberetstyleandFlorentine style.Thetasselsofthecapsarewornontheleftsidebythosewhopossessabachelor’s degree
Thedistinctivehoodsvaryinsizeaccordingtothelevelofdegreeheld Colorsoftheinner silkindicatetheinstitutionfromwhichthewearerreceivedthedegree.Theoutervelvet borderistrimmedinacolorindicatingthefieldoflearning.
Topreventcongestionandtoallowfacultymemberstoformtheaisleofhonor, pleaseremainseateduntilthegraduatesandacademicprocessionhaveleftthe auditorium.
Incaseofemergency,pleasefollowverbalinstructionsgivenonstage.
Guestsintheupperlevelshouldexitusingthetwostairwellsoneachofthewestand eastsides
Prelude
Dr. Tyler Boehmer, Assistant Professor of Music and College Organist
Processional
Dr Tyler Boehmer
Please stand in body or spirit
Invocation
WelcomeandIntroductions
SeniorRemarks
SpecialDegreeConferral
CommencementAddress
Festival Prelude
Dudley Buck
Festal March
Scotson Clark
The Rev. Melissa Woeppel, Class of 2015 Campus Pastor
Dr. Laura Crawley President
Kamryn Lydens, Class of 2026 and Chloe Percy, Class of 2026 Recipients of the Spencer Bartlett Senior Respect Award
Dr. Laura Crawley
Dr. Benjamin R. Teitelbaum, Class of 2007
Dr.BenjaminR.Teitelbaum,'07,isAssociateProfessorofEthnomusicologyand InternationalAffairsandformerHeadofNordicStudiesattheUniversityof ColoradoBoulder.HeearnedadoctoratefromBrownUniversityandaBachelorof MusicdegreeinnyckelharpaperformancefromBethanyCollege InadditiontoCU Boulder,hehasalsobeenavisitingscholarattheUniversityofKarlstadinSweden andtheUniversityofCampinasinBrazil.
Teitelbaumresearchesandwritesaboutarangeoftopics,includingpolitics, ideology,aesthetics,music,andfolklore Heisauthorofthreebooks,includingthe internationalbestseller"WarforEternity"andhisforthcoming"Limitless:Silicon ValleyandtheEndoftheWorld."HisessayshaveappearedintheNewYorkTimes, theWallStreetJournal,theNewStatesman,theNation,andtheAtlantic.
PresentationofCandidatesforDegrees
Masters of Business Administration
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Music Education
ConferralofDegrees
Dr. Tash Smith
Academic Dean
Dr LauraCrawley
LarryVanDerWege,Classof1994 Chair,BoardofDirectors
Dr.MarkBandré
RegistrarandDirectorofInstitutionalResearchandAcademicInnovation
InductionofAlumni
Please stand for the Alma Mater song Remain standing for the Benediction, and until the stage party, faculty, and students have exited the Hall
The Rev. Melissa Woeppel
Olivia Peterson, Class of 2013 Chair, Alumni Council
BethanyCollegeGraduates 2025-2026
JustinClatterbuck MastersofBusinessAdministration Gilbert,AZ
WilliamDominguez MastersofBusinessAdministration FairOaks,CA
JuanRobertoGuerra MastersofBusinessAdministration Laredo,TX
KhyreeNateilMarshall MastersofBusinessAdministration Pittsburgh,PA
MadisonG.Repp MastersofBusinessAdministration Lindsborg,KS
JordanGraceRussell MastersofBusinessAdministration Courtland,KS
MichelleNicoleAcevedoOrtiz ExerciseScience:SportsMedicine Coamo,PR
EmilyActon Biology Cimarron,KS
KaleeMarieAguilar ExerciseScience:Coaching Mathis,TX
RileyAhlstedt ArtTeachingPreK-12 Lindsborg,KS
JacobAnderson ExerciseScience:SportsMedicine WestJordan,UT
AustinM.Arrocha Management Shawnee,KS
JanaeBlack-Harmon Biology ElReno,OK
AshlynnBolieu Psychology,CriminalJustice MontBelvieu,TX
WilliamBrantBriggs SportsManagementBusiness Administration Burleson,TX
LaineyRianBrown Biology Salina,KS
MariahBuck 3DComputerAnimation Hutchinson,KS
JulianCarpenter CriminalJustice Phoenix,AZ
AnaSofiaCastilloPaz Economics SantanderdeQuilichao,Columbia
AaronCordon EnglishTeaching6-12 RockIsland,IL
ConnorGabrielCrayton Mathematics Mansfield,TX
AlexanderCuevasVasquez SportsManagement,Management SantoDomingo,KS
SergioDeLaTorre ExerciseScience:ExercisePhysiology Payson,AZ
DanielDeGeorge ExerciseScience:SportsMedicine Lancaster,CA
KayleeDixon HealthPhysicalEducation TeachingPreK-12 Princeton,TX
AbigailDow CriminalJustice Neoga,IL
FabianDumeyVera ExerciseScience:Coaching Utuado,PR
TrapperL.Ensor Finance Bruceville-Eddy,TX
ElijahZeRohnEvans Psychology JunctionCity,KS
WyattHarleyKingsolver-Farmer VideoGameDesign, 3DComputerAnimation Assaria,KS
DavidRaulFerreiraIII CriminalJustice SanRamon,CA
LianaAmaraFlores Biology Menifee,CA
TalanRobertGary BusinessAdministration,Finance Salina,KS
AshtonGatica Psychology Princeton,TX
CalvinGeansJr. ExerciseScience:Coaching SaintLouis,MO
AubreyRhyseGivens Psychology Salina,KS
ChristianGonzalez CriminalJustice Tampa,FL
AbdielGonzalezOlazagasti CriminalJustice Carolina,PR
JaelynEmilyGrim ElementaryEducationPreK-6 GardenCity,KS
EliDouglasGruenbacher Biology Quinter,KS
NicolásGutiĂ©rrezMartĂnez ExerciseScience:Coaching Santiago,Chile
JosiahTadashiHardrick ExerciseScience:Coaching OklahomaCity,OK
MadsHasenschwandtner InternationalManagement, Marketing,SportsManagement Elsinore,Denmark
DennisG.Hoehn History/PoliticalScience Bulverde,TX
ArianaHurley CriminalJustice Richmond,TX
KevinJackson
ExerciseScience:Coaching Dallas,TX
MadisonJeter Biology Tucson,AZ
EmeliaJones Psychology McPherson,KS
JamesJones Management Ocean,NJ
ElijahC Juanico Accounting Albuquerque,NM
MadisonChaseKelley Biology Ellsworth,KS
StephenKent Finance Seguin,TX
JamesD.Lee Religion:HistoryandTheology, Psychology Larned,KS
MyronT.Lewis Psychology KansasCity,MO
AngelLopez CriminalJustice GrandRapids,MI
KamrynShayLydens Biology Coweta,OK
JanLouisMaldonadoCruz CriminalJustice JuanaDĂaz,PR
TrentonAllenMarshall HealthPhysicalEducation TeachingPreK-12 Salina,KS
KobeMartin Communication&Theatre Temple,TX
ValeriaMartinez Biology Salina,KS
JusticeKelisMartinson SocialScienceTeaching Salina,KS
CrissReeseMcGuire Management,Marketing Claflin,KS
StevenMcQueen Management,SportsManagement Kingston,Jamaica
RyanMeckel VideoGameDesign, 3DComputerAnimation Augusta,KS
AubreyD.Meier ElementaryEducationPreK-6 Dennis,KS
ElijahMelvin SportsManagement Dayton,TX
LucaMariaMistereck BusinessAdministration Norderstedt,Germany
JacksonKentMontei-Wallace History/PoliticalScience Pratt,KS
CarlosMontelongo Accounting FortWorth,TX
Karl-HeinzMorrow Biology McKinney,TX
GannonRyanMosher ElementaryEducationPreK-6 Chapman,KS
ZekeMumford ExerciseScience:SportsMedicine Adelaide,Australia
MarleyJ.Munz CriminalJustice,Psychology Kingman,KS
AlysonElizabethNewell Psychology Salina,KS
AveryE.Newmiller CriminalJustice Littleton,CO
DonovanNewton ExerciseScience:Coaching Shreveport,LA
IsaiahI.Nichols Finance Gypsum,KS
ZacharyDavidJamesNordgren BusinessAdministration, Management Fontana,KS
MackenzieJohannaNutter Biology Salina,KS
RobertW.Nyquist Biology Lindsborg,KS
MichaelIanO'Connor History/PoliticalScience Milwaukee,WI
MarianaOlivas VideoGameDesign,3DComputer Animation Lindsborg,KS
DanairisOrtizReyes ExerciseScience:SportsMedicine Caguas,PR
WilliamParsons ExerciseScience:SportsMedicine Bradenton,FL
ChloePercy Biology WichitaFalls,TX
XavierCollinPeters SportsManagement Miami,FL
SorenKiPeterson Accounting Firestone,CO
DerekPrensa SportsManagement Bronx,NY
ClarissaRamirez ExerciseScience:Coaching Tomball,TX
JackRhys-Jones ExerciseScience:Coaching Bristol,England
Graduates receive Bachelor of Arts degrees unless noted as B M E for Bachelor of Music Education or B M for Bachelor of Music
LaShareaRichardson CriminalJustice Olathe,KS
WilfridoAlejandroRico BusinessAdministration,Economics Heredia,KS
EllyRodden EnglishTeaching6-12 Salina,KS
CarlosM.RodriguezRivas Finance,SportsManagement Maracay,Venezuela
AlejandroRosadoJr. Accounting,Finance,Management RichmondHill,GA
EsmeraldaCortezRuiz Biology Sonora,Mexico
MakennaLaNereRussom ExerciseScience: ExercisePhysiology Phillipsburg,KS
JysellSampedro CriminalJustice Houston,TX
WilliamRafaelSanchez Management Stamford,CT
DavidEldonGeneSawyer 3DComputerAnimation Goessel,KS
AraceliNicolSegura StudioArt:GraphicDesignFocus Salina,KS
AlekJaySeibel-Tipsword VideoGameDesign ClayCenter,KS
EmmalineSenecaut ExerciseScience: SportsMedicine Girard,KS
TrustMembers
TadDoering'81,TrustChair TrophyClub,TX
EricLynn OverlandPark,KS
JarrettLynnShives Biology Hoisington,KS
RyanSmith CriminalJustice LongBeach,CA
DevinEarlSoto-Harris SportsManagement FortWorth,TX
DevinSpencer SportsManagement Chicago,IL
TaKoyaKa'ReaseStallings ExerciseScience:Coaching Sunnyvale,TX
JordynLynnStelzig ExerciseScience:Coaching SanAntonio,TX
TreytonDeanSutton History/PoliticalScience Assaria,KS
LukeJ.Tate ExerciseScience:Coaching Sunderland,England
AbigailTaylor Psychology Nowata,OK
TristonJeromeVandeVelde CriminalJustice,Finance Topeka,KS
CoyceCooperWalker CriminalJustice Lavon,TX
MatthewGrahamWeiss SocialScienceTeaching Salina,KS
AaronG.Whitaker VideoGameDesign McPherson,KS
JonahWood ExerciseScience:Coaching Tallahassee,FL
JamesMartin'68 KansasCity,MO
ScottSimmelink'82 Elkhorn,NE
BethanyCollege BoardofDirectors
ExecutiveOfficers
LarryVanDerWege'94 Chair,Lindsborg,KS
ShaneReif'09 ViceChair,Chicago,IL
Dr.MarieFriedemann Denver,CO
AndrewHabiger Jenks,OK Members
BeckyAnderson'69 Lindsborg,KS
RoyApplequist Salina,KS
JodyBaker'84 KansasCity,MO
Dr.SteveEckman York,NE
CarolGusenius'73 Lindsborg,KS
DerekLee Lindsborg,KS
Dr.NickOkeson'91 Clearwater,FL
KimberlyStreitVogelsberg'08 Topeka,KS
BishopDr.MeghanJohnstonAelabouni Denver,CO
BishopBeccaMeddeke-Conlin Tulsa,OK
BishopDr.DonnaSimon KansasCity,MO
ReverendLamontWells Philadelphia,PA CollegeRepresentatives
Prof.AndreaRing,Faculty Lindsborg,KS
RyanSwartz'00 Omaha,NE
MakennaRussom,Student Phillipsburg,KS
BrittanyTorres,Staff Lindsborg,KS
SpencerBartlett SeniorRespectAward
TheSeniorRespectAwardrecognizestwograduatingstudentswhorepresentthebestofBethanyCollege.Nominated byfacultyandstaff,therecipientsareheldinhighestesteemthroughoutthecampuscommunity
Thisawardisgiventostudentswhobestexemplifythefollowingqualities:integrity,hospitality,mutualrespect,care forthecampuscommunity,responsibleleadership,andengagementinspiritualdevelopment Thestudentsmusthave demonstratedacommitmenttointellectual,personal,andspiritualgrowthduringtheirtimeatBethanyasreflectedin theirgradesandcampusleadership
KamrynLydens,Classof2026
DuringhertimeatBethany,Kamrynhasbeenacuriousandengagedstudentwholeadswith genuinewarmthandopenness.Herhumorandcompassionhaverippledthroughcampusas she'ssupportedresidentsasanRA,assistedstudentsinthelibrary,performedwiththeband, andfoundedScriptoria,Bethany'screativewritingclub.
KamrynisaBiologymajorfromCoweta,Oklahoma
ChloePercy,Classof2026
Percyhasbeenashiningexampleofresilienceandheart,embodyinganinfectiousSwede Spiritthathasliftedeveryonearoundher.Shehasledwithresponsibility,initiative,and concernforthecommongoodthroughherinvolvementinSABandSGA,herdedicationasan RA,herserviceasPresidentoftheBlackAssociationofStudentScholars,andhergritasa memberofthebasketballteam
PercyisaBiologymajorwithaPsychologyminorfromWichitaFalls,Texas
BethanyCollegeFaculty
LedbyFacultyMarshalsDr.RachelFinnellandProf.AngelaMartin
President
Dr.LauraCrawley
AcademicDean
Dr.TashSmith
Professors
Dr.PariFord
Dr.LoranelleLockyear
Dr DanielMasterson
Dr MarkMcDonald
Dr.GretchenNorland
AssociateProfessors
Dr.SherylBeers-Kasper
Dr.MarkDenniston
Dr.AlanEnglish
Prof DallasFenn
Dr FrankGersich
Prof AngelaMartin
Dr.HeatherMorris
Dr.CuongNgo
Prof BrianPowers
Prof RandéRepp
Prof.AndreaRing
Prof.DonRobson
Prof.LauraJackson-Stenlund
Dr.ChristiWicks
AssistantProfessors
Dr.JanelleAdams
Prof.JamesBaker
Prof LindaBall
Dr TylerBoehmer
Dr CalebBraun
Dr.MeganCase
Prof.DeniseCarson
Dr.ChienynChi
Dr ShaunDay
Dr RachelFinnell
Dr DanielleLoder
Prof.LeslieMangrum
Dr.RanaRazek
Dr TroyRobertson
Prof EmilyRude
Dr.AudreySaxton
Prof.KurtSiklar
Dr.GayaniWijegunawardena
FacultyEmeriti
Dr.EugeneBales
Prof.RobertCarlson
Prof.MargareteDorsch
Dr MarcusHensel
Dr DavidHigbee
Dr EugeneHoldsworth
Dr.MarlysueHolmquist
Dr.BruceKahler
Prof.AMaryKay
Prof GailKonzem
Dr MarkKozubowski
Prof GregLegault
Dr.LindaLewis
Prof Barbara Mohler-Spear
Dr John Mullen
Dr. Joyce Pigge
Prof. Frank Shaw
Dr. Kristen Van Tassel
Prof. Bruce Texley
