Spring 2025 Commencement

In front of a capacity crowd in Puckett Fieldhouse on May 10, more than 300 Central Methodist University graduates crossed the stage at the 2025 spring commencement. Students from the Fayette campus and online were celebrated after earning their master’s, bachelor’s, and associate’s degrees through years of dedication and hard work.

This year’s commencement address was given by board of trustees secretary and 1969 graduate Laurence R. Tucker. A past winner of the CMU Distinguished Alumni Award, Tucker serves as senior counsel to the law firm of Armstrong Teasdale LLP and works from the firm’s Kansas City, Mo. office. He has practiced law primarily in the field of civil rights litigation in Kansas City for more than 45 years in three different firms. He was an equity partner at Armstrong Teasdale from the time he joined in 1996 until 2016, when he retired from full-time practice and moved to working on specific projects as senior counsel.

Tucker has also acted as the chancellor for the Missouri Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church from 2006 to 2019. In the role of chancellor, he was the legal advisor to the Bishop and the Conference itself. He also served on the Missouri Bar’s Young Lawyer Section, acting as the section’s chair, and was on the Missouri Bar’s Board of Governors. He is a past president of the Missouri Bar, having served in the role from 1995 to 1996.

Following the commencement address and conferring of degrees, three graduating seniors were recognized as this year’s achievement award winners. Based on nominations by the CMU faculty and students, Brad Dixon ’07, vice present for student life, handed out the top three awards to Casey Brooks, Amanda Mantel, and Sofia Burks.

Brooks was named this year’s Victoria Award winner. Given annually to a graduating student, the Victoria Award recognizes someone who, in the opinion of the faculty and fellow students, has best demonstrated dedication and the principles of Central Methodist University.

Brooks graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in music education. The Ken and Nancy Seward Band Fellow, she has demonstrated outstanding service and leadership as a member of the band program since arriving on campus.

This year’s Human Relations Award was given to Amanda Mantel, who was determined to be the student showing the most promise in human relations and human adjustment. The award is given annually to the student who sets an example of leadership and excellence and develops an ability to work well with others.

Mantel graduated summa cum laude with honors in the major, completing her honors thesis for marine biology with a project titled “Utilizing Known Shark Species to Test the Precision of Environmental DNA (eDNA).”

She was a member of the women’s soccer team and president of the Environmental Science Club and was involved in several other campus organizations as a student.

The most prestigious award – the Selecman Award – was given this year to Sofia Burks. Established in 1957 by former Central student Bishop Charles Selecman, the award is presented to the student who has displayed the following characteristics to an extraordinary degree: good citizenship on campus, scholarship, religious leadership, moral and spiritual qualities, and outstanding achievement.

Burks graduated summa cum laude, earning a Bachelor of Science with a healthcare administration major and a minor in pre-law/political science. A well-rounded student with leadership roles in her sorority, the chapel band, the Center for Faith and Service, and the Student Government Association, her dedication to student engagement and service was always evident. Central was proud to celebrate these and all its graduates at commencement and will value them as its new alumni.

Commencment speaker Laurence R. Tucker