Concordia Fall Commencement 2025 - English

2025

CO M M E NC E M E NT

A S E RV I C E O F C O M M E N C E M E N T December 6, 2025

GATHERING Welcome

Dan Gregory, ‘06 Vice President of Finance & Administration

Procession

WORD Invocation

Rev. Dr. Jake Boessling Campus Pastor, Vice President of Faith Identity and Culture

Reading: Joshua 1:6-9

Mr. Casey Fisher Board of Regents

Commencement Address

Dr. Monica Yndo Associate Professor of Psychology

Faculty and Staff Awards

Presented by Dr. KC Pospisil, MBA, ‘12 Vice President of Academics

CELEBRATING Presentation of the Candidates and Conferring of the Degrees

Dr. Kristi Kirk, ‘95 President and Chief Executive Officer

SENDING Words of Gratitude and Encouragement Benediction

Dr. Kristi Kirk President and Chief Executive Officer Rev. Dr. Jake Boessling Campus Pastor, Vice President of Faith Identity and Culture

Recession

We ask that you be courteous to others by turning off all cell phones and electronic devices and refrain from standing in the aisles. While it is appropriate to rejoice at this festive moment, the use of air horns and other disruptive devices is not permitted. Following the service, please remain in your seats until our graduates recess and exit.

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Z I E L K E P R O C E S S I O N A L M AC E The Zielke Processional Mace is a gift of the Lutheran Church in Tanzania. Carved from ebony by the Makonde people of Southeast Tanzania, the mace illustrates Proverbs 4:13, “Always remember what you have learned. Your education is your life—guard it well” (TEV). Carved on the mace are students in various roles of study and worship.

The symbol of the Trinity and the cross in the world are also carved on the mace. Maces have been used as symbols of authority by governmental and educational entities for centuries. At Concordia University Texas, the mace represents the symbol of authority of the faculty to grant degrees. The mace is named after Dr. Donald Zielke who served as University Marshall for 21 years. Concordia Texas celebrates the life of Dr. Donald “Don” Zielke, who passed away in 2021 after more than 50 years of faithful service to Concordia Texas.

ABOU T DR. MONICA Y NDO Commencement speaker

Dr. Monica Yndo is an Associate Professor of Psychology, Department Chair of Psychology, and Co-Chair of the Honors Program at Concordia University Texas. As a first-generation college graduate, she brings a personal understanding of the challenges students face and the transformative impact that mentorship, support, and opportunity can have on their educational journeys. She has been recognized for her student-centered approach that blends academic rigor with meaningful support and connection.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Yndo’s scholarship centers on the dynamics of interpersonal relationships. Dr. Yndo is an active contributor to campus culture and community outreach. She frequently speaks on topics such as healthy relationships, service to others, and the experiences of first-generation students. She also leads global education initiatives that promote cultural awareness and broaden students’ understanding of the world.

She is passionate about mentoring students and helping learners recognize their strengths, pursue opportunities with confidence, and connect their personal stories to meaningful academic and professional paths.

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DEGR EE EXPLANAT IONS

Doc tor of Educat ion Concordia University Texas confers the Doctor of Education upon students who have advanced their practical and theoretical knowledge in the field of education through post-master ’s-level coursework, which includes researching, writing, and defending a doctoral dissertation. Candidates for the Doctor of Education degree wear black academic gowns with purple velvet and academic hoods. Hoods are the same color(s) of the college or university conferring the degree (purple and white). Binding or edgings for the hoods are light blue Education.

Master of Business Administration and Master of Education Concordia University Texas confers master’s degrees upon students who have successfully completed the required credit and have fulfilled all other obligations. Candidates for the Master of Business Administration and Master of Education degrees wear black academic gowns with academic hoods. Hoods are the same color(s) of the college or university conferring the degree (purple and white). The binding or edgings for the hoods reflect the color distinctive of the subject to which the degree pertains.

Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing Concordia University Texas confers the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees upon students who have completed at least 120 semester hours of valid credit and have fulfilled all other obligations. Candidates for the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees wear black gowns.

Acad e mic Honor s Degree-seeking undergraduate students who have earned at least 30 credit hours at Concordia University Texas and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50 are eligible to graduate with honors awarded as follows: summa cum laude 3.900 – 4.000, magna cum laude 3.750 – 3.889, and cum laude 3.500 – 3.749. Latin honor graduates wear purple and white cords with their academic gowns.

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COM M ENC EM EN T NOT E S Tradition of Academic Dress

The history of academic dress dates from at least the 12th century, when long gowns were needed for warmth in the unheated buildings used by medieval scholars. Today, gowns from different institutions vary in color, but most are black, except the associate gown, which is gray. Neither the bachelor’s nor the master’s gown features trim, but doctoral gowns are faced down the front with velvet and hold three horizontal bars of the same fabric across the sleeves. Hoods for master’s and doctoral attire are the same color(s) of the college or university conferring the degree. The binding or edgings for the hoods reflect the color distinctive of the subject to which the degree pertains.

For academic purposes, the color associated with the different academic subject fields are as follows:

Arts, Letters, Humanities White

Nursing Apricot

Commerce, Business Drab

Oratory (Speech) Silvery Gray

Economics Copper

Philosophy Dark Blue

Education Light Blue

Physical Education Sage Green

Fine Arts, incl. Architecture Brown

Public Administration Peacock Blue

Journalism Crimson

Public Health Salmon Pink

Law Purple

Science Science Gold

Library Science Lemon

Social Work Citron

Music Pink

Theology Scarlet

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HONOR SOCIET IES AND ST U DENT ORGANI ZAT IONS Α Χ | Alpha C hi

Alpha Chi - Alpha Chi is a nationally affiliated honor society for juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.50 or greater and who rank in the top 10% of their classes. Members wear blue and green cords with their academic gowns.

Λ Π Η | Lambda P i Eta

Lambda Pi Eta (LPH) is the National Communication Association’s official honor society at four-year colleges and universities. Membership is open to juniors and seniors who have completed at least 12 semester credit hours in communication studies, have a minimum 3.0 overall cumulative GPA, and have a minimum 3.25 GPA for all communication courses.

P L Q | Pi Lambda T heta

Pi Lambda Theta is a nationally affiliated honor society for junior or senior undergraduate, graduate, and certificate/diploma Education students with a GPA of 3.50 or greater. Members wear gold cords with their academic gowns.

Ψ C | Psi C hi

Psi Chi is an international honor society with the purpose to encourage, stimulate, and maintain excellence in scholarship of the individual members in all fields, particularly in psychology, and to advance the science of psychology. To be eligible, students must rank in the upper 35% of their respective classes in general scholarship, earn an overall cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and demonstrate superior scholarship in psychology by earning a GPA of least 3.0 or better in psychology courses. Members of Psi Chi wear platinum and dark blue cords or a platinum sash with their academic gowns.

S B D | Sig ma Beta Delta

Sigma Beta Delta is the highest nationally recognized honor society for junior or senior undergraduate and graduate students of business management and administration. Members must rank in the top 20% of the class and be invited to membership by the faculty officers. Members wear green and gold cords with their academic gowns.

Σ Τ Δ | Sig ma Tau Delta

Sigma Tau Delta is an international academic honor society, with service components in 11 countries and the 50 United States. Members represent all majors as undergraduates and English programs as graduate students.

Undergraduates meet a GPA of 3.0 or greater in English, and graduate students meet a GPA of 3.3 or greater.

Members wear red and black cords or stoles with their academic gowns.

Black St ud e nt U nion K e nte Stole

Graduates who adorn the Black Student Union Kente stole are members of the Concordia University Texas Black Student Union, a student-run organization committed to sharing and celebrating the African Diaspora with the campus community. Kente cloth is a symbol of African heritage, and the wearing of the Kente stole during commencement is in recognition of students as members of the Black Student Union and as graduates of Concordia University Texas.

C hr ist ian Mission D ist inc t ive P in

The Christian Mission Distinctive pin is awarded to those who served on a mission trip during their time at Concordia University Texas.

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HONOR SOCIET IES AND ST U DENT ORGANI ZAT IONS Concordia Vete ran s Cor ps Cords

Graduates who adorn the Concordia Veterans Corps Cords are recognized as student veterans by the student organization, which serves to provide support, advocacy, and community for student veterans on campus. The wearing of the red, white and blue cords during commencement is in recognition of students as military veterans and as graduates of Concordia University Texas.

Fir st – Ge n e rat ion Cords

Graduates who adorn the purple and gold braided cords are First-Generation college students. A First-Generation student is whom identifies as first in their family to attend college.

Tor nado Trailblaze r s P rog ram Cords

Graduates who adorn the lime green cords were members of the Tornado Trailblazers Program in their freshman year at CTX. Students in Trailblazers are committed to developing their identity as scholars and leaders and exploring their unique contributions to the world.

Lat in Am e r ican St ud e nt O r ganizat ion S e rape Stole

Graduates who adorn the serape stole are members of the Concordia University Texas Latin American Student Association, a student-run organization committed to building and sustaining a community of shared heritage and cultural values. The serape is a symbol of the Hispanic heritage, and the purple in the stole represents the Concordia Texas community’s support of our Latin@ graduates.

L ead e r s w ith Impac t Stole

Leaders with Impact is an honor society which recognizes student leaders who serve 20 or more hours for a minimum of two semesters with the Concordia Texas Service-Learning Program. All eligible service must be done at organizations that are formal service partners of the Service-Learning Program. The purpose of the society is to give students who are passionate about service a place to grow, serve, and build community among each other.

St ud e nt Gove r nm e nt & L ead e r s hip A ssoc iat ion Cords

Graduates who adorn the Student Government & Leadership Association Cords are members of the Concordia University Texas Student Government & Leadership Association, the principal student organization on campus that exists to provide a means of effective communication and cooperation between students and the administration, leading to a beneficial exchange of ideas and programs for improving religious, social, and academic life. The wearing of the red and blue cords during commencement is in recognition of students as members of the Student Government & Leadership Association and as graduates of Concordia University Texas.

Honor s Medal

The purple and gold honors medal is worn by students who received awards within their college or school.

S c hool of Minist r y Stole

Graduates who are completing degrees or programs within the School of Ministry wear purple stoles with white lettering.

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CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES Fall 2025

College of Arts & Sciences School of Fine Arts

Dr. Whitney Crowley, Director BACHELOR OF ARTS Rachel Krueger (Music) summa cum laude Carolina Osorio-Aviles (Music)

School of Humanities & Social Sciences Dr. Ann Schwartz, Director

BACHELOR OF ARTS Abraham Aguirre (Criminal Justice & Criminology) Ciro Baeza (Multidisciplinary Studies) Laura Berry (Psychology) Spencer Bone (Multidisciplinary Studies) Maria Carbajal (Psychology) Grace Coleman (Multidisciplinary Studies) Jenna Crawford (Psychology) cum laude Farahnaz Ebadeh Ahwazi (English) Yesenia Garcia (Psychology) magna cum laude Jerome Gomez (Behavioral Sciences) cum laude Princess Jackson (English) Sutton Lee (Multidisciplinary Studies) summa cum laude Chance Miller (Multidisciplinary Studies) Carissa Overgaard (Multidisciplinary Studies)

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Krista Pena (Multidisciplinary Studies) magna cum laude Alejandro Rojas (Psychology) Daysha Tijerina (Criminal Justice & Criminology) Melissa Torres (Psychology) Madeline Velasquez (Psychology) cum laude Tomishia Williams (Criminal Justice & Criminology) Maluk Zakzok (Psychology) summa cum laude

CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES Fall 2025

College of Arts & Sciences School of Ministry

Dr. Grant Carey, Director BACHELOR OF ARTS Ty Broyles (Religious Education)

School of Natural & Applied Sciences Dr. Eric Staron, Director

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE Abdul Bangura (Biology) Veronica Diaz (Biology) Savannah Gomez (Biology) Samuel Kang (Biology) Hannah Loya (Biology) Leonardo Reyes Computer Science

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CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES Fall 2025

College of Business & Communication Professor Angela Clements, Director

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Bailey Andrews Quincy Bland Audrey Daniel Haley Dennett Leah Divin Britney Gonzalez Danielle Hernandez

Stephen Jones Matthew Lancaster Nancy Leon Morales Natalie Marquez Cayla Mars Kenyira Matias Kayla Olivarez

Carmen Sandia

BACHELOR OF ARTS Sebastian Lambright (Communication) summa cum laude Kimberly Rodriguez (Communication) summa cum laude Jessica Soler (Communication) summa cum laude Lisa Thompson (Communication) cum laude

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Monica Albiter Carmen Arredondo Juarez Cristiaan Bieze cum laude Gary Brown Adrien Camacho cum laude Yelitza Castrejon Ava Coffey summa cum laude Karen Cux Garcia cum laude Alessandro Dibenedetto Ariana Escobar cum laude Richard Fernandez summa cum laude

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Eliana Flores Hernandez Valentina Galeano Ruiz Arlen Garcia Caleb Golden Lynae Harrison magna cum laude Carlos Huato Landon Hyle summa cum laude John-Wesley Kelley Derrick Modest magna cum laude Ana Muldez Ayden Ryan

CONCORDI A U NI V ER SIT Y TEX AS COM MENCEMENT

Nicholas Van Rosendale magna cum laude Belkin Vega-Molina Alexandra Vitolo cum laude

CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES Fall 2025

College of Education Dr. Stephanie Hartzell, Director

DOCTOR OF EDUCATION Zainab Al Lawati

Exploring Burnout Among Nursing Students

Tamara Bell

Teacher Perceptions of Culturally Responsive Strategies with Urban Elementary Classrooms

Dianoly Cancel

Asi aprendo yo! Language and Biliteracy in Spanish-Speaking Emergent Bilinguals: A Qualitative Study

Erica Gladney

Secondary Counselors’ Perception of The Prevalence of Cyberbullying on Social Media Platforms and Its Impact on Students

Valerie Haywood

Exploring the Lived Experiences of African American School Campus Staff’s Sense of Belonging

Amelia Johnson

Examining Challenges with Minority First Generation College Students

Richard Laffey

School Choice In Texas During 2025: What Are the Factors and Perspectives of Parents When Selecting a School for Their Child

Regina Locke

Teacher Job Satisfaction and The Expanded Role in a Post-Covid-19 Context

Autumn Powell

Recruitment And Retention Initiatives for Women in Collegiate Esports: A Descriptive-Interpretive Qualitative Research Study

Talitha Reescano-Law

Student Perceptions of Social Emotional Learning and Well-Being: Equality or Equity

Bryan Shippey

Perceptions and Practices Amid the Emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence: A Qualitative Case Study of Faculty and Student Experiences in Humanities Education

Melissa True

Student Engagement in Online Learning Environments

Developing Tools for Educator Mental Health and Well-Being in Texas Public Schools

Narden Khalil

Angenet Wilkerson

Linda Kay

The Perceptions of General Education Teachers Toward Co-Teaching Strategy When Serving Students with Special Needs Students in General Education Classrooms

An Analysis of Outcomes for Military-Connected Students on Postsecondary Readiness Indicators

MASTER OF EDUCATION Brian Baker Victor Rodriguez

BACHELOR OF ARTS Katherine Hawkins (Interdisciplinary Studies) Celida Lopez (Interdisciplinary Studies) cum laude

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CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES Fall 2025

College of Health Sciences Dr. Amber Shammas, Senior Director

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE Bryan Rios (Kinesiology)

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING Yvonne Alvarez Angeles Bautista Bryan Becerra-Garcia Chloe Blankenship April Brinson cum laude Mckylie Calligan John Patrick Cogdell Connor Collison Sukhpal Deol Khushi Dhuka Ezabelle Do Rachael Drake Meosha Drew Isabella Duhamell Diana Esteves cum laude Kelechi Greene Leah Gulley Nick Harrington magna cum laude Halle Henderson Madison Hodges Thomas Houle

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Zarmeen Humayun Tyler Johnson Haley Kennedy magna cum laude Enara Khawaja Julia Lafortune cum laude Laine Langston Rogers Yue Liu Gisselth Lopez magna cum laude Juan Lopez Hannah Louis Elvira Lozoya Erik Mack summa cum laude Gemmarie Maghirang Melanie Marchant summa cum laude Heaven Martinez cum laude Myka Mccraw Emely Molina Miliana Molina Ana Montoya Stephanie Mulcihy summa cum laude Nancy Navarrete

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Amanda Nelson Rylee Oborski Temiloluwa Odukoya Holly Ogden Bukola Oyeniyi cum laude Hannah Penney Nathalie Claire Perez cum laude Raney Phillips cum laude Ruqaiyah Qureshi Bryan Ray Amanda Reyna Olivia Robinson cum laude Isabella Rodriguez Savanna Santos Hailey Thurgood Anh Tran Danielle Wysocki Folasade Yekini Rebekah York summa cum laude

CONCOR DI A U N I V ER SI T Y T EX A S B OA R D O F R E G E N T S Dr. Michelle Abrego Harlingen, TX Dr. Sandra Doering New Braunfels, TX Casey Fisher Austin, TX Dr. Mary Beth Gaertner Magnolia, TX Rev. Lonnie Gonzales Houston, TX Rev. Steve Henze Spring, TX Scott Linebrink Walburg, TX Dr. Dallas Lusk, Houston, TX

David Meade Arlington, TX Dr. Denise Patrick Cedar Park, TX Mike Ratke Farwell, TX Deborah Rich Herczeg San Antonio, TX Sylvia Schmidt La Vernia, Texas Rev. Dr. Stephen Sohns Spring, TX Lance Thompson Houston, TX Betty Voshage Austin, TX

OUR MISSION Concordia University Texas empowers students of all backgrounds to lead lives of critical thought, compassionate action and courageous leadership. As a liberal arts university rooted in the Lutheran tradition and aligned with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Concordia develops the mind, heart, soul, and body, preparing leaders for lives of service.

V ISION We are the premier university where the adventure of faith, learning, and life-changing experiences leads to meaningful work.

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Whether it’s funding student scholarships, academic programming, or campus growth and development, you can have a significant impact on the future of this institution by including Concordia University Texas in your will.

For more information on how you can include Concordia University Texas in your estate plans, contact the Office of Philanthropy at 512-313-5101.

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2025 Welcome to the Alumni Association

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STAY CONNECTED - Stay connected with CTX by updating your contact info at concordia.edu/alumni/stay-connected.

Receive invitations to special events, keep in touch with friends and build new connections within a network spanning nearly 100 years of alumni.

SHARE YOUR EXCITEMENT - Use #CTXGrad to share your commencement memories.

alumni@concordia.edu | 512.313.5101

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W I TH G O D W E SH A LL D O VA LI A N TLY. PSALM 60:12