COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
Class of 2025
CEREMONY
The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss Friday, May 9, 2025 12:00 p.m.
MUSICAL PRELUDE
STATEMENT OF WELCOME
Dean Dr. Andrea Hickerson
NATIONAL ANTHEM Celeste Lay
CHARGE TO THE GRADUATES
Dean Dr. Andrea Hickerson AND CONFERRING OF DEGREES
MASTER OF ARTS IN JOURNALISM
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INTEGRATED
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
BACHELOR OF ARTS IN JOURNALISM
Dean Dr. Andrea Hickerson
Associate Dean Dr. Marquita Smith
Associate Dean Mr. Larz Roberts
Associate Dean Dr. Marquita Smith
Associate Dean Mr. Larz Roberts
Dr. Bill Cassidy
Mr. Larz Roberts
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INTEGRATED Dr. Brian Smith
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Dr. Rashad Mammadov
Mr. Larz Roberts
ALMA MATER Celeste Lay
Please allow graduates and platform party to exit first.
Banner Bearer - Jane Eleanor Thomas (Journalism)
Class Marshall - Claire Kenney (IMC)
Graduation Committee: Dr. Kareem Russell, Assistant Dean of Student Services
Samantha Ard-Dismuke, Assistant to the Dean
Master of Arts: Journalism
May 2025
Kayla Foster
Cordon Phillips
Loral Winn
Master of Science: Integrated Marketing Communications
December 2024
Joshua Taylor McCoy
Que’Anna Riley
May 2025
Ann Katherine Adams
Eatzaz Alwanees
Kinfemichael Shigutie Anshiso
Elisabeth Ann Buell
Jacqueline Cole
Suzanne Herren Crell
Mary Madeline Crowe
Emma Grace DeSantis
Naima Ferdous
Emily Paige Green
Kelsey Haltom
Anna Grace Hand
Martha Caroline Helms
Cynahmon Lee
Hannah Maude Lusk
Daniel Sage McNamara
Ava Medley
Carla Nicole Merlo Salinas
Maggie Miller
Hannah Owens
Eliza Peters
Mary Popejoy
Sandip Rai
Leslie Jaydan Ray
Tristen Ruesch
Margaret Anne Segar
Kathryn Slaughter
Jacob Smith
Jon Staley
Bachelor of Arts: Journalism
December 2024
Jake Patrick Daley *
James Aaron Dorman *
Taylor Brittain Wagner
David Ezekiel Yarbrough *
May 2025
Lars Isaac Andersen
Hannah Eve’lyn Baker
Olivia Mae Beldyk
Anna Grace Bowling *
David Joest Clements ***
Christian Jamir Cole
Audrey Anne Cooper
Sarah Caroline Cory *
Phoebe Grace Cramer
Hallie Jane Davis
Jacob Townsend Duncan **
Walker Klein Elliott
Mary Carolyn Evans
Erin Margaret Foley **
Cameron James Geranios
Mary Emma Greene **
Lauren Vishunue Hite
Keturah La’Shae Standberry
Gabriella Steiert
Emily Sutermeister
Marisa Taylor
Emma Trainor
Virginia White
Sophia Williams
Daly Williams
August 2025
Sarah Belk
Kennady Hertz
Darby Savannah Moffatt
Abby O’Keefe
Cajinique Ollie
Mary Kathleen Hogan
Lauren Kate Holbrook
Campbell Whitworth Holmes
Christina Marie Hutyra
Teddy Evans King
Dylan Allen Lalk
Layton Kathryn Lawhead *
Celeste Isabella Lay
Isabella Lee McCormick
Joley Elizabeth McDaniel
Kylia Simone McKoy
Ashley Monique Mejia
Lauren Elizabeth Montgomery
Mattie Grace Morris
Emily Rolin O’Reilly *
Seth Parenteau
Tiara Ayanna Parkins
Sahara Carmel Portlance
William Walter Preibisch
Paleif Basia Raspberry
Taylor DeAnne Rayer
Justice Colbert Rose *
Katherine Jillian Russell
McKenna Avery Silver
Eleanor Jane Simmons *
Ian Christian Sparks
Stacey Spiehler
Chrishona Chanel Stanfield *
Emily Janine Sturino
Jane Eleanor Thomas ***
Devante Toles
Connor Daniel Upton
Cody McArthur Vaughn
Kyle Ryan Wakefield
Kameron Christopher Wicker
David Kelley Wilkes
Isabella Sloane Wood
August 2025
Julius Earl Green
Abigail Karie Haas
Kayveon Da’Andre Newsom
Madelyne Grace Pruitt **
Riley Rose Reid
John Webster Watkins
Bachelor of Science: Integrated Marketing Communications
December 2024
Noah Brooks Ansley
Camille Elise Bardon
Dylan Kailee Bullock
Riley Elizabeth Coen
Jamerial Jozette Coy
Walter Florian Dennis
Sophia Anne Depasquale
Isabella Valerie Doro
Mallory Grace Edgin
Olivia Hollis Hewes **
Tyler Day Leik
Marianna Annette McCourt
Hayden Ann McGregor ***
Mackenzie Grace McNease
Sara Grace Moore
Olivia Kate Proctor *
Russell Joseph Reid
Samantha Hope Slark
Margaret Murchison Sprunt
Kaleigh Abigail Stuart
Brynley Tatum Thomas *
Joseph Patrick VanLuven
Rhegan Dayle Vanhoozer *
May 2025
Mary Hunter Adair *
Halle Brooke Adams
Chequoia Adderley
Audrey Laina Andrews
Ansley Elise Babaz
Layne Stafford Bailey
Lindsey Reamon Bailey
Anna Katherine Baker
Grace Elizabeth Baldwin *
Kaylea Dru Barr
Hailey Addison Beard
Baelin Paul Nogi Behringer
Cameron Reed Bell
Chloe Alexis Elizabeth Benham
Brianna Antonia Berry
Kathryn Grace Berry
Shea Bessette *
Ashley Elizabeth Binney
Ashlyn Black
Caton McNeel Blackburn *
Benjamin Gregory Blanken
Marie Blasi
Olivia Andrew Blonsky
Brooke Catherine Bohlke *
Sean Candido Boney
Alyssa Renee Booth
Parker McKenzie Bounds
Gracie Caroline Bourn
Florence Isabella Bowman *
Beatrice Claire Branscome
Caroline Kate Bridges
Kylie Grace Britton *
Brenna Mae Brooks
Taylor Paige Browning *
Abigail Taylor Buchanan **
Theresa Gail Burke
Linzi Ann Burks *
Jaden Anne Burt
Rachel Mason Caldwell
Shaundrea Marquisha Carroll **
Lucia Page Coerver
Emilee Louise Collins
Isabel Eva Collop
Riley Jane Comden
Olivia Conelias
Anna Grace Coomer
Marissa Diane Cooper *
Alyssa Nicole Cortez
Haley Morgan Cote ***
Ainsley Elizabeth Counce
Alexa Keche Counsel
Mary Collins Cross
Mitchelle La’diamond Crouther
Pier Mackenah Cummings
Jenna N Cupo
Riley Belle Daniel *
Darrell Clayton Daniels
Georgia Katherine Daniels
Rana Paige Davis
Olivia DeBoest
Natalie Grace Decker
Isabella Vasari Della Maggiore
Kathryn Dilbeck
Alaina Grace Donovan
Sophie Reed Droke **
Madalyn Courtney Dudley **
Sloan Francis Dugger
Lauren Elliott Duncan
Renee Leigh Dye
Jaclyn Faith Easterly
Christina Eggert
Dunia Nabil Eidhah
Lauren Elise Eldred
Clara Ford Elkins **
Olivia Anahid Emerzian
Mary Catherine Emms
Emma Evans
Ellie Austin Ferrell ***
Megan Lynae Ferris
Olivia Marie Finch
Dabney Reeves Flynt **
Erin Margaret Foley **
Carley Lynn Fowler
Ahren David Frey *
Nicole Kathleen Gallo
Emma Gazzo
Lily Gilbert
Lillian Love Gober
Cassidy Cecilia Gordon
Madeline Cheryl Gower ***
Lily Green *
Mary Addison Gregory *
Elizabeth Batey Griffith
Alexis Paige Grubbs *
Antwon Londell Guyton
Clayton Douglas Hale
Gracelynn Anne Halsey
Alexandria Kay Hamilton
Anna Lea Hankins *
Sean Patrick Hannigan
Madison Taylor Harness
Monlicshea Mahnshea Harper
Elliette Anne Harris
Sarah Christine Hartman
Grace Helen Hastings *
Claire Marie Healy
Lauren Mackay Hebert
Lucia Lamar Heiskell
Samantha Ann Hendrix *
Chase Riley Herring
Margaret Jane Herrington *
Ginger Grace Hester
Eleanor Leah Hexamer
Laci Elizabeth Hitchcock
Sydney Paige Hollis *
Cole Orion Holstein
Charles Curran Hoover
Madeline Sky Hopkins
Christopher Kyle Hoppock
Jane Anding Hopson
Hannah Claire Hungate *
Lauren Elizabeth Hussey
Hannah Catherine Ielfield
Lindsey Grace Ingram **
Maggie Ivy
Kailey Morgan Jackson *
Triton Bo Jaggers
Lily Elizabeth James
Caleb Jeremiah Jenkins
Abigail Elizabeth Johnson **
Gretchen Astrid Taylor **
Emma Lacy Terry
John David Thackston
Jan’Nise Thomas
Richard Mueller Thomas
Bradley Joseph Thompson
Hudson Ray Thompson
Payton Marie Thornton
Brooklyn Noelle Tingle *
Rylee Anne Trosclair
Mary Bradley Tullos
Abigail Christina Turner
Alenys Urbina
Abigail Ivy Urbinek
Sadler Elizabeth Vachon
Kendall Marie Van Daele
Eloise Mae VanEekeren
Isabella Shea Vitali
Edmund Law Waddill
Jaleah Walker **
Charlotte Edith Walsh
Colin Walsh **
Olivia Elizabeth Walsh
Ellen Elizabeth Ward *
Mary Ware
Mollie Mitchell Warrington **
Annalise O’Neal Washburne **
Erin Ruth Waters *
Hope Olivia Weathersby *
Jade Alizabeth Weaver
Dillan Alexandra Webb
Jakota Darnell White
Kyion Oshea White
Kendall Williamson
Brigham Ethan Wilson *
Frances Henican Wilson
Margaret Casey Wilson
Alexandria Stice Withrow
Margaret Anne Woolf
Charles Evan Zediker **
Robert Thomas Zegras
Meredith Riley Zornes
August 2025
Miles Welker Baker
Sydney M Borries
Robert Jackson Bundick
Mary Ellis Burt *
Elele Grace Cordell
Ashby Everton Deep
Nicole Escobar Erazo
Mia Elizabeth Farris
Brady O’Neal Favre
McKenzie Channing Fisher
Lucy Colleen Ford *
Abrianna Nicole Grossman
Caroline Lee Hankins
Matthew Haverty
Samuel Spencer Hearin
Lauren Anneka Hilton
Molly Grace Hunter
Latasha Renee Jackson
Mya Johnson
Madison Rene Christine Kirksey
Layne Lilly
Graham Kent MacLeod
Ella Marie Matlock
Macy Elizabeth Matthews
Aries Ivory Middlebrooks
Julia Marie Noya
Kellan Patrick O’Donnell
Trammell Draper Odom *
Jesse Buglisi Palacios
Virginia Theresa Perret
Maria Del Carmen Ramirez
Ann Worth Saunders
Maison Olivia Smith
Micah Brianna Smith
Velmanté Kazir Smith
Sophia Rae Sobich
Brooke Ruth Stewart
Edmund Law Waddill
Anna Williams
Khyndal Omari Wilson
Brian Landon Winkler
Ivey Brooke Young
Faculty & Staff
PROFESSORS
Dr. Graham Bodie
Dr. Bill Cassidy
Dr. Andrea Hickerson
Dr. Rashad Mammadov
Dr. Brian Smith
Dr. Debora Wenger
ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS
Dr. Zenebe Beyene
Dr. Jason Cain
Dr. Mark K. Dolan
Michael Fagans
Vanessa Gregory
Cynthia Joyce
Dr. Robert Magee
Charles D. Mitchell, J.D.
Darren Sanefski
Dr. Marquita Smith
Dr. Alysia Steele
Dr. Kristen A. Swain
ASSISTANT PROFESSORS
Dr. Amanda Sams
Vanessa Charlot
Dr. Chang-Won Choi
Dr. Iveta Imre
Dr. Britt Moon
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS
John A. Baker
Evangeline Ivy
Administration
Dr. Andrea Hickerson, Dean, Professor
Dr. R.J. Morgan
Emily Bowen-Moore
Patricia Overstreet-Miller
Chris Sparks
Bobby D. Steele, Jr.
Michael Tonos
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT PROFESSORS
Dr. Ike Brunner
Brad Conaway
Dr. Summer Hill-Vinson
VISITING FACULTY
Itzhak Mashiah
Dr. Staci Smith
SUPPORT FACULTY
Loidha Castillo Bautista
Brady Bramlett
Brittanee Brown
Peter Cleary
Bill Day
James Dowd
Laura Donnelly
Roy Frostenson
Micah Ginn
Stefanie Goodwiller
Natasha Gray
Deborah Hall
Claire Hick
Amy Honeycutt
Dennis Irwin
Timothy Ivy
Dr. Marquita Smith, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, Associate Professor
Dr. Kareem Russell, Assistant Dean for Student Services
Dr. Bill Cassidy, Chair and Professor of Journalism
Dr. Rashad Mammadov, Chair and Professor of Media and Communication
Dr. Brian Smith, Chair and Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications
Staff
Larz Roberts, Director of Student Media
Samantha Dismuke, Assistant to the Dean
Cindy DeFelice, Business Manager
Catherine Robinson, Accountant
MacKenzie Ross, Communications Specialist
Kendrick Armstrong, Academic Counselor
James Dowd, Academic Counselor
Casandra Jenkins, Academic Counselor
Jamie Steele, Academic Counselor
Daniel Roebuck, Information Technology Specialist
Aaron Terrett, Admissions Counselor
Michelle Martin, Administrative Assistant
Pallavi Dhama, Administrative Assistant
Morgan Upton, Administrative Assistant
Faculty & Staff
Lynnette Johnson
Michael Katz
Ellen Kellum
Logan Kirkland
Webb Lewis
Ashton Brooks Logan
Shannon Magness
Joshua McCoy
Sam McGlone
Ellen Meacham
Dennis Moore
Marisa Morrissette
Rick Mize
Elizabeth Norell
Kelley Pinion
MacKenzie Ross
Larz Roberts
LaReeca Rucker
Cole Russell
Kevin Seddon
Jackson Sepko
Jared Senseman
Christina Steube
Melanie Stone
Robin Street
Ty Stude
Rachel West
Student Awards
Dean’s Awards
IMC
Amber Amis
Terrell Atkins
Linzi Burks
Emma Gazzo
Clay Hale
Zoe Keyes
Kenlee McDaniel
Lambda Sigma
Aliza Warner
Excellence Awards
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Ahmer Anwar Khan
Cynahmon Lee
Baileigh McGillivray
Trammell Odom
Eleanor Grace Potter
Sofia Sanchez
Erin Ruth Waters
Jade Weaver
Peyton Burgess
Kaitlyn Spina
UNDERGRADUATES IN IMC
McKenzie Cox
Addy Ezell
Louisa Hernandez
Hannah Hungate
McKenna Morris
Taylor Medal
Hailey Beard
McKenzie Cox
Who’s Who
Taylor Browning
Haley Cote
McKenzie Cox
Madalyn Dudley
Dabney Flynt
Erin Foley
Kappa Tau Alpha
Ahmer Anwar Khan
Brooke Bohlke
Kylie Britton
Linzi Burks
Claire Kenney
Cynahmon Lee
Excellence in Service
Madalyn Dudley
Clay Hale
Hannah Ivey
Zoe Keyes
Ellie Ferrell
Alli Lefeaux
Lindsey Ingram
Anna Jones
Addam Li
Kenlee McDaniel
Xenia Minton
Victoria Nowell
Taylor Little
Lauren McCambridge
Kenlee McDaniel
Callie-Rae McVey
McKenna Morris
Anna Shields McLaughlin
Madison Kirksey
Celeste Lay
Maggie Miller
Sahara Portlance
Antonella Rescigno
JOURNALISM
Mary Evans
Cameron Geranios
Hannah Hoang
Jillian Russell
UNDERGRADUATES IN JOURNALISM
Justice Rose
Raegan Settle
Abby Maschhoff
Justice Rose
Lauren Ross
Jaleah Walker
Mollie Warrington
Jakota White
Gracen Rinaudo
MacKenna Sherer
Jane Eleanor Thomas
Aliza Warner
Sofia Sanchez
Ella Jane Simmons
Aliza Warner
Virginia White
Academic Heraldry
A time-honored tradition of great dignity, the wearing of academic apparel is a survival of the ecclesiastical garb of the late Middle Ages, in turn a survival of still earlier civilian fashions. The academic gown, necessary for a scholar’s warmth, and the hood to protect his tonsured head were apparently first regularly adopted in the 13th century at the University of Cambridge (1294). The University of Oxford was soon to follow. The custom was transplanted to this country in colonial times by King’s College in New York, now Columbia University.
In 1895, American universities and colleges standardized their academic styles and developed the intercollegiate code of academic custom. In general, the style follows the Cambridge tradition. The characteristic elements of academic regalia are three: gown, hood and cap.
THE GOWN is usually serge or worsted for bachelors, the same or silk for masters, and silk for doctors. The doctors’ dress gowns of the chief British universities are scarlet. Bachelors’ gowns have pointed sleeves; masters’ have long, closed sleeves, lunate at the bottom, with slits at the elbow from which the arms protrude; the doctors’ have wide, round, open sleeves. Doctors’ gowns are faced with panels of velvet down the front and three bars of velvet across each sleeve.
THE HOOD, worn around the neck to hang down the back, is the principal emblem of the nature and source of the degree held. It is edged with velvet of the colors of the degree, while its lining of silk bears the colors of the institution that granted the degree. Bachelors’ hoods are 3 feet long, masters’ 3 1/2, and doctors’ hoods have only wide panels at the sides. Hoods may be worn only after the degree has been granted.
THE CAP, the square mortarboard in American universities but a round, soft, flat velvet hat in British, Canadian and some European universities, bears a tassel that may be black for all ranks and degrees or may be of gold thread for doctors and the color of the degree for bachelors and masters. The doctors’ caps only may be of velvet.
The institutional colors, with which hoods are lined, indicate the university or college that granted the degree. Among the hoods worn by UM faculty members are those for Academy of Art University, black and red; Arkansas, red and white; Auburn, orange with two navy chevrons; Boston, scarlet with white chevron; Cambridge (England), scarlet; Chicago, maroon; Columbia, light blue with white chevron; Duke, royal blue with white chevron; Emory, navy blue with gold chevron; Harvard, crimson; Illinois, navy blue with two orange chevrons; Indiana, crimson with white chevrons; Iowa, old gold; Johns Hopkins, black with gold chevron; Kansas, navy blue with cardinal chevron; Kentucky, azure blue with white chevron; Louisiana State, purple with old gold, parti-per-chevron; Michigan, maize with azure blue chevron; Mississippi State, maroon chevron on white; Missouri, old gold with two black chevrons; New York, violet; North Carolina, light blue with two white chevrons; Northwestern, purple with gold chevrons; Ohio State, scarlet with silver gray chevron; Oxford (England), light blue edged with white fur; Pennsylvania State, navy blue and white; Princeton, orange with black chevron; Purdue, black with two gold chevrons; Rice, silver above blue; Rochester, dandelion yellow; Rutgers, scarlet; Stanford, cardinal; Tennessee, white with orange chevrons; Texas, white above orange, parti-per-chevron; Vanderbilt, black and gold; Virginia, navy blue with orange chevron; Wisconsin, bright red; Yale, royal Yale blue.
The colors of The University of Mississippi are a blue chevron on a field of red. They were introduced by Professor Alexander Lee Bondurant in 1893.
In addition to traditional gowns, many graduates are displaying honor cords and stoles signifying their individual accomplishments. A white stole reflects membership in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. A gold cord indicates induction into Kappa Tau Alpha Journalism Honor Society. A solid red cord is worn by student leaders for the S. Gale Denley Student Media Center. Red and white braided cords are for academic honors: One cord for cum laude graduates; two cords for magna cum laude graduates; and three cords for summa cum laude graduates.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
School of Journalism & New Media
MISSION
STATEMENT
The mission of the School of Journalism and New Media is to lead and excel in the education of a diverse body of students in journalism and integrated marketing communications. Grounded in truth, freedom of expression, responsibility and integrity, the faculty and staff will:
1.Prepare students to succeed in an ever-changing, integrated and global media landscape.
2.Encourage research and creative work to add to the body of knowledge and to serve the journalism and communication professions.