Point University Commencement, May 2024

Commencement May 2024

Commencement

May 4, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.

Columbus Convention and Trade Center – Columbus, Georgia *Processional............................................................................................................................................. Mr. Lanier Motes Director, Scott Fine Arts Center Welcome................................................................................................................................................ Mr. Dean C. Collins President Invocation......................................................................................................................................Mr. Samuel W. Huxford Dean, College of Biblical Studies and Ministry Scripture Reading.................................................................................................................................... Ms. Nicci Wooley Assistant Professor of Communication Introduction of Speaker..................................................................................................................... Mr. Dean C. Collins President Commencement Address..................................................................................................................Ms. Khalilah Cooper Vice President of Brand Strategy, Advertising and Media, Chick-fil-A Special Recognitions................................................................................................................................Dr. Susan S. Ryan Dean, College of Education Presentation of Candidates for Degrees........................................................................................... Dr. Stephen Waers Chief Academic Officer Conferral of Degrees........................................................................................................................... Mr. Dean C. Collins President *Prayer..................................................................................................................................................... Mr. Dean C. Collins President *Alma Mater.................................................. L. Motes, D. Glenn, M. Plank........................................... Mr. Daniel Stith Hail to thee, our Alma Mater, cherished gold and blue.

For teaching us to lead and serve, and to God’s Word be true.

Lifting high the cross of Christ, our faithful legacy.

From east to west our song shall be, “We are Point University.” *Recessional............................................................................................................................................... Mr. Lanier Motes Director, Scott Fine Arts Center *Audience please stand

Candidates for Graduation C e rtif ic ate

Medical Assisting

Medical Coding and Billing Theresa Furches Evelyn Seay

Jennifer Dee Espinoza Mary Elizabeth Langhals

A sso c iate of S c ie nc e Information Technology Martin J. Martinez† Edgar E. Rangel James Yunha Shin*

Medical Assisting Krystal Gunkelman* Destiney Surowic

Medical Coding and Billing Danielle Medina Katherine L. Warwick^

A ss oc iate of A rts Morgan M. Kempton*

Accounting

Francisco A. Tapia John D. Ward†

Business

Child Development Veronica E. Croft^

Natasha A. Beecher Allison Renee Jackson† Anna Jaramillo* Mekyia J. Keaton*

Christian Ministries

Organizational Leadership

Criminal Justice

Terry L. Buffington† Crystal Foate Logan A. Niswonger*

Sydney Audrea Fountain

Business Administration Claydell Thomas Andrews† Kayla M. Chavez* Rylee Crisp† Ariana N. Delgado Anna C. Gambrell Meagan Jeszka^ Grace Lenge Nathaniel Nanda Haven G. Stalcup^ Amber Steadman

*

Rachel Elizabeth Benca Sherley M. Vazquez Jadalynn Wedekind† Gunner Tyrel Burris† Crystal Jean Douglas Kimberly R. Smith†

General Studies

Human Relations

Jacob D. Franks*

Psychology

Public Health Jessica Crain†

Madison Hammock

denotes cum laude graduate; ^ denotes magna cum laude graduate; † denotes summa cum laude graduate

Bac hel or of S ci ence Accounting — Forensics and Fraud Hattie Ni*

Applied Ministry

Nicholas J. Gilchrist

Biology

Mataea Boyd Destinie Claggion Ian M. Dougherty Wellsley Blaine Henderson Emma Faith Kilgo Marina Lima Queiroz^ Mason Trent Sheppard

Biology — Preprofessional Destinee Ellison^ Jordan Roberson Danielle Rustin

Business Administration

Gene Felix Aberouette Joshua David Baldwin Brandon Cervantes Brittney E. Chandler* Garland McPaul Joseph Curley* Kathy Renee’ Godwin† Bryce Ryan Ingram† Elijah C. Kennedy^ Cynthia Karina Lara^ Christopher Slade Mink Theron J. Montgomery Tafarah Marcail Parrish Cristian Anthony Sanchez Bo L. Schramm Cameron Seiwert Jordon Dawn Townley^ Jeffrey Carl Urban* Brenton M. White Peyton C. Woody Allie Pruitt Young†

Child and Youth Development Alex Pierce Marquand Chinedu Tochukwu Nnadi Marquavius Jaquan Thornton Jena C. Tompkins^

Child Development

Lydia Arreola Courtney Bowen Audrey Grace DeJohn^ Annamaria Gibbs† Lesley D. Grizzle†

Madison Mackenzy Braaksma Gusmano† Stacey Marie Hajec Katelyn Mary Moseman^ Stephanie D. Murphy Samantha D. Smith Ursula Mignon Victoria Strickland Randi Taylor Megan Vines† Valenza R. Whitaker^

Christian Ministries

Hannah Nichole Birchfield Katina Renee Bryant* Stephanie Leigh Mincey Jacob Christian Newman

Counseling and Human Services Anna Grace Grubb* Austin Steven Hemphill

Criminal Justice

Shakwan Xavier Bickley Sara Ann Bolton† Emery Charles Bryant Jr. Kimberly Renee Buffington Crystal N. Daniska^ Taylor B. Hogan† Jeremiah Menzies Tobi Raegan Roberson† Kellie W. Rodman-Holley SanJuana E. Romero Arianna Silva Zada Cherie Smith* Je’Marcus Snow Elijah J. Vaughn† Aubrey Sanjuan Warner

Elementary Education

Daixa Joen Andujo* Joshua L. Gosdin† BreAnna Nicole Yarbrough*

Entrepreneurship

Jordan Anthony Paul^

Exercise Science

Nolwenn Blain Sydney E. Cobb Victoria Cortes Barry Orlanda Finley Olivia Morgan Jeffries† Roman A. Jones Jordan Elizabeth Palmer†

Healthcare Administration Lisa F. Feagin† Stephanie M. Miller† Timia Sheppard

Human Relations Susan R. Moore

Management

Nicholas A. Boos

Marketing

Zebediah Ethan Baird Rachel O’Neal

Middle Grades Education Michael Johnson

Music

Isaac John Brewer Paisley Savannah Patterson

Organizational Leadership Paige Ann Lamkins^ Abram C. Waller Moon Ka’Von Tyrell Williams

Psychology

Joshua Moises Barber-Simmons Elizabeth A. Bonin-Moore^ Yolanda Adelina Cruz^ Miranda Charles Katelyn Jiles* Olivia Skye Loftin Bailey Mara Elijah Doniell Pace Zowie Reeves† Ariadna Roca Arjona† Josh Paul Zacharewicz^

Secondary Education Benjamin G. Beasley*

Social Media Marketing

Trevor Thomas Harry Sydney Jasmine Aquino Orellana^

Special Education

Alyssa Rylee Davis* Savannah M. McCarty^

Youth and Family Ministries Samantha E. Baggarley* Kelly Kaeser Courtney D. Lawson

Bach el o r o f B us ine s s A d m inistr ation Accounting Thomas Eskew*

Management

Financial Management Nicholas Bryan Marien^

Davyon L. Dukes Bryce James Koshko* Aaliyah Neville De’Andre I. Wade Zane M. Whitehead

Marketing

Erick Manuel Cruz Mikayela Aiyana Moore

Bach el or of S oc ia l Wor k Alexia P. Devine

Bac h e l or of A rts Biblical Studies and Preaching Ministry Joshua Beam†

Biblical Studies and Youth and Family Ministry

Humanities

Khalen J. Wimes

John Hughston Juranitch

M ast er o f B us ine s s A d m inistr ation Jeremy Arledge Amber L. Barie Isaiah Sanders Bell Mehazabin Tishma Bell Riley Brown Gina Caruso John H. Charping Brandon Coleman Dominique Aurora Cooke Matthew Chase Dial Emily Elizabeth Gordon

*

Tyler Hendon Andrew Hurst Mariah Issa Christian T. Johnson Amanda Lauren Jones Roger Kratz Karen Patnaik Vincent Xavier Pirozzi Stephanie Marie Prickett Morgan Elizabeth Randolph De’Amber Faye Reynolds

Destiny A’Leah Reynolds-Jones Julianne Robinson Collin Rose Dawayne C. Rountree Brooke Marie Ruthven Alexandra L. Schumacher Robert Harold Smith III Jesse Ryan Smithwick Robert Michael Thorpe John Andrew Tofte Blake Zabel

denotes cum laude graduate; ^ denotes magna cum laude graduate; † denotes summa cum laude graduate

The listing of degree candidates in this publication is not an official documentation of actual graduates or honors earned.

The conferral of a degree is by receipt of a diploma or official transcript noting degree completion.

About the Commencement Speaker

Khalilah Cooper is vice president of brand strategy, advertising and media at Chick-fil-A, Inc., where she focuses

daily on building a brand that inspires people to take good care of each other. Having joined the company in 2013, Cooper is passionate about growing the Chick-fil-A brand to have a positive influence domestically and internationally.

Prior to her current role, Cooper led the restaurant design team supporting a talented group of designers, architects and engineers. Prior to leading the design team, she spent more than eight years leading strategy, innovation and execution efforts centered on the customer experience at Chick-fil-A. Cooper also helped establish Women in Business at Chickfil-A. Before joining Chick-fil-A, Cooper was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, serving consumerpackaged goods, retail and nonprofit clients to help solve complex business challenges with a focus on marketing, organizational design and e-commerce. She originally joined McKinsey as a summer associate and rejoined the firm full time after graduating from Harvard Business School.

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering from Cornell University, Cooper joined Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products as a scientist and later transitioned into a go-to-market leader role for the Aveeno® brand. At Johnson & Johnson, she led new product launches, cost improvement projects, and multiple reformulations across a variety of well-known brands.

A native of Chicago, Cooper has a passion for educational equality and youth-focused mentorship – particularly within underserved communities. She serves as a mentor for aspiring leaders and is also a Sunday School teacher for preschoolers and middle schoolers. She is also member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., has served as an undergraduate interviewer for Harvard University, and has served on the board for multiple education-based organizations, including Landmark Christian School. Cooper now lives in Fayetteville, Georgia, with her husband, Edwin, and two sons, Aiden and Ethan.

Graduation Honors

Students who earn a grade point average of 3.500 through 3.699 are graduated cum laude, 3.700 through 3.899 are graduated magna cum laude, and 3.900 through 4.000 are graduated summa cum laude. Associate degree graduates receiving these honors are identified with silver tassels and silver honor cords. Bachelor's degree graduates receiving these honors are identified with gold tassels and gold honor cords. Blue honor cords indicate student-athletes who are graduating with honors. Red, white and blue cords indicate the student is a veteran. Red and green cords denote members of Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society, and silver and navy cords denote members of Omega Nu Lambda Honor Society for online students.

The Hathcock Award is the highest honor Point University awards to a student graduating with a bachelor's degree.

This recognition is based on academic achievement, character, and servant leadership.

Academic Dress

The academic dress worn by the Point University faculty today originated in the Middle Ages and was standardized in 1895. The gown indicates the level of the highest degree held: for bachelors, the black gown with flowing, pointed sleeves; for masters, the black gown with sleeves slit midway for the arms and the sleeve bottom closed flat with a semicircle cut in the side; for doctors, the flowing robe with sleeves closed at the wrist. Sleeve decorates are chevrons of velvet, most often black on black, but occasionally of another color, indicating the general field of study.

Most identification is noted by the hoods. Velvet edging indicates the subject matter in which the degree was earned.

The lining of the hood is a precise code identifying the university of the degree’s origin.

If the highest degree was attained in the United Kingdom or Europe, academic gown and hood styles do not fit a standard pattern and are determined, rather, by the degree-granting university. Generally, these can be identified by an open front and a colored hood which designates the degree earned.

About Point University

Founded in 1937 as Atlanta Christian College, Point University is preparing students to influence culture for Christ in all spheres of life. Point University’s purpose is to equip students to take their faith into the marketplace in new and culturally relevant ways — to erase the lines between who they are and what they do so that they see life and mission as one and the same.