USU UINTAH BASIN COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
April 29, 2023
ACADEMIC HERALDRY
The history of academic heraldry reaches back into the early days of the university. A statute of 1321 required that all “Doctors, Licentiates and Bachelors” of the University of Columbia wear gowns. When American colleges and universities decided to adopt some suitable system of academic apparel, it seemed best to agree on one that all might follow. From a conference of various institutions’ board representatives held at Columbia University in 1895 came a code of academic dress for higher learning institutions in the United States, which most adopted.
GOWNS
The academic gown for the bachelor’s degree has pointed sleeves and is designed to be worn closed. Master’s degree gowns have an oblong sleeve, open at the wrist. The sleeve base hangs down in the traditional manner. The rear part of its oblong shape is square cut, and the front part has an arc cut away. It is designed this way so it can be worn open or closed. The gown for the doctoral degree has bell-shaped sleeves and may be worn open or closed.
COLORS
For all academic purposes, including trimmings of doctoral gowns, edging of hoods and tassels of caps, the colors associated with the different academic disciplines are as follows:
• Agriculture, Maize
• Arts, Brown
• Business, Drab
• Education and Human Services, Light Blue
• Engineering, Orange
• Humanities and Social Sciences, White
HOODS
• Natural Resources, Russet
• Science, Gold-Yellow
• School of Graduate Studies, Black
• Associate Degrees, Black
• Integrated Studies, Black
Academic hoods are worn by recipients of advanced degrees. Master’s degree hoods are three-and-one-half feet in length and lined with the official color(s) of the college or university conferring the degree, which at Utah State University are navy blue and white, displayed in the heraldic chevron. The doctoral hood consists of a larger and longer assemblage of institutional color draped over the recipient’s shoulders, falling well down the back. The binding or edging of the hoods is of velvet or velveteen, three inches wide for the master’s degree and five inches wide for the doctoral degree.
CAPS
Academic caps come in two forms: the traditional mortarboard (from Oxford) or square cap, and a soft cap that resembles an oversized beret (from Cambridge). The mortarboard used by Utah State University is worn with a tassel.
ACADEMIC PROCESSION
The commencement procession is composed of three divisions: (1) color guard, University President, Utah Board of Higher Education members, Board of Trustees, administrative officers and special guests; (2) the faculty; and (3) candidates for degrees.
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY UINTAH BASIN COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
PROCESSIONAL
White Peaks Centennial Pipe Band
WELCOME
James Y. Taylor
Senior Associate Vice President, USU Uintah Basin
NATIONAL ANTHEM
Autumn Hancock
Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key
STUDENT SPEAKER
Alex Gatherum
ADDRESS TO GRADUATES
Kyle Snow
Chief Executive Officer, Northeastern Counseling Center
CONFERRING OF DEGREES
Noelle E. Cockett
President, USU
PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS
James Y. Taylor
Senior Associate Vice President, USU Uintah Basin
GREETING TO GRADUATES
Steven L. Palmer
President, USU Alumni Association & USU Trustee
HONOR SONG & RECESSIONAL
Red Spirit Singers
– 1 –
KYLE SNOW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NORTHEASTERN COUNSELING CENTER Commencement Speaker
Kyle Gordon Snow is a tireless champion of Utah State University in general and USU Uintah Basin in particular. Kyle graduated from USU in the 1990s with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration. Since 2005 Kyle has served on the USU Uintah Basin Advisory Committee as a member, vice-chair, and chair. Kyle is the Chief Executive Officer for Northeastern Counseling Center. When Kyle started at Northeastern Counseling Center more than 20 years ago, the center was on the verge of bankruptcy. Today, the NCC is in an extremely strong financial position. Kyle is regarded in the state of Utah as an expert in behavioral health financing and currently leads, as chairman, the Utah Behavioral Health Committee. In that role he testifies and lobbies the legislature for funding and statutory changes. As CEO, Kyle, leads a team of 65 professionals to provide great behavioral healthcare for the Uintah Basin. He found alternative funding sources to help promote the mission of Northeastern Counseling Center and contracts with San Juan Counseling to provide knowledge and oversight for a sub-capitation model with Medicaid. Kyle has been instrumental in developing, implementing, and supporting the Master of Social Work program in the statewide campus system. Kyle is a community leader who serves in numerous political, ecclesiastical, and community positions. Most importantly he enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife Mindy and children.
ALEX GATHERUM Student Speaker
Alex Gatherum was born in Cache Valley but grew up in Duchesne, Utah. After graduating from Duchesne High School in 2014, he served an LDS mission in upstate New York. After he returned from his mission, he attended USU’s Logan campus. He married his wife Kayla, who he met his first week at USU, in January 2017. During the summer of 2019, he was selected with 11 other students for a business and logistics internship at Hill Air Force Base. While he was working there, he was offered and accepted a position as the business and technology CTE teacher at Duchesne High School. He currently works in that position, in addition to being the head cross country coach, an assistant girls’ basketball coach, and an assistant track coach at DHS. In 2021, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and minor in psychology. Today, he is graduating with another bachelor’s in business education. In his free time, he enjoys being outdoors, watching scary movies, and rooting for the Duke Blue Devils and Boston Celtics.
– 2 –
2023 CANDIDATES FOR GRADUATION
Names listed in this program do not constitute graduation.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
EDUCATION
PARAPROFESSIONAL
Karli Brown ++
Alyssa Cranney ++
Zachary Mathisen ++
Emily Stewart ++
Duana Williams
INSTITUTIONAL CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY
CLOUD COMPUTING
Dane Mariott
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Dane Mariott
LAW & SOCIETY AREA STUDIES
TiSean Chapoose
Summer King
The quality of performance in academic work enables those indicated to be graduates with distinction:
++High Honors grade point average of 3.75 to 4.00
+Honors ......................................................................................................................... grade point average of 3.50 to 3.74
– 3 –
ASSOCIATE DEGREES
PROVOST’S OFFICE
Laurens
H. Smith Provost & Chief Academic OfficerASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE –AVIATION TECHNOLOGY
Karissa Lemmon ++
Drigs Neilson ++
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE –NURSING
Camilla Barney
Graciela Clark ++
Charlie Dunker
Ashlyn Edrington +
Christina Evans +
Christi Farmer
Mclane Fausett
Haley Felice
Amanda Flores +
Baylee Garrard +
Jarika Hacking
Breanne Hansen
Kristina Harper ++
Katherine Kirkham
Amanda Merkley +
Chauncey Montes
Ricky Phillips
Meghan Pierce
Lamoni Riordan ++
Louchie Schmidt ++
ShaeLynn Terry +
Marlana Todd
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS –GENERAL STUDIES
Julia Jenkins
Katie Ufford
ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE –CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Maray Filfred
ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE –GENERAL STUDIES
Amber Allred ++
Sage Aragon
Amy Arevalo ++
Elizabeth Asay
Evgeniya Bloat
Jame Bohannon
Meagan Collins +
Ryan Crozier ++
Lauren Davis
Christi Farmer
Susan Goodrich +
Nicole Haakinson +
Walter Hale
Anna Hansen
Meagan Hansen
Jacob Harrison ++
Jade Hopp
Jarom Hyde
Shauntel Johnson
Julie Jones ++
Justin Kinckiner +
Katherine Kirkham
Megan Lacy ++
Dakota Lloyd ++
Casey Long
Emma Martinez
Zachary Mathisen ++
Kylee McKee ++
McKoy McKinnon
Braden Negus
Priscilla Oaks
Halle Olsen +
– 4 –
Weston Quarles
Jenna Reidhead ++
Joshua Roberts +
Kaitlin Samano +
Justin Schmidt ++
Ethan Schoenfeld
McKala Serrano
Shayna Simper
Hunter Van Buren
Michelle Wall
Gregory White +
Duana Williams
KarLee Zager
The quality of performance in academic work enables those indicated to be graduates with distinction: ++High Honors grade point average of 3.75 to 4.00 +Honors ......................................................................................................................... grade point average of 3.50 to 3.74
– 5 –
BACHELOR’S DEGREES
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE & APPLIED SCIENCES
Kenneth L. White, Dean
BUSINESS EDUCATION
Alex Gatherum
JON M. HUNTSMAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Douglas D. Anderson, Dean
DATA ANALYTICS & INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Andrea Maple
Amata Tuleuova *
MARKETING & STRATEGY
Darrah Jackson
EMMA ECCLES JONES COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN SERVICES
Alan L. Smith, Dean
COMMUNICATIVE DISORDERS & DEAF EDUCATION
Emma Bolton **
Jenny Caldwell
Jessica Jensen
Terra Schiess
Maysie Scholes *
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT & FAMILY STUDIES
Brittany Dugan
NURSING
Anca Berindean **
Ana Berson **
Maddison Florence *
Brandy Hanskins
Kailsy Hatch *
Jasmin Nilson *
CalieMae Poulson **
PSYCHOLOGY
Mallory Peterson
Megan Richards **
– 6 –
TEACHER EDUCATION & LEADERSHIP
Trista Arellano *
Kamryn Bailey ***
Darby Boren
Lindsay Cook
Tad Honeycutt *
Tiffany Larsen *
Mariana Soto
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES
Joseph P. Ward, Dean
ENGLISH
Sami Merrell **
HISTORY
Quade Lance *
SOCIAL WORK
Shawna Goodrich
Susan Goodrich *
SOCIOLOGY & ANTHROPOLOGY
TiSean Chapoose
Summer King
S. J. & JESSIE E. QUINNEY COLLEGE OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Linda Nagel, Dean
ENVIRONMENT & SOCIETY
Lisa Gilbert
Pua Thorlaksen
NATURAL RESOURCES
Kailea Rasmussen
Mason Walk *
Michelle Wall
– 7 –
WILDLAND RESOURCES
Mitisia Allred *
Brenda Cargile *
MaKinli Slaugh *
Kaylee Warr *
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Michelle A. Baker, Dean
BIOLOGY
Kaleb Hamann **
Shauntel Johnson
MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS
Jordan Walker
PROVOST’S OFFICE
Laurens H. Smith, Provost & Chief Academic Officer
INTEGRATED STUDIES
Janell Bascom
Justin Bjerke **
Anna Hackford
Brett Jensen
Joel Mendoza
Mike Smith
The quality of performance in academic work enables those indicated to be graduates with distinction:
***Summa Cum Laude .................................................................................................grade point average of 3.95 to 4.00
**Magna Cum Laude. grade point average of 3.80 to 3.94
*Cum Laude. ..................................................................................................................grade point average of 3.50 to 3.79
– 8 –
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
Richard Cutler
Vice Provost of Graduate Studies
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE
EMMA ECCLES JONES COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN SERVICES
Savannah Mieure
Administrative/Supervisory
MASTER’S DEGREES
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE & APPLIED SCIENCES
Kirk D. Grant
Master of Education in Agriculture & Applied Sciences
Faith Marie Spencer
Master of Education in Agriculture & Applied Sciences
Ashley Linschoten
Master of Public Health
EMMA ECCLES JONES COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN SERVICES
Kelsey Merkely
Master of Education in Instructional Leadership
Crystal Allen
Master of Education in Physical & Sport Education
JON M. HUNTSMAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Nesreen Iskandrani
Master of Business Administration
Dane Mariott
Master of Data Analytics
Jenna Reed
Master of Human Resources
– 9 –4.00 3.94 3.79
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES
Jenny Anderson
Master of Social Work
Heidi Bennion
Master of Social Work
Marianne Clayburn
Master of Social Work
Pamela Draper
Master of Social Work
Renette Goodrich
Master of Social Work
Christina Higgins
Master of Social Work
Trinity Jenkins
Master of Social Work
George Laub
Master of Social Work
Julie Maxwell
Master of Social Work
Kameron Murray
Master of Social Work
Camille Oostveen
Master of Social Work
Terasa Peterson
Master of Social Work
Kayla Taylor
Master of Social Work
Samantha Thomson
Master of Social Work
Brian Timberlake
Master of Social Work
Marcos Vaughn
Master of Social Work
Louise Warburton
Master of Social Work
Heather Wright
Master of Social Work
S. J. & JESSIE E. QUINNEY COLLEGE OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Oaklee Riley
Master of Natural Resources
– 10 –
UTAH BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Lisa Michele Church, Chair
Jesselie Barlow Anderson, Vice Chair
Grace Acosta
Stan L. Albrecht
Julie Beck
Stacey K. Bettridge
Rich Christiansen
Sanchaita Datta
Hope Eccles
Korianne Gibson
Patricia Jones
Arthur E. Newell
Shawn Newell
Steve Starks
Scott L. Theurer
Richard Wheeler
Xitlalli Villanueva
David R. Woolstenhulme, Commissioner of Higher Education
UTAH STATE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Kent K. Alder, Chair
John Y. Ferry, Vice Chair
Gina Gagon
David H. Huntsman
Kacie Malouf
Wayne L. Niederhauser
Steven L. Palmer
David A. Petersen
Abraham Rodriguez
Jacey Skinner
Tessa White
Janalyn G. Brown, Secretary to the USU Board of Trustees
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY UINTAH BASIN ADVISORY COUNCIL
Scott Chew
Guy Collett
Brent Hales
David Law
Diane Macdonald
Deena Mansfield
Robert Peterson
Wes Porter
Kyle Snow
James Taylor
Jason Young
Sylvia Wilkins
Ron Winterton
Rick Woodford
Ronee Wopsock
– 11 –
UINTAH BASIN LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT
We acknowledge Utah State University Uintah Basin resides on the traditional and ancestral homeland of the Ute Indian Tribe. We recognize the enduring relationship that exists between the three bands of Utes that comprise the Ute Indian Tribe: the Whiteriver, Uncompahgre, and Uintah. We respect the sovereign relationship with and confirm our commitment to a partnership with the Ute Indian Tribe and their community through research, education, and community outreach activities. In offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty, history, and experiences.