HOODING
Ceremony
Friday, May 16, 2025
6 p.m.
Donald W. Reynolds Center
The University of Tulsa
The Academic Hood
The academic hood has its origin in the tippet worn by begging friars in the Middle Ages. It was sewn together so as to form a sort of bag or pocket for carrying alms or goods.
The recipient of a doctoral degree in the United States wears a “full” hood (as opposed to the “simple” hood for bachelors and masters degrees), which is made of black cloth. The colors of the lining represent the colors of the university conferring the degree. The color of the border represents the discipline. Law is indicated by purple.
Program
Processional........................................... Tulsa Metro Pipe Band
Invocation .......................................................... Jeffrey Francis
Sharp Chaplain, The University of Tulsa
Welcome and Introduction of Hooding Ceremony Speaker ........................... Oren R. Griffin Dean, College of Law, and Chapman Endowed Chair
Hooding Ceremony Address ........ Honorable Judge Robert D. Bell
Distinguished Alumnus, Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
Introduction of Student Speakers ................................. April Fox
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Valedictory Address ......................................... Stephanie Smith 2025 Class Valedictorian
Graduation Remarks ........................................... Eugene Flynn
Student Bar Association President
Hooding of Graduates............................... Dean Oren R. Griffin
Karen Grundy Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Natalie Frost Director of Professional Development Megan Henson Associate Dean, Director of Admissions
Benediction ........................................................ Jeffrey Francis
Recessional ............................................ Tulsa Metro Pipe Band
A reception in the College of Law Building will immediately follow the ceremony. The audience is requested to remain seated until conclusion of the program and silence cell phones.
Parrish Brooks Chapman With Honor
Sustainable Energy & Natural Resources Law Concentration
Energy Law Journal, Articles Editor
Student Bar Association, 3L Delegate
Blake A. Chrismer
With Highest Honor
Tulsa Law Review, Executive Articles Editor
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: Constitutional Law II, and Insurance Law
Student Bar Association, Chief Justice
Spencer Coffey
Callie Crone
With Highest Honor
Order of Curule Chair
Tulsa Law Review, Staff Editor
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: Constitution Law I, Civil Procedure II, Criminal Procedure: Police Practices, Administrative Law, and Federal Indian Law
Danny R. Daniels Jr
Russell H. Daniels II
With Highest Honor
Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, Marshal
Austin Detty With Honor
CALI Excellence for the Future Award: West Civil Legal Clinic
Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity Bowling Team, Member
Thomas Doughtie IV
1L Negotiation Competition, Second Place
Andrew Dyer With Honor
Daisy Eklund With Highest Honor
Tulsa Law Review, Symposium Editor
CALI Excellence for the Future Award: Legal Writing III
Federal Bar Association, Treasurer
Rhianna Cooper Fairchild
With Honor
Tulsa Law Review, Articles Selection Editor
Karly Fisher
With Highest Honor
Native American Law Concentration Order of Curule Chair
Tulsa Law Review, Articles Selection Editor
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: Contracts, Native American Resource Law, Evidence, and Advanced Torts
Oklahoma Bar Association G. William Rice Award
Oklahoma Bar Foundation W.B. Clark Memorial Award
Robert C. Butler Award
Native American Law Students Association, Faculty Liaison
Eugene John Flynn IV * **
With Highest Honor Energy Law Journal, Candidate
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: Civil Procedure I and Professional Responsibility
Oklahoma Bar Association Chapman
Rogers Scholarship
American Inns of Court, Council Oak/ Johnson-Sontag Chapter
Student Bar Association, President Fellowship of Christians at Law, President
American Constitution Society, Treasurer Federal Bar Association, Executive Director of Membership and Recruiting
Tulsa Bar Association Board of Directors, Law Student Representation College of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors, Law Student Representative
American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, Participant
Autumn Fuller
With Honor
Criminal Law Club, President
Kate Garner
With Highest Honor Academic Support Fellow
Dalton Hallum With Highest Honor
Keaton Harlan
With Highest Honor
Order of Curule Chair
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: Evidence, Legal Writing III, and Intellectual Property
Conrad Russell Herda
With Highest Honor
Native American Law Concentration
Sustainable Energy & Natural Resources Law Concentration
Tulsa Law Review, Staff Editor
CALI Excellence for the Future Award: Indian Gaming Law
Tulsa Law Review 110% Award
Education & Oklahoma Policy Law Club, Secretary
Board of Advocates 1L Negotiation Competition, Participant
Redbud Trial Competition, Participant Hager Torts Moot Court Competition, Participant
Board of Advocates Trial Skills Qualifier, Participant
Scott Douglas Hjelm Jr
With Highest Honor
Sustainable Energy & Natural Resources Law Concentration
Order of Barristers
Energy Law Journal, Articles Editor
Oklahoma Bar Foundation Partners for Justice Award
American Inns of Court, Hudson Hall/ Wheaton Chapter
Board of Advocates, President
Tulsa Law Golf Club, Vice President
American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, Participant
National Trial Competition, Participant
Grace Holstein *
ABA Sustainable Energy & Environmental Resources Year-in-Review, Staff Editor
Federalist Society, Vice-President Paw Law, Treasurer
Education & Oklahoma Policy Law Club, Director of Recruitment
Jessica Hooker *
With Highest Honor
James Huffman With Honor
Yuji Ide With Honor
Jacob Johnson
With Highest Honor
Tulsa Law Review, Articles Editor
Jordan Marie Jones * With Honor
American Inns of Court, Council Oak/ Johnson-Sontag Chapter
Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity
Jonathan Keeling
Colten S. Kidd
With Highest Honor Order of Curule Chair
Order of Barristers
Tulsa Law Review, Articles Editor
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: Legal Writing I, Legal Writing II, Legal Writing III, Contracts, Evidence, Torts, Trial Practice, Criminal Procedure: Adjudication, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Basic Corporate Law
Oklahoma Bar Association Business & Corporate Law Award
G. William Rice Award for Outstanding Oral Advocacy
American Inns of Court, Hudson Hall/ Wheaton Chapter
Board of Advocates, Director
National Health Law Moot Court Competition, Participant
American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, Participant
The Brigadier General Wayne E. Alley Law Moot Court Competition, Participant
Randy Knight, MBA * With Honor
Native American Law Concentration
Sustainable Energy & Natural Resources Law Concentration
Order of Barristers
Energy Law Journal, Managing Editor
Oklahoma Bar Association G. William Rice Memorial Scholarship
Cherokee Foundation Scholar
American Inns of Court, Hudson Hall/ Wheaton Chapter
Student Bar Association, Rules Committee Chair & DEI Committee Chair
Native American Law Students Association, President
Paw Law, Media Coordinator OutLaws, Community Outreach Coordinator
Reproductive Rights Association, 1L Delegate
The University of Tulsa Powwow, Chair
National Native American Law Student Association Moot Court Trial Competition, Participant
Erin Kravchick * Order of Barristers
Women’s Law Caucus, President Board of Advocates Trial Skills Qualifier, Top Sixteen
American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, Participant
Jesse Leaneagh With Honor
Immigration Law Society, Co-President OutLaws, Treasurer
Scott Love
With Honor
Tulsa Law Review, Staff Editor
Jessica Maldonado With Highest Honor
Immigration Law Concentration
Tulsa Law Review, Articles Selection Editor
Immigration Law Society, Co-President Latinx Law Student Association, Treasurer Student Bar Association, Delegate
Michael Mays *
Melvin Combs Jr. Memorial Scholarship Black Law Student Association, President
Hannah McAnallen
Academic Support Fellow
Skylar Mills *
Women’s Law Caucus, Fern Holland Chair and Events & Planning Chair
Tulsa Business Law Society, Marketing Director
Cassidy A. Monroe
With Highest Honor
Health Law Concentration
Tulsa Law Review, Executive Editor
Health Law Society, Vice President
First Lieutenant, United States of America Army Reserve, Judge Advocate General Corps
Ammon E. Motz
With Highest Honor
Sustainable Energy & Natural Resources Law Concentration
Energy Law Journal, Notes Editor
Tulsa County Bar Association Energy & Mineral Law Award
American Inns of Court, Council Oak/ Johnson-Sontag Chapter
George Donovan Warford Myring * With Honor
R. Steven Chandler Award
American Inns of Court, Council Oak/ Johnson-Sontag Chapter
Student Bar Association, Speaker of the House
Public Interest Board, Executive Director
Family Law Student Association, President
Ellis Denzel Newkirk
Logan Norton
With Highest Honor
CALI Excellence for the Future Award: Criminal Law & Administration Resources, Energy & Environmental Law Society, Alumni Coordinator
Student Bar Association, Delegate
Anthony Luong Ontiveros
ABA Sustainable Energy & Environmental Resources Year-in-Review, Staff Editor Fellowship of Christians at Law, Secretary
Asian Law Student Association, President Corporal, United States of America Texas Army National Guard
Cindi Mariela Paredes *
ABA Sustainable Energy & Environmental Resources Year-in-Review, Staff Editor
Latinx Law Student Association, Vice President
Federalist Society, Secretary
Leah Renee Parker
RedBud Trial Competition, Participant
Jared M. Pendergrass
With Honor
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: Legal Writing II and Medical Malpractice Law
Student Bar Association, Rules Committee Chair
Agricultural Law Association, Vice President
Board of Advocates 1L Negotiation Competition, Second Place
Timothy Penson
Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, Treasurer
Taylor K. Pepperworth
With Highest Honor
Order of Curule Chair
Tulsa Law Review, Symposium Editor
American Inns of Court, Council Oak/ Johnson-Sontag Chapter
Madison Marie Perigo
Native American Law Concentration
Sustainable Energy & Natural Resources Law Concentration
Order of Barristers
Energy Law Journal, Articles Editor
Oklahoma Bar Association G. William Rice
Memorial Scholarship
Gary and Angie Batton Legal Heritage Scholarship
Tulsa County Bar Association Faith Orlawski Animal Law Award
American Inns of Court, Council Oak/ Johnson-Sontag Chapter
Native American Law Students Association, Vice President
Paw Law, President
Resources, Energy & Environmental Law Society, Event Coordinator
American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, Participant
National Native American Law Student Association Moot Court Trial Competition, Participant
Lacey Pogue
With Honor
JT Powers
Jesse Lee Rake
Payton Rhodes With Honor
David H. Richardson
Axel Anakin Rizo
With Honor
CALI Excellence for the Future Award: Legal Writing III
Hager Torts Moot Court Competition, Top Four Finalist
Board of Advocates 1L Negotiation Competition, First Place
Latinx Law Student Association, President
Sydney Ross
Tulsa Business Law Society, President
Native American Law Students Association, Secretary
Jacqueline Kay Ruhl
Order of Barristers
American Inns of Court, Hudson Hall/ Wheaton Chapter
Federal Bar Association, Secretary
Family Law Student Association, Vice President
Cade Ryan Russell With Highest Honor
CALI Excellence for the Future Award: Trial Skills
Oklahoma Bar Association Litigation Award
Board of Advocates, Treasurer
Board of Advocates Trial Skills Qualifier, Top Sixteen
Devyn Saylor With Honor
Sustainable Energy & Natural Resources Law Concentration
Energy Law Journal, Editor-in-Chief
Oklahoma Bar Association Energy and Natural Resources Award
Resources, Energy & Environmental Law Society, Vice President
Braden Scott
Federalist Society, Vice President
Board of Advocates 1L Negotiation Competition, First Place
*60 or more hours of pro bono service **August 2025 graduate
Evan Taylor With Honor
Abigail Blades Thomas With Highest Honor Order of Curule Chair
Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Student Award
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: Legal Writing II, Criminal Law: Police Practices, Family Law, Insurance Law, and Immigration Law
Dakota Thomas
Maria Teresa Thomas** With Highest Honor Immigration Law Concentration
Brayden Vaughan With Honor Health Law Society, Secretary
Benjamin H. Waldren
Sustainable Energy & Natural Resources Law Concentration
Energy Law Journal, Executive Notes Editor
Robert A. Butkin Outstanding Student Note Award
Oklahoma Bar Association Energy and Natural Resources Award
Tulsa Law Golf Club, President
Jordan Wallace * With Highest Honor
Tulsa Law Review, IT Editor
Alexandra Walsh-King With Highest Honor
Sustainable Energy & Natural Resources Law Concentration
Tulsa Law Review, Business Manager
1L Negotiation Competition, Second Place
Tulsa Business Law Society, Vice President Women’s Law Caucus, Fern Holland Banquet Chair
Meghan Tze-Kwan Wan
American Bar Association’s Sustainable Energy & Environmental Resources Yearin-Review, Executive Editor
April M. Fox Award for Ambassador Service College of Law Student Ambassador
Tulsa Business Law Society, Treasurer
Eliza Watford
With Highest Honor Immigration Law Concentration
Theodore A. Wilcox With Honor
Austin Williams With Highest Honor
Dustin Williams
ABA Sustainable Energy & Environmental Resources Year-in-Review, Staff Editor Resources, Energy & Environmental Law Society, President Diversity Committee, Student Member
Alyssa Williamson
With Highest Honor
Tulsa Law Review, Articles Editor
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: Torts and Legal Writing I George and Jean Price Award for Excellence in Legal Writing
Hannah Lou Wilson
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: West Civil Legal Clinic and Advanced West Civil Legal Clinic
Jesse Wood
Holly Wyers, M.Ed.
With Highest Honor
ABA Sustainable Energy & Environmental Resources Year-in-Review, Staff Editor
American Inns of Court, Council Oak/ Johnson-Sontag Chapter
Education & Oklahoma Policy Law Club, President
Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, Vice Justice
Public Interest Board, Executive Director
National Native American Law Student Association Advanced Moot Court Trial Competition, Participant
Board of Advocates Trial Skills Competition, Participant Board of Advocates Negotiation Trial Competition, Participant
Academic awards are based on GPA from the term before graduation. Final GPA and class rank are determined after final term grades. Diploma honors, are based on the final GPA.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Graduation Committee thanks the following for their contributions to the Hooding Ceremony:
Brad R. Carson, President, The University of Tulsa
George Justice, Provost, The University of Tulsa
Oren R. Griffin, Dean and Chapman Endowed Chair, College of Law
The Honorable Judge Robert D. Bell, Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
Jeffrey Francis, Sharp Chaplain
Tristan Linehan, Assistant to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, College of Law
Kimberly Wise, Law Registrar, College of Law
Molly Wahlgren, University Events Coordinator, The University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa Student Bar Association Leadership
The Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
The Office of Alumni Engagement
College of Law Faculty & Associate Deans
Tulsa Metro Pipe Band
RumbleDrum
Hooding Photos
In partnership with The Grad Team, The University of Tulsa is offering easy access to all your commencement weekend photos. Scan the QR code to register.
The University of Tulsa College of Law utulsa.edu/law
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PREAMBLE
The University of Tulsa College of Law occupies an integral and dynamic position within a forwardthinking private, doctoral degree-granting university and plays a vital role in its partnerships with the community, the bench and bar, industry, tribal nations and foreign institutions.
MISSION STATEMENT
The University of Tulsa College of Law prepares students from diverse backgrounds to excel in the legal and related professions through an intellectually rigorous program that promotes the core values of excellence in scholarship, dedication to free inquiry, integrity of character, professional ethics and responsibility, and commitment to justice.