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The 98th Annual Opening Convocation Program | Valparaiso University

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Opening Convocation 2026-2027 AC AD EMI C Y E AR T U E S D AY, A U G U S T 2 5 , 2 0 2 6 , AT 4 P. M . CHAPEL OF THE RESURRECTION


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The Convocation Valparaiso University celebrates the beginning of the new academic year with an Opening Convocation. This convocation is an academic-liturgical gathering to welcome new and returning students, honor faculty and staff, and strengthen the spirit of community on campus. Presiding at the Opening Convocation is the Reverend Brian E. Konkol, Ph.D., president of Valparaiso University. Assisting him are Eric W. Johnson � 87, Ph.D., provost and executive vice president for academic affairs; the Reverend Katherine Museus, M.Div., University pastor; the Reverend James A. Wetzstein, Ph.D., University pastor; and Haruhito Miyagi, Ph.D., assistant professor of music and director of Chapel music. Robert W. Clark, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, is the University marshal.

The Procession At Valparaiso University, the cross is at the head of the academic procession. The University marshal, attired in a gold robe, the University flag, and the federal flag follow the cross and lead University administration into the Chapel of the Resurrection. The beginning of the procession is announced by the Herald Trumpets directed by Jeffrey Scott Doebler � 87 M.M., Ph.D.

The 98TH Annual Opening Convocation “For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

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Prelude All stand as the procession enters the Chapel — announced by the Herald Trumpets of Valparaiso University — turning to face the cross as it leads the procession into the Chapel, and turning once again to face the altar as the cross passes. Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 545. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Johann Sebastian Bach

Herald Trumpeters Directed by Jeffrey Scott Doebler � 87 M.M., Ph.D.

Entrance Hymn: Praise the Source of Faith and Learning

Text: Thomas H. Troeger (st. 1-3) and Brian T. Johnson (st. 4) Music: NETTLETON: J. Wyeth. Repository of Sacred Music, Part II, 1813 Text (st. 1-3) © Oxford University Press. Used with permission under OneLicense.net A-702845.

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Welcome Eric W. Johnson � 87, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Prayers and Reading The Reverend Katherine Museus, M.Div., University Pastor The Reverend James A. Wetzstein, Ph.D., University Pastor It is customary for men in academic attire to remove their caps for the prayers. Women in academic attire may remove their caps if they so desire. All respond to the prayers by saying amen. Ephesians 2:8-10 After the reading: L: Word of God. Word of Life. All: Thanks be to God.

Recognition Walter E. Bauer Professorship of Art History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benjamin Brobst-Renaud, M.A., MFA W.C. Dickmeyer Professorship in Christian Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samuel Graber, Ph.D. Walter G. Friedrich Professorship of American Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara Danger, Ph.D. Frederick F. Jenny Professorship of Emerging Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel Maguire, Ph.D. Frederick F. Jenny Professorship of Emerging Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel White, Ph.D. Newly Tenured Faculty Full Professor Rank Faculty Promotion

Faculty and Staff who have Served the University for 25, 30, and 40 years New Faculty and Staff

Address The Reverend Brian E. Konkol, Ph.D., President of Valparaiso University

Reciting of the Honor Code Eric W. Johnson � 87, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Shield of Character Pinning Eric W. Johnson � 87, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Charge to Faculty and Staff The Reverend Brian E. Konkol, Ph.D., President of Valparaiso University

Charge to Members of the Student Body Alex Serrano � 27, President of the Student Body

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Valparaiso University Alma Mater All stand to sing.

3. Hail to the Brown and Gold! Recall the days of old, The happy days which we Ne’er shall forget. As shadows longer grow, Brighter the flame shall glow, The flame of love for you, Dear old Valpo.

Text: Helen Dvorak, Oscar C. Kreinheder, and Harold Rogers Music: J.F. Petri, How Can I Leave Thee!

All remain standing.

Prayers The Reverend Katherine Museus, M.Div., University Pastor The Reverend James A. Wetzstein, Ph.D., University Pastor All respond to the prayers by saying amen.

Our Father L: As our Savior Christ has taught us, so we pray. All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. L: Let us bless the Lord! All: Thanks be to God! All remain standing.

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Blessing L: And now may the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be upon you this day and remain with you always. All: Amen. After the blessing, all who are in academic attire put on their caps. All turn and face the cross as it leaves the Chapel and join in singing the recessional hymn.

Recessional Hymn: O God, Our Help in Ages Past

1. O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home.

4. A thousand ages in your sight 7. O God, our help in ages past, are like an evening gone, our hope for years to come, short as the watch that ends the night still be our guard while troubles before the rising sun. last and our eternal home.

2. Under the shadow of your throne your saints have dwelt secure; sufficient is your arm alone, and our defense is sure.

5. Time, like an ever-rolling stream, bears all our years away; they fly forgotten, as a dream dies at the op’ning day.

3. Before the hills in order stood or earth received its frame, from everlasting you are God, to endless years the same.

6. Like flowery fields the nations stand, pleased with the morning light, the flowers beneath the mower’s hand lie withering ere ’tis night.

8. All glory to the Father thee, all glory to the Son, all glory, Holy Spirit be, while endless ages run.

Hymn: O God, Our Help in Ages Past Tune: St. Anne Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748, alt.

Students will follow faculty marshals out of the Chapel and through an assembly of faculty and staff.

Ringing in the Academic Year The bells of the Brandt Campanile will ring to symbolize the start of the new academic year.

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Recognition WA LT E R E . B A U E R P R O F E S S O R S H I P O F A R T H I S T O R Y Benjamin Brobst-Renaud, M.A., MFA, Lecturer of Communication and Visual Arts Benjamin Brobst-Renaud, M.A., has been a faculty member at Valparaiso University since August of 2022. He holds a bachelor of arts in art from Judson University, a master of arts in art history and visual culture from Lindenwood University, and a master of fine arts in art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At Valpo, Professor BrobstRenaud is the Walter E. Bauer Professor of Art History and lecturer in the Department of Communication and Visual Arts where he teaches courses in ideation, art history, and media storytelling. As an artist, Professor Brobst-Renaud’s work has appeared in exhibitions across the United States since 2005. Exhibitions he has participated in during 2026–2027 alone include Stories, a collaboration between the Emerging Artists Society (EAS) and Valparaiso University, SPLAT! A Contemporary Painting Exhibition at the Indy Art Center in Indianapolis, and In Small Measure at the Contemporary Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. He has also appeared as a lecturer, presenter, and panelist with numerous organizations, including LakeShore Public Media and SECAC (formerly the Southeastern College Art Conference). Off campus, Professor Brobst-Renaud is a board member with Project Neighbors. He is also a member of Association for the Study of Arts of the Present, the College Art Association, Foundations in Art: Theory and Education, and the Mid-America College Art Association SECAC (formerly the Southeastern College Art Conference).

W . C . D I C K M E Y E R P R O F E S S O R S H I P I N C H R I S T I A N E D U C AT I O N Samuel Graber, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Humanities and Literature Samuel Graber, Ph.D., joined the faculty of Valparaiso University in 2008. Sam holds a bachelor of arts in English and American studies from St. Olaf College, a master of arts in religion from Yale Divinity School, and a master of arts and Ph.D. in American studies from the University of Iowa. He currently holds Valparaiso University’s W.C. Dickmeyer Professorship in Christian Education. A former Lilly Postdoctoral Fellow, Professor Graber teaches in Christ College — The Honors College, where his courses have included the First-Year Program, Word and Image, African American Literature, Literatures of Freedom, and Literature at the Movies. His scholarly interests include 19th-century literature and culture, the American Civil War, transatlantic studies, memory studies, and religion. Professor Graber is the author of ”Twice-Divided Nation: National Memory, Transatlantic News, and American Literature in the Civil War Era,” published by the University of Virginia Press in 2019. He has also published essays in numerous scholarly journals and edited collections, including ESQ, Walt Whitman Quarterly Review, and Literary Cultures of the American Civil War.

WA LT E R G . F R I E D R I C H P R O F E S S O R S H I P O F A M E R I C A N L I T E R AT U R E Sara Danger, Ph.D., Professor of English Sara Danger, Ph.D., came to Valparaiso University in 2004 as Lilly Postdoctoral Fellow in English and humanities; she joined the English faculty in 2006. She graduated summa cum laude from Concordia College (Moorhead, Minnesota) with a bachelor of arts, earned her master of arts from South Dakota State University, and obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Kansas (with honors). Professor Danger teaches courses on 19th-century American and British literature, children’s literature, transatlantic literature of the 19th century, and women’s writing. In addition to teaching in the English department, she teaches in the first-year Valparaiso University Experience (VUE) program and has taught Word and Image and first-year seminars in Christ College — the Honors College. In her research, Professor Danger works to recover acts of authorship by marginalized or underrepresented groups,

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including women, people of color, working classes, and children. Her archival scholarship has been supported by competitive fellowships, including a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship at the American Antiquarian Society (2022–2023) and the Mark Friedlander Fellowship at the Massachusetts Historical Society (2024–2025). Her publications include the forthcoming book, ”In Their Own Words: Child Writers and the Nineteenth-Century Press,” and articles, such as “Child Journalists, the Civil War, and the Intersectional Work of Reporting Grief” in the Journal of Juvenilia Studies and “Critical Vision: Word and Image in the Postmodern Age” in Word and World.

F R E D E R I C K F. J E N N Y P R O F E S S O R S H I P O F E M E R G I N G T E C H N O L O G Y Daniel Maguire, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Daniel Maguire, Ph.D., joined the Valparaiso University faculty in 2019. He earned a bachelor of science, a master of science, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Professor Maguire’s research focuses on hardware/software co-design, embedded systems and the Internet of Things (IoT), digital signal processing, adaptive filtering algorithms, active and passive noise and vibration control, mixed-signal processing, analog filter synthesis, and switched-capacitor device exploitation. In addition to completing Purdue University’s Cooperative Education Certificate program, he has been recognized with the George Westinghouse Signature Award of Excellence, served as a Special Initiatives Fellow in Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, received the IEEE Third Millennium Medal, and earned Lean/Design for Six Sigma Green Belt certification. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the International Institute of Acoustics and Vibration, and the Society of Automotive Engineers. Professor Maguire’s work has been published in leading conference proceedings on acoustics, vibration, and signal processing, including the International Congress on Sound and Vibration, Internoise, the International Conference on Condition Monitoring and Machinery Failure Prevention Technologies, and the Global Signal Processing Conference. Representative publications include “Active Control Using Dynamic-rate Sampling,” “Noise Regulation Validity,” “The Psychological, Physiological, and Regulatory Value of Commercial Active Noise Reduction in Locomotive Cabs,” “Automated Condition Monitoring — A Natural Extension to Active Noise and Vibration Control,” and “Structured Macro Programming for Embedded DSP Code-sharing and Cross-platform Development.”

F R E D E R I C K F. J E N N Y P R O F E S S O R S H I P O F E M E R G I N G T E C H N O L O G Y Daniel White, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Daniel “Dan” White, Ph.D., joined the Valparaiso University faculty in 2013. He earned a bachelor of science, a master of science, and a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He teaches courses in Electronics I and II, Electronics I and II Labs, Power Electronics, Power Electronics Lab, and VLSI Design Principles and Tools. Professor White’s research focuses on analog electronics, audio processing and amplifiers, integrated circuit design, low-power electronics, mixed-signal processing, radio electronics and processing, and small satellites. He is a member of the American Radio Relay League, the American Society for Engineering Education, the Audio Engineering Society, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Professor White’s work has been published in leading journals and conference proceedings in analog and mixed-signal electronics, integrated circuit design, and audio engineering, including “Low-Power Analog Processing for Sensing Applications: Harmonic Signal Classification” in the IEEE Sensors Journal, “Analog Sensing Front-End System for Harmonic Signal Classification” presented at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, and “CMOS Self-Oscillating Class D Amplifier with Output Optimization” presented at an Audio Engineering Society Convention.

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Newly Tenured Members of the Faculty Randy Brush, MSPA, PA-C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Professor and Director of Didactic Education for the Physician Assistant Program Holly Cross ’14, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Professor of Psychology Jane Kenney-Hunt, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Professor of Biology David Lantis, M.S., Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Professor of Exercise Science Diego Piedra, DMA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Professor of Music Abbie Thompson, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Professor of Psychology

Full Professor Rank 2026–2027 AC A D E M I C Y E A R: Sedefka Beck, Ph.D. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professor of Economics Patrice Bouyer, Ph.D. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professor of Biology Jonathan Bull ’06, MLS .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professor of Library Science Christopher Iceman, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professor of Chemistry Matthew Luth, Ph.D. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professor of Business Luke Venstrom ’07, Ph.D. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Faculty Promotions Giosuè Alagna, M.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Lecturer of World Languages and Cultures Jessica Bruskoski, M.S., PA-C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Professor of Physician Assistant Studies

Members of the Faculty and Staff with 25, 30, and 40 Years of Service 25 YEARS OF SERVICE: Teresa Bals-Elsholz, Ph.D., Professor of Meteorology Ruth Connell, M.S., Professor of Library Science Joseph Creech, Ph.D., Executive Director, Lilly Network of Church-Related Colleges Lisa Driver, M.A., Ph.D., Professor of Religious Studies Stacy Hoult, Ph.D., Professor of World Languages and Cultures Carmine Polito, Ph.D., P.E., Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Laura Sanders, M.S., Executive Director for Student Success Rebecca (Becky) Strain, Associate Registrar Jeffrey Will, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

30 YEARS OF SERVICE: Cheryl Alt, Building Service Technician Charles Garber Jr., Chief of the Valparaiso University Police Department Colleen Seguin, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History Aimee Tomasek, MFA, Associate Professor of Communication and Visual Arts Doug Tougaw ’05 MBA, Ph.D., P.E., Dean of the College of Engineering

40 YEARS OF SERVICE: Patrick Sullivan, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics 1 0 | O P E N I N G C O N V O C AT I O N 2 0 2 6


New Full-Time Members of the Faculty Toni Ajayi, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Visiting Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering Seyyed Alaviani, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Visiting Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Peter Chiappetta, MBA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lecturer of Finance Jeremy Coleman, M.Ed.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lecturer of English for Academic Purposes Abbas Divani, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Visiting Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Mohammad Fathi, M.S.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Professor of Marketing Edward Finn, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Professor of Organizational Leadership Jacklyn Gleser, MSN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing Nicole Lachat, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Visiting Assistant Professor of English Dawn Miller, M.S.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lecturer of Accounting Ashleigh Peterson, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing William Phillips, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Professor of Management Michael Schwuchow, DNP, FNP-C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Professor of Nursing Nibedita Shrestha, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Professor of Social Work Nicole D. Smith, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Chinedu Ufodike, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Visiting Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management and Business Analytics Anne Elizabeth Wilson-Cotey, MLIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Visiting Assistant Professor of Library Science

New Full-Time Members of the Staff Mary Grace Almandrez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President’s Office Julie Ault. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Library Science Torrie Bartalone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Kasey Bolden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Access and Accommodations Resource Center Jarod Borem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Admission Megan Burch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . College of Engineering Loren Chandler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Finance and Administration April Combs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Facilities Management Tya Combs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Admission Carolyn Crowder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Valparaiso University Police Department Madison Cunningham ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Athletics Eliza Daugherty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Residential Life Raul De la Torre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Rodian Dodongo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Facilities Management Lisa Engle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Facilities Management Robert Enslen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics James Gleghorn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Jaklyn Hanipale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Workforce Development Kyle Hodge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Jerome Holland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Residential Life Eric Ingram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Finance Morgan Jordan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Facilities Management Julia Kelley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Deana Kennoy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Admission Nicole Klemp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marketing and Communications VA L P A R A I S O U N I V E R S I T Y | 1 1


New Full-Time Members of the Staff (continued) Bradley Koenig. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics The Reverend Brian Konkol ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� President’s Office Jaime Kuligowski. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Residential Life Kristin Lewis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapel of the Resurrection Brandon Long. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Debbie Lowenthal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Provost’s Office Greg Lumb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Eric Matanyi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marketing and Communications Benjamin Newsom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advancement Jose Ortiz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Facilities Management Robert Pampel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Provost’s Office Kaylee Pancek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Susannah Patterson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . College of Nursing and Health Professions Angel Primiani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graduate Admission John Prizner III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advancement Kimberly Prybell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Provost’s Office Jacqueline Ringler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advancement Justin Schiets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Ria Skinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Admission Cole Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Brandon Stroup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Valparaiso University Police Department Nicholas Sullivan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Kimberly Swisher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Admission Frances Terry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Finance Ricardo Torres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Stefani Trajceski. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Registrar Connor Vierstra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics Aalya Vora. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advancement Craig Wotta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletics

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Academic Attire On formal University occasions, the faculty appears in attire that can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The usual attire of the time, for both clergy and lay people, was a long gown, which was necessary for warmth in the unheated buildings of the day. Scholars, generally members of church orders, also wore such robes, as well as hoods to protect their shaved heads. The hood was sometimes used to collect alms from more affluent members of the community. As additional universities were founded, distinctive forms of gowns and hoods were adopted by their faculties. Variations indicated various ranks within an institution. When caps and hats later became fashionable, the hood became merely ornamental, draped over the shoulders and down the back. The use of academic attire in the United States has been continuous since colonial days. A uniform system was adopted by most institutions of higher learning near the end of the nineteenth century by an intercollegiate commission. This code of dress, reviewed and revised several times since its adoption, has become standard for most American colleges and universities. The most distinctive feature of American academic dress is the hood, which indicates by its color and design its wearer’s degree and the institution that conferred the degree. The hood is lined with the color of the college or university granting the degree (the holder of a degree granted by Valparaiso University wears a hood lined in brown and gold) and is faced with a color indicating the subject of specialization. Here is a partial list of colors associated with the various disciplines: Arts, Letters, Humanities ��������������������������������������������������� White Business Administration ������������������������������������������������������� Drab Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Copper Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Light Blue Engineering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orange Exercise Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Green Fine Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brown Journalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crimson Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Purple

Library Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lemon Yellow Music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pink Nursing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apricot Oratory, Speech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Silver Gray Philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dark Blue Physician Assistant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Green Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gold Social Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Citron Theology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scarlet

The academic cap was a later development in academic attire. It was first conferred as a symbol of a master’s degree. Some caps were stiff, some soft, some square, some round with a tuft in the center. The tassel of today is an elaboration of the tuft. Round caps are still used at some institutions. The mortarboard style of cap comes to us from Oxford University. The cap is usually black, like the gown, and its tassel is either black or in the color indicated above for a degree in a particular field. Gold tassels are worn by holders of doctoral degrees and by heads of institutions. Some members of Valparaiso University’s faculty hold degrees from universities in this country or abroad that do not follow the standard American pattern.

Symbols Two prominent symbols in academic ceremonies are the mace and the presidential medallion. The mace, representing the University’s authority, is carried by the president’s marshal during the academic procession. It features four key emblems: the University seal, the chi rho (a symbol of Christ), the Luther rose (reflecting the University’s Lutheran heritage), and the seal of the State of Indiana, along with smaller symbols representing academic disciplines and Christian virtues. The presidential medallion, worn at official ceremonies, bears the University seal on one side and the inscription “Official President’s Medal” on the other. The president also wears a custom robe with four gold-trimmed velvet chevrons and panels, each embroidered with the University seal. The hood is brown velvet lined with white and gold satin, reflecting Valpo’s colors.

VA L P A R A I S O U N I V E R S I T Y | 1 3


1 4 | O P E N I N G C O N V O C AT I O N 2 0 2 6


VA L P A R A I S O U N I V E R S I T Y | 1 5


VA L P O. E D U

The Chapel of the Resurrection is built on the traditional homelands of several indigenous peoples, most notably the Potawatomi (Bodéwadmik) Nation. The land was ceded by Potawatomi leaders to the U.S. federal authorities on October 26, 1832, as part of the Treaty of Tippecanoe. We meet in this place indebted to this forced generosity. Some of the indigenous population successfully resisted removal. Members of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi (Pokégnek Bodéwadmik) established a sovereign government in Dowagiac, Michigan, and continue to live, work, and worship as our neighbors.


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The 98th Annual Opening Convocation Program | Valparaiso University by Valparaiso University - Issuu