VCU SSW December 2025 Commencement

Order of exercise

Marshals and banner bearers • LaKesha Bennett, B.S.W. marshal • Deborah Darlington, banner bearer • Zay Diamond-Tapper, banner bearer • Julie Harrison, banner bearer • Kyleigh Hynes, M.S.W. marshal • Kimberly King, Ph.D. marshal • Kristal Parada, banner bearer Processional • Faculty and guests • M.S.W. graduates Welcome • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D., dean and professor Commencement speaker • Fatima M. Smith, M.S.W. Recognition of M.S.W. graduates • Qasarah Bey Spencer, Ed.D., director, M.S.W. Program M.S.W. student speaker • Isis Miller-Boyd Hooding of M.S.W. graduates • Kimberly Compton, Ph.D. • Yifan Lou, Ph.D., M.S.W. • Nicole L. Lee, Ph.D. • Lashawnda Singleton, M.P.A. Awarding of M.S.W. diplomas • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D. • Qasarah Bey Spencer, Ed.D. Reading of M.S.W. graduate names • Sarah Burton-Everette, M.Ed. • Humberto E. Fabelo, Ph.D., LCSW Closing remarks • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D. Recessional

Acknowledgements Thank you to all the administrative staff members in the School of Social Work for their contributions to the school, its students and faculty. Special thanks to all the student volunteers assisting with the ceremony.

Photography: Photo Specialties and Bridget Hazel; American Sign Language interpreters: Mosaic Interpreting Services; live streaming operations: Advanced Visual Productions

Alumni Happy Hour Twin Hickory Tavern 1420 N. Parham Road, Henrico 5-7 p.m.

Thursday, May 28, 2026 Conversation & complimentary refreshments Scan here for more information

See back cover for floor plan/seating details.

Commencement speaker Fatima M. Smith (M.S.W.12), is an unapologetic Black woman, survivor, social worker and “social momtrepreneur” who has spent over 15 years advocating for communities free from violence and oppression. She is the founder of FMS Speaks, LLC, a platform designed to ignite brave conversations around racial justice, interpersonal violence and systemic inequities. Her guiding belief is simple yet profound: “A person who can describe a problem can also describe a solution – they just need time, space and resources.”

Fatima’s work spans state and local government, higher education and nonprofit sectors, where she’s known for her collaborative approach to professional development and her ability to engage professionals in honest dialogue about power, privilege and oppression. As a social worker, she’s built interagency partnerships that have transformed service delivery models to better meet the needs of survivors and communities of the global majority. Her advocacy is rooted in trauma-informed, solution-focused practices with a racial justice lens.

Her lived experience as a survivor of sexual assault and intimate partner violence informs how she sees the world, but is not the only way she wants the world to see her. Fatima has championed legislative efforts in Virginia alongside Sen. McClellan, Sen. Boysko, and Delegate Tran to make youth sports safer, improve medical screening for abuse and eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual assault.

Fatima is a proud graduate of George Mason University, where she earned a B.S. in administration of justice and founded the Mr. & Miss Black GMU Scholarship Pageant. She holds a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University and has served as adjunct faculty at VCU and assistant professor at Virginia Union University. She currently serves as chief deputy clerk of Chesterfield Circuit Court.

Her accolades include Richmond Times-Dispatch Person of the Year, VCU’s 10 Under 10, GMU’s Top 50 Exemplar Alumni, and Style Weekly’s Top 40 Under 40. She is the co-founder of Collective 365, a philanthropic network that has invested over $90,000 of unrestricted grant funds over five years to support Black and Brown communities across the DMV. Fatima is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and a proud mother who credits her success to the unwavering support of her own.

School Honors and Awards

Phi Alpha National Honor Society for Social Work Students M.S.W. Bree Ellis Cody Rae Kedy Sri Ranga Aruna Kodakalla Tiffany Lea Sersen B.S.W. Kiera Bargamin Megan Cook Micah Washington Student Field Impact Award M.S.W. Michael Verner

Undergraduate, Graduate and Doctoral Support Scholars Bill and Sherry Peterson Scholarship M.S.W. Sara Cochran Drs. Rosemary & David Farmer Public Mental Health Scholarship M.S.W. Michael Verner Joanne Kerbs Caramanica Scholarship M.S.W. Laura A. Longhine Isobel O’Hare Judy M. Thomas “Dr. T.” B.S.W. Scholarship M.S.W. Faith Arata

Mary Dotson and Charles Lane Cartledge IV Endowed Scholarship M.S.W. Rocio Escobedo

Dual Degree, Certificate, Cooperative and Certification Program Recipients

Pamela B. Nystrom Memorial Scholarship Fund M.S.W. Michael Verner

Certification in School Social Work M.S.W. August 2025 Alisha Lewis Catalina Marquez Ashley Tyner December 2025 Amna Babar Tammi Coleman Rocio Escobedo B.S.W. August 2025 Olivia Kerns

Rick and Brenda Faulkner Scholarship M.S.W. Kimberley Carter Swank-Divine Scholarship M.S.W. Tara Campanella Thomas Carlton Memorial Scholarship M.S.W. Isobel O’Hare William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarship for Social Workers in Aging M.S.W. Michael Verner Child Welfare Stipend Program M.S.W. August 2025 Faith Arata Aleta Carter Alexandra Cornwell Brittney Tipton Michael Verner December 2025 Victoria Kayode Bret Vollmer

M.S.W. Graduates

August 2025 graduates Adams, Lacey T. Alston, Tiara Arata, Faith Ascencio-Gomez, Imelda Ba, Ramata Banks, Kayla Blackstone, Shelly Brown, Chrys Bumbrey, Trenity Cantatore, Elisabetta Carter, Aleta Carter, Kimberley Charity, Kiara Cochran, Sara Coleman, Lisa S. Collins, Michael Cornwell, Alex Daniels, NaRayel Korrine Davila, Scarleth Eatmon, Alexandria Edwards, Shawnta Elliott, Taylor Everett, Katherine Fanous Kamel, Irene Gee, Chevelle Gilmer, Amelia Glowacki, Michaela Hart, Wesley Hawkins, Jahnese Hildebrand-Travis, Q Hill, Alyshia Houser, Courtney Hurd, Charlie Izadkhast, Fardad Joyce, Julianne Jungers, Caroline Khan, Sally Kirnon, Chervern Kranz, Lauren Kronmeister, Kelsey Larney, Zoya Laverty, Alyce Lawson, Sarah Lewis, Alisha Lichtenstein, Samantha

Longhine, Laura A. Lutz, Grace Marquez, Catalina Miller, Ashton Mitchell, Stephenie Monroe, Nicole Pena, Marina Perez Pardo, Nicole Perez, Elena Postupack, Mariah Ramirez, Wendy Riggi, Catarina Rivera, Kaylyn Russell, Giulia Shank, Sarah Shenk, Lynne Shoolroy, Libby Silva, Alba R. Smith, Kailie Thomas, Jameicia Tipton, Brittney Trujillo Abundez, Yatzari Tyner, Ashley Venter, Taylor Verner, Michael Walker, Kayla Walser, Erika Walters, Jordynn Weaver, Teonna White, Chartres Williams, Keri Wills, Justine Wilson, Thone Wright, Kirsten December 2025 graduates Albert, Isabella Ayers-Underhill, Amelia Babar, Amna Barksdale, Whitney Beatty, Destiny Benitez Funes, Jenn Bolanos, Ginette Boyd, Cassiopeia Brown, Brianna Campanella, Tara Cole, Shamera Coleman, Tammi Conry, Alys Cornejo, Angie Croasdale, Kelsey

Crowder, Diana Dufrane, Madeline Ellis, Bree Escobedo, Rocio Fagan, Madison Franco, Carolyn Goodwin, Jasmine Gresham, Lauren Guerra, Alina Hall, Jessica Hand, Sophia Holland, Hannah Hunter, Samantha Imobisa, Janet Jones, Avery Jones, Jennifer Kayode, Victoria Kedy, Cody Rae Keller, Rachel King, Michele Kodakalla, Sri Lee, Ko Eun Leigh, Cheyenne Majors, Nancy McLaughlin, Carly Mellington, Elizabeth Miller-Boyd, Isis Napoleoni, Nyele O’’Hare, Isobel Oliver, Veronica Olli, Linnea Parker, Maseo Pavela, Jessica Peltzer, Emily Penny, Emma Phipps, Autumn Poole, Lameisha Powell, Mesha Rafael, Valeria Ramsay-McCord, Tamara Richardson, Jamara Ross, Lindsay Sersen, Tiffany Smith, Amber Stabryla, Alicia Stone, Sarah Tessier, Rachel Thomas, Tywana Trotter, Benita Tucker, Iyanna

Van Der Loo, Elise Vincent, Shelley Vollmer, Bret Walton, Kiah White-Gaynor, Brianna Wiley, Meghan Wojcik, Sarah

B.S.W. Graduates

August 2025 graduates Bargamin, Kiera Beckman, Emily Boutros, Madona Brooke-Eccles, Jo Cook, Megan Greene, Adrian Jennings, Kayla Kerns, Olivia Tamayo, Sharon++ Washington, Micah Young, Gabriella December 2025 graduates Berger, Sebastian + Nelson, Drew Oulai, Nitany ++ Magna cum laude (3.6-3.89 GPA) + Cum laude (3.3-3.59 GPA)

Only undergraduate students are eligible for honors designations.

Due to rigid time constraints, this program must be printed before the final list of degree candidates can be determined. The exclusion of the name of a student is not to be taken as an indication of official status as a non-graduate, nor is the inclusion of the name of a student to be taken as a certification of official status as a graduate.

Faculty • Amy Adkins, Ph.D., scientific writer • Adrienne Baldwin-White, Ph.D., assistant professor • Daniel Baslock, Ph.D., assistant professor • Qasarah Bey Spencer, Ed.D., assistant professor in teaching • Matthew Bogenschutz, Ph.D., associate professor • Denise Burnette, Ph.D., Samuel S. Wurtzel Endowed Faculty Chair in Social Work and professor • Jamie L. Cage, Ph.D., associate professor • Karen G. Chartier, Ph.D, professor • Kimberly S. Compton, Ph.D., assistant professor in teaching • Nicole A. Corley, Ph.D., associate professor • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D., professor • Cassie Desena-Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW, assistant professor in teaching • Humberto E. Fabelo, Ph.D., LCSW, associate professor • Mer Francis, Ph.D., assistant professor • Maurice N. Gattis, Ph.D., associate professor • Jacob Goffnett, Ph.D., assistant professor • McKenzie N. Green, Ph.D., assistant professor • Christina Huerta, Ph.D., assistant professor • Hyojin Im, Ph.D., associate professor

• Muthoni Imungi, Ph.D., associate professor in teaching • Erica Jackson, M.S.W., LCSW, assistant professor in teaching • Kyeongmo Kim, Ph.D., associate professor • Youngmi Kim, Ph.D., professor • Miriam Kuttikat, Ph.D., associate professor • Nicole L. Lee, Ph.D., associate professor in teaching • Yifan Lou, Ph.D., assistant professor • Ananda Newmark, Ph.D., associate professor in teaching • Stephanie G. Odera, Ed.D., associate professor in teaching • Nicole L. O-Pries, M.S.W., LCSW, associate professor in teaching • Jazmyn Porter, M.P.H., M.S.W., assistant professor in teaching • Klara Prachar, M.S.W., LCSW, assistant professor in teaching • Naomi Reddish, M.S.W., assistant professor • Allison K. Ryals, M.S.W., LCSW, associate professor in teaching • Rebecca Smith, Ph.D., instructor & program manager, undergraduate research • Ashley Staton, M.S.W., faculty field liaison • Alex Wagaman, Ph.D., associate professor • Traci L. Wike, Ph.D., associate professor

Administration and staff • Yakaira Alexander-Ramos, M.A., senior program field • Jazmyn Porter, M.P.H., M.S.W., director, field education coordinator • Naomi Reddish, M.S.W., administrator, community engaged • Allison Bell, M.A., senior financial specialist child and family well-being initiatives • LaKesha Bennett, B.A., senior recruitment specialist • Allison K. Ryals, M.S.W., LCSW, assistant director, B.S.W. • Qasarah Bey Spencer, Ed.D., director, M.S.W. Program Program • Camryn-Rachele Bosko, M.S.W., student success advisor • Daniela Sanzetenea, M.S.W., coordinator, Child Welfare • Sarah Burton-Everette, M.Ed., director, dual degrees, Stipend Program certificates, and credentialing; assistant • Mary Simpson, M.S.W., recruitment specialist, M.S.W. director-administration, M.S.W. Program Program • Lakeita Clarkson, M.S., student success advisor • Leetah Stanley, M.Th., senior development coordinator • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D., dean; associate dean, research; • Dannita Trice, M.Ed., alumni engagement officer interim associate dean, faculty affairs • Abby Van Esselstyn, M.S.W., program field coordinator • Deborah Darlington, M.S.W., student success advisor • Annie Wade, M.B.A., HR business partner • Omobolaji David-Ojumu, Ed.D., student success advisor • Stephanie Walker, M.A., Interim director of innovative • Zay Diamond-Tapper, B.A., academic coordinator, B.S.W. pedagogy and learning design Program • Micah Weedman, Ph.D., term prep designer • Kiara Faulks, M.A., academic coordinator, Ph.D. Program • Henrietta White, B.S., HR generalist • Liana Fino, B.S., senior research administrator • Traci L. Wike, Ph.D., director, Ph.D. Program • Stephanie Hart, Ed.D., interim director, finance shared service • Janina Holly, B.S., communications specialist • Kristin A. Hopkins, M.A., assistant, M.S.W. admissions • Kyleigh Hynes, M.S.W., program field coordinator • Kimberly King, administrative coordinator, field education • Geoff LoCicero, M.L.I.S., director, communications • Amanda Long, M.S.W., coordinator, community engaged child and family well-being initiatives • Jackie Maroney, fiscal services specialist • Katy Martin-Poindexter, A.A.S., HR generalist • Talaya Matthews, M.S.W., student success advisor • Vanessa McCauley, B.S.W., HR generalist • Dabney McDonald, M.S.W., student success advisor • Mieko Michelle, MA.Ed., coordinator, M.S.W. Program • Sterling Murray, B.S., senior administrative coordinator • Bahiya Nasuuna, M.P.H., student success advisor • Kellee Negussie, M.S.W., program field coordinator • Bennett Newman, M.B.A., senior financial administrator • Stephanie G. Odera, Ed.D., director, B.S.W. Program • Kristal Parada, M.S., assistant director, undergraduate advising • Robann Parsons, M.B.A., executive assistant to the dean

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work Academic Learning Commons 1000 Floyd Avenue, Third Floor Box 842027 Richmond, Virginia 23284-2027 Phone: (804) 828-1030 Email: sswinfo@vcu.edu Website: socialwork.vcu.edu

Altria Theater floor plan/seating details