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OBU to Graduate Seventy-one Today

December 14, 2001

Seventy-one students will have degrees conferred upon them during Oklahoma Baptist University's 2001 Winter Commencement today (Friday) at 2 p.m. in the university's Raley Chapel.

Ford Mastin, assistant professor of health, physical education and recreation, and recipient of OBU's 2001 Most Promising Teacher award will deliver the commencement address. The program also will include greetings by officials from the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and the OBU Alumni Association.

Two students will graduate with the scholastic predicate Summa Cum Laude for maintaining at least a 3.95 grade point average on all work offered for their degrees. They are Laura M. Norton, a musical arts major from Winters, Texas; and Betsy Ruth Stevenson, a Spanish education major from New Ulm, Minn., who also will graduate with honors.

In addition to the summa cum laude designation, several students will graduate with scholastic predicates. Students who maintained at least at 3.70 GPA on work toward their degrees will be designated magna cum laude. Students who maintained at least a 3.40 GP on work toward their degrees will be designated cum laude.

From the Joe L. Ingram School of Christian Service, candidates for bachelor's degrees include: Nancy Ruth Bailey, education ministry major, magna cum laude, from Longmont, Colo.; Nathan P. Carrio, youth ministry, Duncan; Scott Alan Cross, youth ministry, Bartlesville; Matthew Todd Gragg, youth ministry, Ardmore; Tiffany Kay Moeller, cross-cultural ministry, Katy, Texas; Deborah Renee Pridemore, interdisciplinary, magna cum laude, Haysville, Kan.; Billy John Ricks, pastoral ministry, Oklahoma City; Cristopher Matthew Simpson, religion, Chillicothe, Mo.; Daniel Carson Wright, pastoral ministry, Prague; and James Andrew Wright, youth ministry, Rockwall, Texas.

Candidates for associate of arts degrees from the Joe L. Ingram School of Christian Service are Earnest Everett Turner, Christian studies, Oklahoma City, and John Edward Watkins, Christian studies, Dewey. Robert Paul Carter, from Norman, will be awarded a diploma in Christian service.

From the Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts, candidates for bachelor's degrees include: William Raymond Burgin III, theatre, cum laude, Mineola, Texas; Kathy Lavina Cripps, music education, magna cum laude, Ponca City; Joshua David Dumbleton, organ performance, Oklahoma City; Sara Elizabeth King, art, Haslet, Texas; Christopher Philip Klimas, communication studies, Broken Arrow; Thomas E. Morgan, theory and composition, cum laude, Albuquerque, N.M.; and Brandy Melissa Trout-Gibson, theatre, Shawnee.

From the College of Arts and Sciences, candidates for bachelor's degrees include: Ashlie Renae Anderson, exercise and sports science, Shawnee; Sarah Marie Anno, English, magna cum laude, Ponca City; Keysha Ann Bogges, family development and missions, Parker, Colo.; Carrie Catherine Bradley, interdisciplinary, Russellville, Ark.; Joseph Ford Brewster, English, magna cum laude, Villa Lourdes, Philippines; Trisha Marie Burns, family psychology, Wagoner; Matthew Justin Caldwell, public relations, Ponca City; Jennifer Lee Calvert, exercise and sports science, magna cum laude, Purcell; Shannon Renee Conner, exercise and sports science, Shawnee; Andrew Edward Dinkins, French, magna cum laude, Chiang Mai, Thailand; Kristen Leigh Ferguson, family psychology, Fort Smith, Ark.; Julie Dawn Gragg, interdisciplinary, magna cum laude with honors, Norman; Douglas Morgan Green, recreation administration, Broken Arrow; Stephanie Anne Hackler, childcare administration, Coral Springs, Fla.; Jennifer Sauceda Hedrick, psychology, Tulsa; Jacey Rachele Howard, exercise and sports science, cum laude, Sayre; Amanda Kaye Isenhower, elementary education, Claremore; Nicholas F. Jackson, exercise and sports science, Loomis, Calif.; Matthew Patrick Jordan, chemistry, cum laude, Wichita, Kan.; Lindsy Rae Kernal, mathematics education, cum laude, Shawnee; Stacey Nicole Kirkland, psychology, Carrollton, Texas; Shannon Dawn McGraw, family psychology, Oklahoma City; Brian Samuel Nelson, chemistry education, magna cum laude, Oklahoma City; Wynter Lashoun Olson, family psychology, cum laude, Edmond; Randy Eldon Overton, mathematics education, magna cum laude, Covington; Jamie Lynn Pickard, recreation administration, Springdale, Ark.; Amanda Lynn Powell, recreation administration, Dewey; Holly Beth Rolofson, exercise and sports science, cum laude, Duncan; Julia Lynn Ryser, social sciences education, Owasso; Kirsten Nicole Spears, psychology, magna cum laude, Shawnee; Margaret Elizabeth St. John, Spanish, Mountain View, Calif.; Tamra Beth Story, early childhood education, Claremore; Stephanie Nicole Taylor, interdisciplinary, Guymon; Melanie Dawn Vaughan, family psychology, Broken Arrow; Brian Mark Whitlock, health, physical education and recreation, Altus; and Kyong Duncan Wilson, elementary education (second degree), Shawnee.

From the Paul Dickinson School of Business, candidates for bachelor's degrees include: Gary Chad Barton, finance, magna cum laude, Harrah; Joel Clifton Bryant, finance, Choctaw; Brandy Nicole Campbell, management, Moore; Jason Todd Elliott, marketing, Albuquerque, N.M.; Jeremiah L. Geren, finance, Lawton; Amy Leigh Holland, marketing, Tulsa; James Andrew Jenkins, computer science, Chickasha; Christopher Michael Kidd, finance, magna cum laude, Altus; Anthony Wade King, management, Ponca City; Daniel Littlebear, management, Norman; Samantha Christine McNeal, management, Owasso; Rebecca Leigh Oates, finance, Plano; and James A. Rolofson, management, Duncan.

In addition to the Winter graduation exercises, OBU will have spring graduation on May 18, 2002. The university has 1,933 students enrolled this semester. Approximately 375 will graduate during this academic year.