By Gerard Flanagan, news writer/photographer/social media, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. –Dr. Lisa Allen, dean of the School of Education at Campbellsville University, told the candidates for pinning and hooding during the School of Education’s pinning and hooding ceremony at Campbellsville Baptist Church they had benefited from a strong support network to get to where they are now.
Allen encouraged them to “seek out those people (family, friends, faculty) who encouraged and helped them along the way after all of the celebration subsided.”
She reminded them no one gets to where they are on their own.
“We all have people who mentor and invest in us,” Allen said.
Ezra Angelica del Angel Ochaeta from Belize, who graduated with a degree in early childhood education, thanked her instructors who she said made her learning experience “fruitful.”
“Their knowledge, assistance, teaching strategies, and patients made my learning experience successful,” she said.
“The Campbellsville University School of Education is a wonderful program to be a part of, and we owe thanks to every single professor or staff member that has helped get us to where we are now.”
She told her classmates she has learned to appreciate the full growth of a student.
“When I started thinking of why I began teaching early childhood education, I can only remember a video I saw about the first 100 days and how it is essential for his brain development,” she said. “So I thought if 100 days are so important, imagine what eight years can do.”
She told her fellow classmates to “never lose the motivation and drive that each of you have.”
“You all inspire me to be the best teacher possible,” she said. “Each of you will impact your students immensely.”
Morgan Stone, of Utica, Ky., who graduated with a degree in P-5 and P-12 special education, said teaching is a “beautiful profession to be in.”
“Teaching is such a rewarding career, and that will never, ever change,” Stone said.
Stone thanked the School of Education faculty, as well as friends and family, for their support.
“The Campbellsville University School of Education is a wonderful program to be apart of,” Stone said, “and we owe thanks to every single professor or staff member that has helped get us to where we are now.
“Thank you to the friends and families that are here celebrating with us today. Thank you all for always supporting us through our college career.”
Stone also thanked each of her classmates.
“I want to specifically thank each of my classmates for walking along this journey with me, helping me when needed, and always being supportive,” she said. “I have enjoyed my time spent here at CU, and I hope you all have as well.”
Dr. Donna Hedgepath, provost and vice president for academic affairs, gave the invocation.
Dr. Elisha Lawrence, associate professor of education and assessment coordinator, gave the benediction. Susan Burress, instructor in education, was the pianist.
Dr. Robin Magruder, associate professor of education and undergraduate chair; Dr. Sharon Hundley, professor of education and ECE/IECE chair; Dr. Dottie Davis, assistant professor of education; Dr. James Dantic, associate professor of education and student teaching coordinator; and Don Cheatham, assistant professor of education and computer information systems, assisted with pinning the candidates.
Pinning candidates, listed by their degree, are as follows:
Early Childhood Education—Eleta Brown, Faith Coe, Ezra Del Angel Ochaeta, Xenia Penados, Neckesha Pratt, Arlette Serano and Elsa Magaña, all of Belize; Kayla Ferguson of Calhoun, Ky.; Bethany Perkins of Simpsonville, Ky.; Morgan Roney of Lebanon, Ky.;
and Mandy White of Morganfield, Ky.
Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education—Mikatlyn Dye of Hartford, Ky.; Macy Goodley of Henderson, Ky.; Kayli Gregory of Whitley City, Ky.; and Taylor Simpson of Gravel Switch, Ky.
P-5 Elementary Education—Kaitlyn Dadisman of Campbellsville, Ky.; Meredith Drury of La Grange, Ky.; Chandler Feltner of Somerset, Ky.; Brittany Harper of Somerset, Ky.; Abby Maupin of Lebanon, Ky.; and Hope Owens of Russell Springs, Ky.
P-5 and P-12 Special Education—Morgan Stone of Utica, Ky.
5-12 Middle and Secondary Education—Rebekah Dwyer of Louisville, Ky.; Richard “Andy” Hughes of New Haven, Ky.; and Caleb Warren of Harrodsburg, Ky.
P-12, Elementary/Middle/Secondary Education—Mackenzie Carney of Campbellsville, Ky.; Carly Clark of Lebanon, Ky.; Kaleigh Foster of Mt. Washington, Ky.; Eric Quinn of Campbellsville, Ky.; Robin Rutledge of Magnolia, Ky.; and Jordan Smallwood of Elizabethtown, Ky.
Dr. Valerie Flanagan, associate professor of education and chair of the graduate program, and Dr. Franklin Thomas, assistant professor of education and assistant chair of the graduate program, hooded the candidates.
Hooding candidates, listed by their degrees, are as follows:
Teacher Leader Master of Arts in Education—Paula Adams of Bowling Green, Ky.; Nadine Bonet of Rineyville, Ky.; Christina Campbell of Thornton, Colo.; Chris Carman of Hanson, Ky.; Ashley Compher of Louisville, Ky.; Melissa Downey of Shelbyville, Ky.;
Benjamin Edwards of Elizabethtown, Ky.; Noel Marpna of Wilmore, Ky.; Kelly Martineau of Owensboro, Ky.; Andrew McPherson of Wilmore, Ky.; and Jessica Sutherland of Louisville, Ky.
Teacher Leader Master of Arts in Special Education—Tessa Boggs of Somerset, Ky.; Marian Clark of Fort Knox, Ky.; Suzanna Cupp of Somerset, Ky.; Sarah Davis of Lancaster, Ky.; Penny Ellis of Ekron, Ky.; Sarah Gibson of Campbellsville, Ky.;
James Jenkins of Alexandria, Ky.; Peyton Johnston of Louisville, Ky.; Andrew McIntosh of Florence, Ky.; Sarah Poore of Glasgow, Ky.; Rachel Sims of Bowling Green, Ky.; Felicia Swift of Caneyville, Ky.; and Kaitlyn Young of Madisonville, Ky.
Master of Arts in Education in School Counseling—Heather Beltran of Fresno, Calif.; Allison Benedict of Campbellsville, Ky.; Emily Benningfield of Louisville, Ky.; Ciera Boyter of Bowling Green, Ky.; Tinisa Branch-Ware of Memphis, Tenn.;
Christie Burnette of Lawrenceburg, Ky.; Krista Camp of Owensboro, Ky.; Haley Carr of Lexington, Ky.; Joseph Cummings of Madisonville, Ky.; Susan Dabney of Campbellsville, Ky.; Nora Doebrich of Rochester, N.Y.; Hailey Duff of Louisville, Ky.; Cammie Evans of Cadiz, Ky.;
Paul Gessel of West Richland, Wash.; Jena Glass of Louisville, Ky.; Amber Gootee of Loretto, Ky.; Allison Goyette of Bristol, Tenn.; Amanda Greenlee of Lexington, Ky.; Grace Haberman of Lexington, Ky.; Deedra Hicks of Lexington, Ky.;
Clay Hooper of Elizabethtown, Ky.; Lydia Inkso-Grady of Rineyville, Ky.; Breanna Jaggers of Louisville, Ky.; Cheyenne Matney of Campbellsville, Ky.; Olivia Miles of New Albany, Ind.; Katie Newton of Vine Grove, Ky.; Kaitlyn Overstreet of Harrodsburg, Ky.;
Sarah Preston of Jeffersonville, Ky.; Kimberly Proffitt of Richmond, Ky.; Kayla Raney of Lexington, Ky.; Lauren Reese of Okatie, S.C.; Amber Robinson of Bloomfield, Ky.; Tyra Sengkhamyong of Dunnville, Ky.; Asia Sims of Lexington, Ky.;
Caroline Starnes of Cleveland, Tenn.; Bree Sturgill of Georgetown, Ky.; Katelynn Taylor of Louisville, Ky.; Madison Tooley of Jeffersonville, Ind.; Kayla Troxtle-Wilson of Somerset, Ky.; Kaylin Walker-Montgomery of Lexington, Ky.; and Misty Wills of Franklin, Ky.
Master of Arts in Special Education—Donna Brumfield of Lewisburg, Ky.; Erin Glass of Shepherdsville, Ky.; Rachel Hughes of Louisville, Ky.; and Rebecca Stewart of Georgetown, Ky.
Master of Arts in Educational Administration— Michelle Buck, Melissa Clark, John Beard, Karey Sellers, Aretha Whaley and Rachyl Cundiff, all of Liberty, Ky.; Bobbie Barrier of Monticello, Ky.; Christina Bishop of Campbellsville, Ky.; Eric Carman of Bethelridge, Ky.;
Chadwick Davidson of Paducah, Ky.; Ginger Emerson of Liberty, Ky.; Stacey Fish of Henderson, Ky.; Alexandria Goggin of Stanford, Ky.; Ryan Grattan of Shelbyville, Ky.; Joshua Hartlage of Louisville, Ky.; Jessica Hogue of Liberty, Ky.; David Hughes of Frankfort, Ky.;
Jayne Litton, Hanna Lobb, Monica Parnell, Rebecca Pinson and Melissa Melton, all of Campbellsville, Ky.; Ecil Miller of Munfordville, Ky.; David Minnicks of Bowling Green, Ky.; Sydney Newton of Campbellsville, Ky.; Michael Powers of Hauchuca City, Ariz.;
Lesyle Rice of Monticello, Ky.; Michelle Rojas Castillo of Bowling Green, Ky.; Berlinda Stockdale of Bardstown, Ky.; Dustin Toy of Mt. Sterling, Ky.; and Nathan Willoughby of Hardyville, Ky.
Master of Arts in School Improvement—Rachel Bass of Flatwoods, Ky.; Christen Bonfield of Covington, Ky.; Tracy Canete of Pekin, Ill.; Paula Carey of Floyds Knobs, Ind.; Johnna Cooper of Shelbyville, Ky.; Lyndsey Embry of Russellville, Ky.;
Virginia Grimes of Lancaster, Ky.; Larry Humphrey of Bowling Green, Ky.; Darlene King of Louisville, Ky.; Sarah Kinney of Elizabethtown, Ky.; Lisa Parry of Louisville, Ky.; Frances Scott of Louisville, Ky.; Tiffany Skeens of Jamestown, Ky.; Aubrey Skutt-Davis of Elk Horn, Ky.;
Stephanie Terry of Versailles, Ky.; and Tamara Thompson of Louisville, Ky.
Master of Arts in Teaching—Rachel Carpenter of Louisville, Ky.; Adam Centers of Lexington, Ky.; Cara Duggins of Louisville, Ky.; Mofolusho Falade of Lexington, Ky.; Angela Garrett of Lebanon, Ky.; Joshua Hampton of Bronston, Ky.; Ashley Hensley of Hardyville, Ky.;
Victoria Hill of Bowling Green, Ky.; Dylan Joiner of Brandenburg, Ky.; Allison Mattingly of Lebanon, Ky.; Eliza Myers of Lexington, Ky.; Karen Rogers of Louisville, Ky.; Margaret Spalding of Lebanon, Ky.; Taylor Tillman of Louisville, Ky.; Alisha Walters of Sebree, Ky.; and Krystal Whitaker of London, Ky.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university that has enrolled up to 12,000 students yearly. The university offers over 100 programs of study including doctoral, masters, bachelors, associate and certification programs. The website for complete information is www.campbellsville.edu.