Colleges and universities have released news about the academic achievements and graduations of local students.
Honors
The following local students earned academic honors at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the spring 2019 semester. Those named to the dean’s list had academic records of 3.5 or above. Those named to the president’s list had academic records of 4.0 (all As). All honorees must be full-time undergraduate students.
Dean’s list honorees include Tyler Gentry of Arlington; Wesley Lim and Caroline Tucker, both of Bartlett; and Aubrey Barnes, Baylor Bearden, Lauren Hollis and Daniel Milligan, all of Lakeland. President’s list honorees include Molly Shearer and Kyatt Spessert, both of Arlington; Kamryn Carpenter, Rachel Evans, Lauren Harrell, Alexis Hivner, Lexie Kimler, Daphne Strong and McKenzie Woodall, all of Bartlett; and Bailey Bridgers, Jacob Brockwell, Molly Fullick, Anna Horner, Parker Hutchens, Ashley Milligan and Jonathan Richards, all of Lakeland.
Spencer Nelson of Lakeland earned the distinction of faculty honors for spring 2019 at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Ga. This designation is awarded to undergraduate students who have a 4.0 academic average for the semester.
Caleb M. Cranford of Bartlett was named to the spring 2019 dean’s list at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Cranford is studying in the School of Music. Eligible students are Baylor undergraduates with a minimum grade-point average of 3.7 while enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours.
Britney Bost of Bartlett and Rachel Lock of Lakeland have been named to the spring 2019 dean’s list for Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark. Qualifying students must compile at least a 3.5 grade point average and be classified as a full-time student, with a minimum of 12 academic hours and have no incomplete or failing grade for the semester.
Oksana Durkee of Lakeland has been named to the spring 2019 dean’s list at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Qualifying students must have completed at least nine credit hours and earned at least a 3.5 grade point average. The student also must not have any D, F, I, or “No Credit” grades on their semester grade report.
Megan Cheng of Lakeland has been named to the spring 2019 president’s honor roll at Oklahoma City University. To be eligible, students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours during a semester and maintain a GPA of 3.9 or higher.
Three area students have been named to the 2019 spring dean’s list for Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville: Carrie Carlisle of Arlington, a graduate of Tennessee School for the Blind; William Huckaby of Arlington, a graduate of Arlington High School; and Sarah Waddell of Bartlett, a graduate of Houston High School. Qualifying undergraduates must attain a semester grade point average of 3.50 or higher on a 4.00 grading scale. Traditional undergraduates must be enrolled full-time, while non-traditional undergraduates must have completed 12 or more hours between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2019.
Emma Bethea of Bartlett, a nursing major, has been named to the 2019 spring dean’s list for Samford University in Birmingham. Qualifying students must have earned a minimum 3.5 grade point average out of a possible 4.0 while attempting at least 12 credit hours of coursework.
Karen Denise Foster-Qualls of Bartlett has been named to the summer 2019 president’s list at Southwestern Oklahoma State University at Weatherford, Okla. An undergraduate student who earns all A’s in six or more hours during the summer semester qualifies for the President’s Honor Roll.
Carys Pittman of Bartlett has been named to the spring 2019 dean’s list for York College in York, Neb. Pittman is the child of John and Stacey Pittman of Bartlett and is a 2018 homeschool graduate. As a freshman at York College, Pittman is on the competitive cheer and dance team. To be named to the dean’s list, students must carry 12 or more graded hours and achieve a semester grade point average of at least 3.75 with no incomplete grades and no grade below “C” for the semester.
Graduations
Richard Sevilla of Lakeland graduated from Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., on May 3 with a master of divinity degree in master of divinity.
The following local students graduated from Nazarene University in Nashville in the May 4 commencement: Loistean Barnes of Memphis, master’s degree inb organizational leadership; Lauren Hope Fritjofson of Lakeland, a bachelor of science degree in social work; Uy Tin Nguyen of Lakeland, bachelor of science degree; and Alexander Montrel Walton of Bartlett, master of organizational leadership.
The following local students graduated from The University of Mississippi on May 11 at the university’s 166th commencement: Taylor Dowden of Arlington, bachelor of arts degree; Joshua Parisotto of Arlington, bachelor of accountancy degree; Alyson Eftink of Arlington, bachelor of science degree in exercise science; Abby Smith of Lakeland, bachelor of arts degree; Hannah Leatherwood of Arlington, bachelor of accountancy degree; Alec Mabry of Arlington, bachelor of science degree in criminal justice; Bryanna Hall of Arlington, bachelor of arts degree in education; Thomas McFann of Arlington, bachelor of science degree in computer science; Bethany Fields of Lakeland, bachelor of business administration degree; Markel Atkins of Memphis, bachelor of business administration degree; Jamal Sanderson of Memphis, bachelor of university studies; and Cara Carpenter of Memphis, bachelor of science degree in geological engineering.
The following local students graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., at the 132nd spring commencement on May 11: Jaret Webb of Arlington, bachelor of arts degree in communication sciences and disorders; Rachel Lock, summa cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in nutrition and dietetics; Britney Bost of Memphis, cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in communication sciences and disorders and sociology; and Zach Mahan of Memphis, bachelor of arts degree in business administration/management and marketing.
Park University in Parkville, Mo., has announced the following local graduates who received degrees at its May 11, 2019, commencement ceremony at the Community of Christ Auditorium in Independence, Mo.: Christian J. Patterson Sr. of Bartlett, master of business administration degree in management information systems, a graduate of Trezevant High School in Memphis; Faith Patterson of Bartlett, master of healthcare administration degree in healthcare administration, a graduate of Bolton High School in Arlington; Shermaine Marchella Stuckey of Cordova, master of healthcare administration in healthcare administration and a graduate certificate in human resource management, a graduate of Cordova High School; and Olivia V. Likely of Cordova, cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in management/healthcare.
The following local residents were awarded a degree at the University of the South’s 2019 spring commencement ceremonies held in All Saints’ Chapel on the Sewanee campus on May 12: Trey Alexander Claus of Memphis, the child of Eric A. Claus of Cordova, bachelor of science degree in biology, magna cum laude; Mary Jane McCaghren of Memphis, the child of Lori and Matthew B. McCaghren, bachelor of arts degree in English, summa cum laude; Abigail Katherine Warr of Memphis, the child of Megan & A. Graham Warr of Memphis, bachelor of arts degree in psychology, magna cum laude; William Henry Merriman of Memphis, the child of Jennifer A. & W. Keith Merriman of Memphis, bachelor of arts degree in English with honors, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa; and Trey Alexander Claus of Memphis, the child of Dawn D. Palmer of Memphis, bachelor of science degree in biology, magna cum laude.
Tulane University in New Orleans, La., awarded degrees to the following local students on May 18 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Cordova graduates included Bradley Reber, bachelor of science degree from the School of Liberal Arts; and Monica Smith, master of jurisprudence degree from the School of Law. Memphis graduates included Raven Cox, bachelor of science degree from the School of Science & Engineering; Tamzen Jenkins, post-baccalaureate certificate from the School of Professional Advancement; William Zoccola, bachelor of science degree in management from the A. B. Freeman School of Business; Dena Frisch, bachelor of science degree in management and master of accounting degree from the A. B. Freeman School of Business; Max Meyer, bachelor of science degree in management from the A. B. Freeman School of Business; and Jackson Klug, a juris doctor degree from the School of Law.
Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) honored graduates from the College’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Programs with a pinning ceremony on June 13. Graduates of DSCC’s EMT Certificate program included Robert Dustin Gibson of Arlington and Cody Wyatt Smith of Cordova. The ceremony took place inside the Baptist Memorial Health Care Academic Building Auditorium at the DSCC Jimmy Naifeh Center at Tipton County.
The following local residents have earned a degree from Western Governors University (WGU). Bartlett graduates include Teresa Rippee, bachelor of science degree in health informatics; Rhonda Turri, bachelor of science degree in nursing; Jennifer Parotte, bachelor of science degree in nursing; Shanna Rodgers, master of science degree in nursing leadership and management; Paul Jones, bachelor of science degree in information technology; Kimberley Papple, bachelor of arts degree in interdisciplinary studies (K-8); and Aaron Barbas, bachelor of science degree in software development. Arlington graduates include Gina Bryant, master of science degree in nursing leadership and management; Tracee Shoaff, master of business administration degree; Joseph Ladd, bachelor of science degree in business management; Kathrine Liberto, bachelor of science degree in business management; Tammy Brooks, bachelor of science degree in nursing; and Alissa Thomas, bachelor of science degree in nursing. Lakeland graduates included Michelle Feuerborn, master of arts in teaching, elementary education (K-8); and Frank Muhammad, bachelor of science degree in business – information technology management. Cordova graduates include Percynthia Thomas, master of science degree in nursing education; DeNina Cunningham, master of science degree in nursing leadership and management; Shannon Fite, bachelor of science degree in nursing; Germil Ware, bachelor of science degree in IT with a networks administration emphasis; Linda Flagg, bachelor of science degree in business management; LaShonda Bolton, master of business administration degree in healthcare management; Wendy Simpson, bachelor of science degree in nursing; and James Vincent, bachelor of science degree in business management. Memphis graduates include Ellen Munoz, bachelor of science degree in business management; Shana Rivers, master of science degree in curriculum and instruction; Francis Kalapurackal, master of science degree in cybersecurity and information assurance; Nadine Hopper, bachelor of arts degree in special education; Melina Mansour, bachelor of science degree in nursing; and Rion Cross, bachelor of science degree in business management.
The following local students graduated this spring from Bethel University in McKenzie, Tenn.: Louis Brandon Mitchell of Bartlett, bachelor of science degree; Antwaneisha Ja’nelle Maborn of Bartlett, associate of applied science degree; Lashana Rachelle Webster of Bartlett, master of business administration degree; Leslie D. Wilkes of Bartlett, bachelor of science degree; Shermondria Yvett Ransom of Memphis, master of business administration degree; and Pamela Ann Taylor of Memphis, master of business administration degree. Commencement was held on May 4 in the Rosemary and Harry Crisp II Arena in McKenzie.
The following area students graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in the spring 2019 session: Oksana Durkee of Lakeland, an associate of science degree in American Sign Language studies, and Sara Swisher of Bartlett, a master of public service degree in public service. UA Little Rock honored the spring 2019 graduates during a May 11 ceremony at the Jack Stephens Center.
Madison Manley of Memphis graduated from Troy University in Troy, Ala., during the 2019 spring semester. Manley received a bachelor of science degree.
Acceptance
Meera Patel of Arlington has been accepted into veterinary school. She will become the University of Tennessee at Martin’s first student to attend the Louisiana State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Special programs
University of Alabama student Aubrey Barnes of Lakeland participated in UA’s Cooperative Education Program for summer 2019, working at ACIPCO. In the Cooperative Education Program, more than 280 students alternate periods of full-time study with periods of full-time employment. This program offers work related to the academic major or career interests of each student.
Claire Ward of Bartlett joined more than 700 other Belmont University students who participated in one of 45 faculty-led Maymester and Summer Study Abroad programs. Ward spent time in Belmont’s Ghana program for college credit this summer. Belmont, located in Nashville, has programs based in Australia, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Israel, N. Ireland, Morocco, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania and more.
