Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) hosted its 46th annual Commencement Celebration at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon, May 7 in the Columbus East High School gymnasium.
According to the IUPUC Office of Registrar Services, there are 294 graduates in the Class of 2016, up from 289 in the Class of 2015. The IUPUC Interim Vice Chancellor & Dean, Dr. Lawrence Richards shares, “We are extremely pleased to report the largest number of graduates in any one year in the history of IUPUC.”
The keynote speaker for the commencement celebration is Laura M. Hurt, BSN, BGS. Ms. Hurt currently serves as the President of Our Hospice of South Central Indiana, the first not-for-profit, community-based hospice which provides end-of-life care for individuals and their families in 15 Indiana counties since 1980. Before her current position, Ms. Hurt was the Director of Volunteer Services and Director of Diversity Strategies at Columbus Regional Hospital.
Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, Ms. Hurt came to the United States for one year of high school in 1978 as an exchange student to learn English. She met her future husband while here, and after she had finished four years of college study in medicine in Mexico, she moved to Columbus. Ms. Hurt has two Indiana University degrees, General Studies, and Nursing. She is an active member of this community and has been the recipient of the prestigious William R. Laws Award for Human Rights; the IUPUC Distinguished Alumnus Award and the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Leadership award. Ms. Hurt is also well as recognition by the Mexican Consulate in Indianapolis for her continuous work to integrate and empower the Mexican population in Indiana.
Additionally, Ms. Hurt volunteers as a member of the IUPUC Diversity Council, the Heritage Fund Board, the Latin American Education Coalition and the Healthy Communities Council. Also, Ms. Hurt has coordinated a team of volunteers focused on improving access to healthcare services for underserved populations as the volunteer director of the weekly Spanish-language clinic at the Volunteers in Medicine clinic in Columbus.
Also, addressing the class of 2016 was Courtney Lynn Seiwert, an undergraduate student of the Division of Liberal Arts and recipient of the 2016 Chancellor’s Scholar Award. The annual award is given to the student with the highest cumulative grade point average as determined by their school or division.
The type and number of degrees the university expects to award are:
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Bachelor of Science in Business: 74
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Master of Business Administration: 14
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Bachelor of Science in Education: 14
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Bachelor of General Studies: 16
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Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts: 23
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Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering: 7
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Bachelor of Science in Nursing: 99
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Bachelor of Arts in Psychology: 29
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Bachelor of Science in Psychology: 11
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Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling: 7
The individual graduates, listed by their hometowns, are:
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Batesville
Amy Lynn Harmeyer, Stacy M. Luers, Nicole Renee Narwold, Tina N. Siebert
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Bedford
Megan Denise Smith
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Bloomington
Judith Catherine Plath
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Brookville
Patricia Giltner
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Brownstown
Crystil Kellogg, Tessa Lyn Ray, Spencer Isaac Roberts
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Butlerville
Heather Remae Lucas, Bridget J. Marshall, Molly J. Moore, Taylor Lacy Zornes
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Chicago, IL
Tamara Barker
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Columbus
Josh Aciukewicz, Anthony Wayne Allison, Whitney Michele Back, Meghan Demi Bailey, Megan Dawn Ballard, Lauren Barnes, Nathaniel Allen Barr, Bonnie Bingham, Natasha Boschen, Gabriella Lauren Boxler, Cory Alan Burbrink, Sharon Elaine Burns, Lyndsay Erin Burton, Steven Dale Cain, Kasondra Dawn Capes, Elizabeth Ann Carlile, Camille Marie Carson, Sayanti Chaudhuri, Ivan Chovghi Iazdi, Dustin John Clouse, Tegan Ariel Collier, Casey M. Cooley, Twanette Yvonne Cox-Lawson, Alicia Justine Crank, Megan Elizabeth Crenshaw, Xanadu Mishele Daugherty, Virginia G. Ebert, Elizabeth Anne Fisher, Heather K. Foster, Sarah Nichole Garnett, Robin M. Gill, Jessica Day Gorham, Kumiko Gray, Kimberly Green, Mari Elizabeth Green, Tamara K. Griner, Mallika Reddy Gunna, Sheila Hackworth, Catherine Susan Hanson, Ashley Danielle Harrison, Traci L. Hartog, Delia Hash, Swarooparani Hurli, Chelsea Dawn Jarrell, Oscar Eduardo Jimenez Lopez, Demetrius Corinthian Jones, Upneet Kaur, Alexandria O’Dell Kelly, Jeffrey Patrick King, Kelly Kirkland, Lori Ann Kooiman, Stephanie Lancaster, William David Linder, IV, Amy Kristin Luenebrink, Loronda Mahon, Josua Bruce McCord, Katherine Joy Meade, Desirae Leigh Miller, Sanika Muley, Lisa Mumphrey, Amy J. Napier, Christine Newkirk, Shelby Taylor Newkirk, Thao Jenny Nguyen, Melanie Gail Nichols, Emily A. Nichter, Emily Diane Nickerson, Heather R. Oeswein, Hanna Omar, Isamar Patino, Heather D. Patterson, Sanjay K. Pillai, Toni L. Pirtle, Noah Pollert, Dennis Vincent Prior, Jr., Natasha Lynn Purtlebaugh, Kaylee Brook Roberts, Melissa Ross, Rania Fernand Saad, Kathryn Anne Salee, Mary Louise Sanchez, Marcela Schmalz de Bernardi, Courtney Lynn Seiwert, Brittany L. Shaffstall, Fazeel Sheikh, Josann Leola Sims, Jeremiah David Soto, Todd C. Stephens, Erica Leigh Sterling, Stacy M. Stillabower, Levi R. Sullivan, Thomas Joseph Svetlick, Cimily Ng Tan, Maggie Faye Taylor, Megan Alyse Taylor, Natalie Elaine Taylor, Alicia Marie Tembo, Lacey Danielle Tincher, Michael Patrick Tracy, Heather Nicole Turner, Kendra Jane Wagner, Kable Walton, Yibing Wang, Lorenda Lynn Weddle, Aaron Wilp, John Arthur Wilson, II, Michaela Jane Wischmeier, Bradley Thomas York, Kim M. Young, Adam Ross Zimmerman
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Crothersville
Hayden E. Hinton
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Dupont
Toby Michael Harrell
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Edinburgh
Shelby Ashman, Victoria Ashman, Stephanie Danielle Hadley, Dawn Isaacs, Allison June Nolan, Joseph S. Peters, Haley Rose, Mindy Marie Talkington, Amberley Tucker
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Elizabethtown
Brittany Nichole Drawbaugh, Lawrence Charles Johnson, Carrie Thompson, Amber L. Weber
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Fairland
Misty Ann Reedy
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Flat Rock
Dustin Cole Napier
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Franklin
Musa M. Akermawi, Matthew Bagwell, Rachyl Hope Bell, Dalton R. Chinn, Danielle Renae Combs, Rebecca Ann Davis, Courtney Nicole Dragoo, Kristin Marie Frampton Neal, Kayla Ann Hash, Danae Amanda Houchin, Marcia Dawn Jones, Sherry Lorance, Anthony Maggard, Carrie Mefford, Jennifer Ann Pence, Joshua David Ray, Teresa Stickford, Nathaniel Joseph Thompson
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Freetown
Brittany Cockerham
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Glenwood
Melinda Sue Miller
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Greensburg
Stephanie Lynn Balusik, Stephanie Bowlby, Kylee A. Laudick, Tabatha Marie Messer, Kellie Lynn Morrissey, Hannah Elizabeth Poling, Carece Nicole Robbins, Michael Robert Scheidler, Emily Springmeyer, Michelle Denise Trenkamp
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Greenwood
Zachary Michael Anderson, Jacob Allen Bolin, Joseph Green, Paula Joy Hiatt, Kelly Dawn Johnson, Taylor Brooke Logsdon, Nicholas Francis VanBurkleo, Martita C. Wampler
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Hartsville
Kelly Arlene Fuller
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Holton
Melisa Steuver
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Hope
Brittany Michelle Chandler, Sherri Marcum, Kimberly Lynn Povinelli, Wesley Whittington
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Indianapolis
Taylor Renae Bray, Adam DeJute, Rainan Marie Hash, Guadalupe D. Ibarra Ortiz, Kandace Reene Jones, Tracie Ricklefs
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Lafayette
Nicholas James Mahon
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Laurel
Alan R. Murray, Jennifer Vanderpohl
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Lexington
Elizabeth Anne Hatton
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Madison
Ashley S. Bovard, Sheri Zan Browning, Stephanie Lynn Copeland, Jennifer Lynn Miller DeVries, Annette Finkbine, Linda Bonnetti Hall, Christina Lee Ownbey
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Manilla
David Pavey
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Milan
Vickie Wessler
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Morgantown
Erin May Burkman, Maggie Elizabeth Evans
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Nashville
Stephanie Collins, Amy Joan Gill, Heather Haymaker, Christine Sullivan, Tawnya S. Thomas
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New Whiteland
Jamie Denise Alford, Heather Kelley
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Nineveh
Michael Gene Thompson, Kasie Michelle Williams
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North Vernon
Victoria Brooke Brewer, Brittany Marie Brierly-Broussard, Christopher Jennings Burnett, Dawn Renee Burnette, Michelle M. DeCamp, Kaila Drake, Stevi Raeann Flemings, Shelby Jo Gerth, Ashley Nicole Gholson, Jacqueline Ann Hartman, MaKayla Dawn Marksberry, Philip W. Marsh, Katie Alexandria Morin, Ashlee Nicole Morris, Angela Rowlett, Ashley Marie Rudd, Mackenzey Kristine Shatto, Makaili J. Shoultz, Lydia Stepp
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Osgood
Torie Ann Gilland, Elizabeth Ann Hermesch, Jayson Purdy
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Rising Sun
Samantha Jo Sparks
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Rushville
Carolyn Sorber
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Saint Paul
Noah Hinkle, Kelsey Dawn Stephens
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Scipio
Keilah N. Jones
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Seymour
Chelsee Marie Adams, Michael Ayers, Erin Lynn Bowen, Elizabeth Ashlee Butler, Bradley Wayne Dobbs, Randall J. Eckelman, Billie Edwards, KerriJo Lynn Edwards, Tyler Joseph Henkle, Jennifer Michelle Hirtzel, Jason Kincer, Jennifer Monroe, Debbie V. Morante, James Mark O’Mara, Spencer Ray Parrish, Scott Tyler Reinhart, Eric Rhodes, Chase Schneider, Tuwana J. Simpson, Carla Jean Sipes, Seth William Thompson, Cody James Vogel, Laura Suzanne Walter, Maggie Makala Willman
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Shelbyville
Rebekah Alexander, Kelli Burnett, Angela M. Fischer, Sarah Renee Harrell, Janet Hitchcock, Michelle Hurley, Sara Lewis, Claire Manning, Thomas J. Nolley
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Taylorsville
Elizabeth Winters
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Trafalgar
Cheyenne Dawn Caughlan, Alyssa Danielle Daffron, Shannon Marie Henderson, Megan Elizabeth Oliver
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Vernon
Nicolas Joe Ezzo
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Versailles
Kelsey Michelle Cox, Brittany Jeffries, Laura L. May
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Waldron
Taylor Sue Rae Seaborn
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Westport
Kentrina Linn Freeman, Mary Hobbs, Nathan Louden, Katelyn Sue Mote, Tyler William Michael Murphy
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Whiteland
Jordan G. Lewis, James Roy Link
For information about the degree programs offered at IUPUC, visit iupuc.edu/degree-programs or call (812) 348-7390.
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