Ivy Tech Community College will hold its 39th Commencement at 10:00 am on Saturday, May 9, at Franklin Community High School. This will be the first year that the event will be held in Franklin; the College has outgrown both Columbus East and Columbus North High Schools. Ivy Tech officials are excited to hold the event in Franklin, especially because Ivy Tech now has a campus in Franklin.
A total of 447 degrees will be awarded during the ceremony, including two Associate of Arts degrees, 112 Associate of Applied Science degrees, 219 Associate of Science degrees, and 114 Technical Certificates. The majority of graduates are residents of the Ivy Tech-Columbus service area, which includes Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, and the southern portion of Johnson Counties. A total of 127 graduates are residents of counties outside of the Ivy Tech-Columbus service area.
Graduating students who are residents of Bartholomew County are: Heather Adams, Franklin Anderson, Amy Babinec, Edina Bailey (cum laude), Ruth Bailey (cum laude), Laura Barker (cum laude), Courtney Barrett, Jesus Basurto (cum laude), Violet Bates (magna cum laude), Lacey Berry, Pamela Blair (cum laude), Sarah Bland (cum laude), Michelle Brantley, Tracy Bruce (magna cum laude), Mark Bush (cum laude), Kassandra Clary, Tyler Colglazier, Jessica Conover, Jose Contreras (cum laude), Katiya Cox, Lindsey Cox, Jeanie Cravens, Annah Drake (cum laude), Abbie Duckworth, Amber Easterling, Brooke Engleking, Michael Engleking, Jacqueline Ewing (cum laude), Aaron Ferguson (magna cum laude), Constance Fields (cum laude), Linda Fortino, Janet Gagneur (magna cum laude), Rita Gallian (magna cum laude), Enrique Garcia, Jr., Ashley Gernentz, Erica Greathouse, Jennifer Grissom, Kristina Hadley, K. Dawnee Hardwick, Betty Harper, Gregory Harper, Karin Hendry, Gena Howe, Brent Humphress, Autumn Jackson, Frank Johns (summa cum laude), Arinda Kessler, Ruanda Lee Quay, Denise Lucas (magna cum laude), Cory Mahaffey, Sherri Marcum, Deborah Maschino, Mica McKing, Kristen McLemore (cum laude), Erin McMillan (magna cum laude), Jessica Melton (summa cum laude), Bristel Merrill, Ibrahim Millewa, Donna Mills (cum laude), Jeannie Moon (cum laude), Lara Mote (cum laude), Jessica Nedeau (cum laude), Daniel Noel, Heather Padgett (magna cum laude), Kristin Pothier (summa cum laude), Glenda Prabu (magna cum laude), Kelly Richards (cum laude), Kaila Rogers (cum laude), Amy Roseberry (cum laude), Smriti Sahi, Steve Schwartz, Lori Scott (summa cum laude), Amy Scrogham, Jennifer Sharpe, Gregory Smith (cum laude), Molly Smith (magna cum laude), Brandi Soliday, Karen Sorrels (summa cum laude), Elizabeth Spencer (magna cum laude), Clarence Spicer III (magna cum laude), Michael Sprague (summa cum laude), Sadie Sprague (summa cum laude), Ann Springhorn, Shiela States, John Stewart, Monica Temple, Marsha Terry (magna cum laude), Curt Thornburg, Tasha Trejo, Matthew Trevey, Jason Tucker (cum laude), Arika Tulloch, Shellie Ungor (magna cum laude), Tara Waldo (cum laude), Amanda Weafer, Pamela Weld (magna cum laude), Amy Wiley (cum laude), Briana Williams, Jessica Wood, Laura Woodruff, and Kelly Zmuda.
Graduating students who are residents of Johnson County are: Erica Adams (cum laude), Alisa Angelsky (magna cum laude), Beth Arkanoff, Christina Armstrong, Kari Benner (cum laude), Shonna Beougher, Christine Biesecker, Abra Black, Heather Brock (magna cum laude), Jeffrey Brown, Karen Bruce (magna cum laude), Cynthea Bryant (cum laude), Ellen Burbank, Angela Burdine (magna cum laude), Steven Carson, Erica Case, Stacie Catterton (magna cum laude), Nichole Chandler, Amber Chappelow (cum laude), Leigh Conner (cum laude), Gina Cooper (magna cum laude), Kerri Cross (cum laude), Angela Daughtery, Elaine Deskins (cum laude), Denise DeWitt (magna cum laude), Rachel Dutton, Barbara Edwards, Anna Eldridge, Susan Ennis, Angela Erp, Rebecca Esham (magna cum laude), Kathryn Faust, Cynthia Fowler (cum laude), Heather Frady (summa cum laude), Jacob Fuqua, Melanie Gault (magna cum laude), Jennifer Gibson, Heather Giles (cum laude), Megan Gonterman, Tara Gregory, Alexandria Grimaldi, Jennifer Haggard (cum laude), Ashley Hampton, Joseph Harmon, Melissa Harrell (cum laude), Leigh Harris, Mark Hash (summa cum laude), Mandie Hendrickson, Amanda Hensley (magna cum laude), Maleah Hester (cum laude), Samantha Hopkins, Cierra Hubbard, Crystal Hussung, Stacey Hutchison (magna cum laude), Maureen Jenkins, Kathryn Johnston (summa cum laude), Brandi Kean, Danielle Kirkham (cum laude), Lana Lake-Seyfried (cum laude), Kristy Lamm, Sylvia Lane (magna cum laude), Nikki-Jo Lunter (cum laude), Jamie Lynch (cum laude), Melanie Malone (cum laude), Carrie McKee, Kathleen Moore, Mary Murray (cum laude), Lindsay Newburn (cum laude), Kelly Nichols (cum laude), Starlene Owens, Brittany Palmer (magna cum laude), Dawn Passafiume (cum laude), Susan Pate, Amanda Porter, Aimée Ramey, Andria Rathfon (cum laude), Grace Recasner (magna cum laude), Doris Reed (cum laude), Sarah Ross (magna cum laude), Tanalee Rowe (magna cum laude), Brittany Russell, Bryan Russell, Melissa Samples (magna cum laude), Suzanne Sandlin, Jami Sears (cum laude), Joseph Settles (magna cum laude), Joshua Shelley, Heather Shields (magna cum laude), Brittany Shirley, Douglas Slade (magna cum laude), Cynthia Spicer (cum laude), April Straugh, Trudy Sturgeon, Hannah Sullivan, Shawna Taylor, Deserée Troy, Rachel Turner (summa cum laude), Samantha Veale, Erica Vondielinger (magna cum laude), Beatrice Wagoner, Laura
Graduating students who are residents of Decatur County are: Christina Bennett (cum laude), Ronald Bowling (cum laude), Ralph Brown, Ashley Eads, Michael Frasher (cum laude), Lukas Grote, Rachel Land, Matthew Linkmeyer (magna cum laude), Thomas Ludlow (magna cum laude), Angie Maupin, Jennifer McQueen, Diedre Morlan, Natasha Ogden, Kevin Papenhaus, Marcia Powers, Jacob Rader, Rachel Raeth, Kari Ray (summa cum laude), Davilyn Richey, Erin Romero, Angela Schwering, Jason Thompson (magna cum laude), Jodie Wenning, Ruth Weston, Rebecca Whitaker, and Brittany Woods (magna cum laude).
Graduating students who are residents of Jackson County are: Peggy Allen (magna cum laude), Denelle Allman, Angela Arbuckle (magna cum laude), Julie Armstrong, Toby Calhoun, Anthony Combs, Jr., Dana Criswell (cum laude), Dawn Cunningham, Heather DeHart (cum laude), Orlando Dillman, Jennifer Dix, Billie Edwards, Jessica Eldridge, Casey Engelau (cum laude), Tina Faltisco (cum laude), Steven Fourman, Ashley Freeman, Sharianne Gayhart (cum laude), Krista Gumm (magna cum laude), Karmen Hansome, Tracy Harvey (summa cum laude), James Harvey II (magna cum laude), Tamara Hawn, Lauren Holloway (cum laude), Laura Jacobus, Brandy Jones, Jessica Karles, Aimee Kendall (summa cum laude), Jerrica King, Rachel Knapp, Michelle Knight, Angela Moore (magna cum laude), Jamie Morrow (cum laude), Tyler Nichalson (magna cum laude), Michelle Owens (summa cum laude),Rebecca Persinger (cum laude), Suanne Reynolds, Teresa Robinson, Brian Rorick (cum laude), Melissa Rouse, Mary Schlehuser, Ivy Sessions, Michelle Simmons, Karen Sinyard (magna cum laude), Clint Sitterding, Jacqueline Stahl (cum laude), Erin Tape, Jenny Terry, Jana Wheeler (summa cum laude), Karen Whisman (cum laude), and Amy Wilson.
Graduating students who are residents of Jennings County are: Heather Abrell (cum laude), Amie Brunner (cum laude), Lyndi Copeland (cum laude), Shawn Halfacre, Carly Manning (cum laude), Melissa McComb (cum laude), Christina Megal, Jena Olivera (cum laude), Leslie Patterson, Lesley Polazkowyj (magna cum laude), Amber Prather (magna cum laude), Jennifer Robertson, Jennifer Rybolt, Jamie Scherer (magna cum laude), Dawn Turner (magna cum laude), Heather VanVolkenburgh, and Amanda Worten.
President Tom Snyder will address the graduates and confer certificates and degrees, along with Chancellor John Hogan. Bill Harmon, Chair of the Ivy Tech Community College – Columbus Region Board of Trustees, will award an honorary Associate of Science in Community Service degree to Richard L. Johnson, Sr. for his commitment to furthering post-secondary education opportunities for the citizens of the State of Indiana through his dedicated work with the Commission on Higher Education, leadership of the Community Education Coalition, and efforts for and on behalf of Ivy Tech Community College.
Dr. Jay Howard, Interim Vice Chancellor and Dean of IUPUC, will be the guest speaker, representing the strong partnership between Ivy Tech and IUPUC. Also honored will be two graduates who have been named as members of the 2009 All Indiana Academic Team. The Hari Mirchandani Community Service Award will be presented. The students selected as Outstanding Graduates will be honored. The individuals receiving the Distinguished Alumnus award and the President’s Award for Excellence in Instruction will be honored, as will the Outstanding Adjuncts.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public post-secondary institution and the nation’s largest singly-accredited statewide community college system with more than 120,000 students enrolled annually. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.