For the sixth consecutive year, Marshall will conduct two commencement ceremonies on the same day. The 9 a.m. ceremony is for bachelor’s and associate degree candidates, and a 2 p.m. ceremony the same day is for master’s and doctoral degree candidates.
Graduates and their guests are reminded that the arena facility has implemented new security procedures, including walk-through metal detectors, for all events occurring in the building including Marshall University’s commencement ceremonies. Graduates and guests should allow additional time to proceed through security and find seats before the ceremony begins. Prohibited items include illegal drugs or substances, outside food and drink, knives, guns, pepper spray, lasers, glow sticks, fireworks, wallet chains, sharp-spiked jewelry, selfie sticks, tripods and umbrellas. For a full list of prohibited items, please visit www.bigsandyarena.com.
Among the 1727 students receiving degrees are 1063 undergraduates, 486 graduate students, 74 from the School of Pharmacy, 68 students from the School of Medicine, and 36 from the School of Physical Therapy.
Marshall Registrar Dr. Sonja Cantrell said 470 undergraduate students will graduate with honors. Eighty-nine will graduate summa cum laude (3.85 to 4.0 GPA), 139 magna cum laude (3.6 to 3.84 GPA) and 231 cum laude (3.3 to 3.59 GPA). Eleven students receiving associate degrees will graduate with honors.
Marshall President Jerome Gilbert will preside at both ceremonies.
The commencement address at the 9 a.m. ceremony will be given by Marshall alumnus Nawar W. Shora, J.D., a former student body president who has devoted his career to enhancing understanding among Americans of all heritages, particularly Arab-Americans and Muslims.
Twenty-four students will graduate with tentative 4.0 grade point averages. They are:
Anne Louise Bass
Beckley, West Virginia
Lewis College of Business
B.B.A., Health Care Management and Finance
Allison Cherae Bellomy
Culloden, West Virginia
Lewis College of Business
B.B.A., Marketing
Kade Josiah Bradley
Princeton, West Virginia
College of Science
B.S., Biological Sciences
Sarah Ann Canterbury
Huntington, West Virginia
College of Liberal Arts
B.A., Creative Writing and Literary Studies
Sonia Kaur Chandi
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
College of Science
B.S., Biological Sciences
Eleanor Anne Coggins
Greer, South Carolina
College of Science
B.A., Criminal Justice and Psychology
Holly Allison Farkosh
Ripley, West Virginia
College of Science
B.S., Biological Sciences
Armin Garmany
Charleston, West Virginia
College of Science
B.S., Biological Sciences
Ramin Garmany
Charleston, West Virginia
College of Science
B.S., Biological Sciences
Joee Tabeke Goheen
Huntington, West Virginia
College of Liberal Arts
B.A., German and Creative Writing
Sean Tyler Hall
Shady Spring, West Virginia
College of Science
B.S., Biological Sciences
Phung Kim Hong
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Lewis College of Business
B.B.A., Accounting
James Austin Keyser
Huntington, West Virginia
Lewis College of Business
B.B.A., Finance
Dylan Thomas Lageman
Kenova, West Virginia
College of Health Professions
B.S., Exercise Science
Levi Blake Lilly
Chesapeake, Ohio
College of Science
B.S., Computer and Information Technology
Anna Elise Lynch
Dayton, Ohio
Lewis College of Business
B.B.A., International Business and Finance
Bradley Keenan McCoy
Huntington, West Virginia
College of Liberal Arts
B.A., Psychology
Chad Allen Meadows
Chesapeake, Ohio
College of Science
B.S., Biological Sciences
Abby Renee Morgan
Ronceverte, West Virginia
College of Health Professions
B.S., Exercise Science
Mikalyn Brooke Murphy
Charleston, West Virginia
College of Education and Professional Development
B.A., Elementary Education
Amanda Morgan Nelson
Charleston, West Virginia
Lewis College of Business
B.B.A, Management and Marketing
Mackenzie Kalysa New
North Spring, West Virginia
College of Liberal Arts
B.A., History and Political Science
Logan Kevin Payton
Huntington, West Virginia
College of Health Professions
B.S., Communication Disorders
Monica Faith Stanwick
Washington, West Virginia
College of Science
B.S., Biological Sciences
Separate ceremonies will take place for pharmacy and medical school graduates. The graduation ceremony for the School of Pharmacy is at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 3, and the medical school ceremony is set for 5 p.m. Friday, May 4, both at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center. The official graduation date on medical and pharmacy diplomas is May 5.
Speakers for the two events include Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), who will deliver the commencement address at the school of medicine investiture and Dr. Lucinda L. Maine, executive vice president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, who will speak to pharmacy graduates.
Commencement notes
- Information is available online at www.marshall.edu/commencement.
- The Big Sandy Superstore Arena and Convention Center has implemented new security procedures including walk-through metal detectors for all events occurring in the building including Marshall University’s Commencement ceremonies. Graduates and guests should allow additional time to make it through security and find seats before the ceremony begins. Prohibited items include: illegal drugs or substances, outside food and drink, knives, guns, pepper spray, lasers, glow sticks, fireworks, wallet chains, sharp spiked jewelry, selfie sticks, tripods and umbrellas. For a full list of prohibited items, please visit www.bigsandyarena.com.
- Each commencement ceremony will be streamed live on the web. The link will be available on the MU website at www.marshall.edu/it/livestream.
- As a way of recognizing each graduate’s achievement, a downloadable copy of the commencement ceremony will be available, free of charge, courtesy of the Marshall University Alumni Association. Visit www.herdalum.com to download a free copy of the ceremony.
- Marshall will provide shuttle buses to transport graduates and guests to the arena. Graduates and guests are encouraged to park on university lots at the 6th Avenue Parking Facility, the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center, Joan C. Edwards Stadium or across from Smith Hall (Lot F). Shuttle service will begin at 7:45 a.m. for the 9 a.m. ceremony and at noon for the 2 p.m. ceremony. After commencement, buses will transport passengers back to campus
- Legacy Photographics will take photographs of the graduates, then send proof information to graduates using e-mail addresses a few days after the ceremony. Purchase of photographs is optional.
- Parking is available in the garage on Third Avenue across from the Big Sandy Superstore Arena. Parking in this garage is available on weekends at no charge. Additional parking is available in the Pullman Square garages for a minimal fee. All three parking garages are within reasonable walking distance of the arena.