Lander University conferred degrees upon 257 graduates at the university's spring commencement ceremonies in May. United States Senator Lindsey Graham delivered the keynote address to a full house at Lander's Horne Arena.
During the ceremonies, the university also conferred an honorary doctorate of laws degree on Graham, a Seneca native who has represented South Carolina as a United States Senator since Nov. 5, 2002.
Ninety-one graduates received honors at the ceremony. Honors included summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude. Graduates also received Lander's Golden L award, which is given to students who have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 in the last 60 hours of instruction through Lander University.
Graduating with summa cum laude honors, which requires a grade point average of 3.9 - 4.0 (out of a possible 4.0), were: Jasmine Alexzandria Brooks of Greenwood, Golden L; Sharon Blaiz Buchanan of Simpsonville; Kathleen Maria Manley of Hodges, Golden L; Teresa Gale Pack of Plum Branch, Golden L; Christopher Douglas Parris of Gaffney, Golden L; Mateja Petrusevic of Belgrade, Serbia, Golden L; Tiffany Danyelle Pierce of Greenville, Golden L; Sheila Kay Roche of Whitmire, Golden L; and Robert Tucker Williams of Grifton, N.C.
Graduating with magna cum laude honors, a distinction accorded to students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.75-3.89, were: Brandy N. Carroll of Elberton, Ga., Golden L; Rachel Victoria Childs of Greenwood, Golden L; Hali Renee Kitchen of Prosperity, Golden L; Joseph Eugene McDevitt of Hilton Head, Golden L; Tashinga Musonza of Harare, Zimbabwe, Golden L; Latino Alberto Rodriguez of Charleston; and Aislyn Laurel Todd of Greenwood, Golden L.
Graduating with cum laude honors, which requires a grade point average of 3.50-3.74, were: Matthew Reid Alexander of Edgefield, Golden L; Joshua B. Baughman of Abbeville; Samy Brian Beydoun of North Yorkshire, England, Golden L; Heather Renee Bridges of Simpsonville, Golden L; Stephen Tyler Brown of Abbeville, Golden L; Laura Beth Burnette of Elberton, Ga., Golden L; Brittany Leigh Cheek of Newberry, Golden L; Christopher Ansel Crouch of Saluda; Victoria Lynn Ernest of Woodruff, Golden L; Lauren Mae Ferguson of Moore, Golden L; Jessica Suber Hall of Whitmire, Golden L; Sarah Elizabeth Hartenburg of Walterboro, Golden L; Daniel Byron Haven Jr. of Prosperity, Golden L; Emily Ashe Jeffcoat of Lexington, Golden L; Nena Moriah McConnell of Greenwood, Golden L; Robert Casey Norman of Abbeville, Golden L; Nora Ann Pace of Clinton, Golden L; Wendy Polk of Hampton, Golden L; Brynna Ann Rinehart of Newberry, Golden L; Jennifer Ashley Smith of Greenwood; and Frederick Joseph Stephenson III of Mauldin, Golden L.
Other recipients of the Golden L were: Laura Ann Ashworth of Greenwood; Alicia Kay Bailey of Greenwood; Zachary Mason Bargeloh of Mt. Pleasant; Chrystal Gail Barker of Barnwell; Benjamin Baugher of Greenville; Christine Elizabeth Berg of Beaufort; Preston Denman Bethea of Latta; Ryan Hayes Blackmon of Chapin; Lauren Elizabeth Bowers of Greenwood; Kyla Marie Breland of Beaufort; Mary Frances Carden of Simpsonville; Lauren Michelle Chandler of Belton; Taylor LeAnne Cobb of Greenwood; Gabriella Serena Contreras of Tucson, Ariz.; Wendy Renee Crawford of Laurens; Kenneth Charles Dunbaker of Columbia (29212); Kendall McKenzie King Eayrs of Sacramento, Calif.; Chelsea Lauren Ford of Fountain Inn; Candace Nicole Franklin of Abbeville; Katherine Lura Garrett of Laurens; Christina Danielle Geney of Waterloo; Alexandria Holly Hammond of Saluda; Allegra Kim Herring of Conway; Aunnika Ashley-Eva Hilton of Chester; Brittaney Nicholle Hughes of Greenwood; Heather Lynn Hyder of Leesville; Rhonda Michelle Johnson of Buffalo; Allison Marie King of Abbeville; Morgan Bennett Layne of Greenwood; Sarah Emily Love of Clover; Lauren Michelle Lugo of North Charleston; Kristen Laurie Mabry of Clover; Kristin Danielle Matheny of Gaffney; Jeremy Evan McMahan of Belton; Jessica Leanne McMahan of Abbeville; Ashleigh Sarah Meggs of Bennettsville; Caitlin R. Merck of Columbia (29205); Ebony Deniece Miller of Goose Creek; Holly Anne Mintz of Sissonville, W.Va.; Daniel Charles Pirkey of Gaffney; Dylan Potts of Wallkill, N.Y.; Erin Powell of Indian Land; Heather Brooke Rawson of Bradley; Torey Wyman Riser of Greenwood; Amanda Grace Rowland of Greenwood; Margaret Elizabeth Teal of Darlington; Samuel Gregory Thomas of Abbeville; Lindsay Morgan Thompson of Gray Court; Caraline Waldrep of Brookeville, Md.; Deidre Alexandria Watt of Anderson; Erin Makenzie Weese of Columbia (29206); Elyse Caitlin White of Greenwood; Rhonda Doris Williams of Anderson; and Jamey Elizabeth Witt of Greenwood.