College of Arts & Sciences

Board of regentsRossanna Salazar, Chairman AustinWilliam F. Scott, Vice Chairman NederlandCharlie Amato San AntonioVeronica Muzquiz Edwards San AntonioJaime R. Garza San AntonioDavid Montagne BeaumontVernon Reaser III HoustonAlan L. Tinsley MadisonvilleDonna N. Williams ArlingtonKaitlyn Tyra, Student Regent Huntsville

Brian McCall, Ph.D., Chancellor

University administrationKenneth R. Evans, Ph.D. PresidentJames Marquart, Ph.D. Provost and Vice President for Academic AffairsJoe Nordgren, Ph.D. Acting Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Brenda S. Nichols, D.N.Sc. Vice Provost for Digital LearningE. Craig Ness, M.B.A. Vice President for Finance and OperationsJohn Bello-Ogunu, Sr., Ph.D. Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion,

and Intercultural AffairsPriscilla Parsons, M.B.A. Vice President for Information TechnologyVicki McNeil, Ed.D. Vice President for Student EngagementJuan Zabala, M.B.A. Vice President for University AdvancementMarco Born, M.S. Athletics Director

academic deansWilliam E. Harn, Ph.D. Dean of Graduate StudiesPaul Bernazzani, Ph.D. Acting Dean of Arts and SciencesEnrique “Henry” Venta, Ph.D. Dean of BusinessRobert Spina, Ph.D., FACSM Dean of Education and Human DevelopmentSrinivas Palanki, Ph.D. Dean of EngineeringDerina Holtzhausen, Ph.D. Dean of Fine Arts and CommunicationKevin Dodson, Ph.D. Dean of Reaud Honors CollegeSarah Tusa, M.A., M.L.I.S. Acting Director of Library Services

Greetings and Congratulations!

On behalf of the Lamar University faculty and staff, I am pleased to welcome you to the College of Arts and Sciences commencement ceremony. Together, we are celebrating your accomplishments and dedication, and the family and friends that made this milestone attainable by offering their support throughout your journey.

Lamar University, and the College of Arts and Sciences, provide a superior education based on our enthusiastic and experienced faculty, leading to the development of marketable

skills that allow our graduates to integrate the community, not only as a workforce, but as team leaders that will help shape the society of tomorrow. As a graduate, you are now part of an outstanding group of individuals interconnected through your experience at Lamar University and part of a large network of alumni that strive to give back to the community.

Commencement represents a new beginning, not an end. We encourage you to continue to learn, to grow both professionally and personally, and to act as role models for the generations coming after you.

Thank you for joining us today. We are proud of you. We have great expectations of you, and hope you will continue to grow and be part of the Cardinal network. Please keep in touch.

Very best wishes in your future endeavors,

Paul Bernazzani, Ph. D.Acting Dean and Professor of Chemistry

Message froM the Dean

CereMony PrograM

Musical Prelude Lamar University Commencement Brass Ensemble Andrew McMahan, D.M.A. Director of Bands

Academic Processional* Jennifer Daniel, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Mathematics Crown Imperial Lamar University Commencement Walton Brass Ensemble

The National Anthem* Debrah Greschner, M.M.The Star Spangled Banner Instructor, Department of MusicFrancis Scott Key

Welcome/Introductions Paul Bernazzani, Ph.D. Interim Dean

Commencement Address James Bell Program Manager, United Launch Alliance

Student Commencement Lauren KonjoyanAddress Biology Major Certification of Graduates Paul Bernazzani, Ph.D.

Conferring of Degrees Kenneth R. Evans, Ph.D. President

Presentation of Graduating Paul Bernazzani, Ph.D.Class

Announcement of Catalina Castillon, Ph.D.Graduates Associate Professor of English and Modern Languages

Jesse Doiron, M.A. Instructor of English and Modern Languages Concluding Remarks Paul Bernazzani, Ph.D.and Awards

Lamar University Debrah Greschner, M.M.Alma Mater*G. Rhodes Smartt Lamar to thee we’re singing We will ever need thee Voices raised on high. As our guiding star. We will forever love thee To us you’ll always be Laud thee to the sky. Our glorious Lamar. Academic Recessional* Jennifer Daniel, Ph.D.

Please join us for an informal reception, located upstairs in the concourse area of the Montagne Center, following the ceremony.

*Audience please stand.

To maintain the dignity of the program, guests are requested to refrain from unnecessary noises (air horns, etc.) and movement during the ceremony.

Paul Bernazzani, Associate Acting Dean

Terri Davis, Ph.D., Interim Assistant Dean

BiologyRandall Terry, Interim ChairAna ChristensenAshwini Kuchnor

Chemistry/BiochemistryXiangyang Lei, ChairPerumalreddy ChandrasekaranOzege Gunaydin-SenT. Thuy Minh NguyenMaxim Soukhodolets Computer ScienceStefan Andrei, ChairMichael BeardPeggy DoerschukXingya LiuTim Roden

Earth/Space SciencesJim Jordan, ChairJoseph KrugerJim Westgate

English/Modern LanguagesJim Sanderson, ChairAdrienne Blackwell-StarnesCatalina, CastillónJesse DoironSara HillinKatherine Hoerth

Sharon JoffeMichael MathisAmy SmithGretchen JohnsonMelissa Hudler

HistoryMary Scheer, ChairJimmy BryanMiguel ChavezTina KibbeGwinyai Musorewa

Liberal ArtsJulie Alford, Director

Applied Arts and SciencesTheresa Edgerton

General StudiesRachel KlaussEmilee Procella

MathematicsJeremy Alm, ChairJennifer DanielJasdeep PannuJose’ Vega-Guzman

JoAnne Gay Dishman NursingCindy Stinson, Interim ChairMary FordIva HallRose HardingStacey KnightNancye McAfee

Troy PalmerKeili PetermanJT Seaman

PhysicsPhilip Cole, ChairCristian BahrimJames DrachenbergCengiz Sen

Political ScienceTerri Davis, ChairSara GubalaCraig Tahaney James P. NelsonBrian Williams

PsychologyEdythe Kirk, ChairElizabeth AronsonEli BarclayRaymond DoeMartha RinkerJefferson ScheidemandelJeremy Shelton

Criminal Justice/Sociology/Social WorkStuart Wright, ChairMark BroomeAhmet GulerGinder GummeltKaren RoebuckRobert WorleyLori Wright

College of arts anD sCienCes faCulty

offiCe of the registrarDavid Short Jr., Registrar

Barbara Price, Assistant RegistrarNatasha Walker, Assistant RegistrarCoMMenCeMent CoMMittee

Summer Rather, Director of Records & RegistrationMildred Piert, Graduation CoordinatorSiaa Taylor, Graduation Coordinator

Elizabeth AronsonEli Barclay

Ana ChristensenRaymond Doe

Bianca EasterlySara Gubala

Ozege Gunaydin-SenMartha Rinker

Craig Tahaney Brian WilliamsRobert Worley

faCulty Marshals

James Bell is a retired Program Manager at United Launch Alliance (ULA), headquartered in Denver, Colorado. ULA, a 50-50 joint venture between Lockheed Martin Corporation and The Boeing Company, is the nation’s most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA designs, manufactures, integrates, and launches Atlas and Delta launch vehicles that have successfully delivered to orbit more than 120 satellites that aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, provide critical capabilities for troops in the field and enable personal device-based GPS navigation.

Launch service customers include the Department of Defense, NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office, the United States Air Force, and commercial organizations.

In his last position before retirement, Mr. Bell was ULA’s Program Manager that led a team responsible for mission integration, mission management and launch services for cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station. Prior to this role, Mr. Bell progressed through several positions of increasing responsibility including Integration Manager, Mission Manager and Program Manager for a variety United States Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office missions. He also held the position of Program Operations Manager for Atlas Launch Operations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Mr. Bell is a native of Port Arthur, Texas and a graduate of Lamar University where he earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in drafting technology in 1977 and a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering in 1984. He and his wife Jenny, a graduate of Colorado State University, reside in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colorado. In addition to tackling projects around their home and caring for their dog and two cats, the Bell’s enjoy fitness training, swimming, biking, and golf at a variety of scenic courses in and around the Mile High City.

CoMMenCeMent sPeaker

Lauren Konjoyan was born and raised in Nederland, Texas where she graduated from Nederland High School in 2014. At Lamar University, Ms. Konjoyan, is a member of the Phi-Kappa-Phi Honor Society, the TriBeta Honor Society, and the American Medical Student Association (AMSA). She has received multiple academic awards from Lamar University for maintaining a cumulative 4.0 GPA. Throughout her college career, she has been employed at Keely Jardell’s School of dance, where she is a choreographer and teacher. She will graduate with a BS degree in biology with a minor in

chemistry. Following graduation she plans to obtain a job as a laboratory technician or return to Lamar University to pursue a masters in biology before attending medical school.

stuDent CoMMenCeMent sPeaker

Master of sCienCe in BiologyFatema AbbasiDung Thi Jennifer DangJason Harvey Janeaux

Master of sCienCe in CheMistryOromidayo Peter AfolabiManish Dnyaneshwar BaviskarMd Sahadat HossenDeepthi KurapatiTroy Paul Selby-KarneyManisha ShresthaThi Kim Tran Tran

Master of sCienCe in CoMPuter sCienCeNirav Harishchandra AroraTarun Kumar BaireddySuman BasyalSaibabu Veera Venkata Satya

BollineniAvijoy ChakmaNutt ChokwittayaSourangshu DasSaral DubeySanket Govind GajeraBishal Kumar GautamDolma GurungRavi Teja GuttaKaushik KasajuDenish KayasthaKhalid KhanAkash MainaliSai Gavaskar SakalamSulav ShakyaNabin Sharma RijalAbhisek ShresthaShreejan ShresthaAbhishek Singh

Master of arts in englishShelly Renee DawsonBrittany Malachi LawrenceKatherine Anne Waterbury

Master of arts in teaChing sPanish as a foreign languageJovann Silva Delgado

Master of sCienCe in MatheMatiCsMithun Kumar AcharjeeShangyi BiTyler Prescott EvansSuccess Chijioke Iheagwam

Master of sCienCe in nursingAlexandra Leigh BrittainCherlyn Logan DuncanBlenda Kay GregorioStacy Nicole JacobsAlmera PasasadabaDora Elia PassmoreKakelly Stawarski

Master of PuBliC aDMinistrationMaegan Bradlee Taft Collins

Master of sCienCe in CriMinal JustiCeRaul Arelis Jr.Deneil ChristianIvan I. CortezDhonte Lamond FergusonJavier GonzalezKatina Yevette GordonAshly Marie KinardJames Samuel MooreJames P. O’Burke

Felise Louise OtaborDavid L. PalmerStephen Keith ParkerVaneesha Ariel PruittChristopher Andrew RamosHeather Lee RigbyJanai Nicole SandersTiffany Nichole SandersVictoria Denise WatkinsBrittany Ann Wood

BaChelor of sCienCe in Biology anD CheMistryHostin Madison May

BaChelor of sCienCe in BiologyRachael Hayley Key BentleyAshlyn Leigh BerwickBailey Dianne Brevell*Joy Marie CollinsDiana Sue DornAndrew James GloverOmar Angel GonzalezKayla Elizabeth KahlArjisna M. KarediyaLauren Ashley KonjoyanJudy LangJoseline Alejandra MendozaVan Hong NguyenReba Leighan PeavyMichael Je’Len ShepherdAlexander Drew Sholl*Paul Adam SimpsonStephen Austin StewartTayla Marissa ThibodeauxLondon Anayo UmejiakuAllie Michelle ValentineCarlo VanzKimberly Paige Williams

BaChelor of arts in BioCheMistryNicolas Angelo ParkerGina Argira Whitten

BaChelor of sCienCe in CheMistryKolby Elaine BraquetCristian Diaz

BaChelor of sCienCe in CoMPuter sCienCeWilliam Bryce AngellRandy Lee BrownGeorge Bryan CurrieJose Nicolas Farro AhumadaApril Dawn Gray*Cory Alexander MoulderJudah A. RodenChristopher W. York*

BaChelor of sCienCe in CoMPuter anD inforMation sCienCeAllen Troy ChambersJohn Tolbert Ellis*Jason Lee McDonald

BaChelor of sCienCe in environMental sCienCeRyan Alexander DoninaVincent Chima DuruzorHeather Dawn LowJoseph Patrick Lynn IIIBrielle Alyce McIntireJeffery Paul MooreRicardo James Saldaña Jr.Cecilia Ann Swiere

BaChelor of sCienCe in geologyJames Roberts FairchildDonte Paul GreenDavid Allen McInnis

BaChelor of sCienCe in earth sCienCeJulia Marie Zidan

BaChelor of arts in englishKaitlin M. AlfredRamie Jenee DaltonBlake-Leigh Marie DockensTori Melyssa SmithAshley Erica Thibodeaux

BaChelor of arts in MoDern languagesBriseida GutierrezAlexander Daniels NeifordGregory Dillon Nicholson*

BaChelor of arts in historyColby James AlmendarezTaylor Leigh BlountBrandon Kyle BoullionShyann Michelle CaudelLakeisha Zhane FontenotJacob Paul MelanconKarli Madison PittmanEmily Brooke SmithNathan John VaughnSuzanne Gayle Williamson

BaChelor of aPPlieD arts anD sCienCes Elizabeth Diane AdamsCharles G. AmadiJennifer Zerbe AndrewsEvelyn Ruby Avila

Kristina Denee BakerBreanne Jessica BellKelly Thomas BernalNancy Elizabeth BlanchardDanielle Nicole BozemanDanyah Kay BrayElijah Joseph BrewerDaryl William BroussardBryan Shay BrownAshley Michelle BunnerMaria Guadalupe CanoOmar CarranzaBriaunna Simone ColeCindy Lyn ColichiaAshely Deshay CrationTrenton C. CrowCharles Edward Davis Jr.Jennifer Lynn DukeSherry Lynette DunlapMorgan Moore DunnAngela Shae DunnahoeZachary Michael EhlersCatalina L. EscamillaMeagan R. EsteppJonathan Justin FlanaganRoberto Cruz Flores Jr.Livia Gomes FormagginiCoti Lynn FreemanJulia J. FriedelVictoria Joie FrostKary Suzanne GarnicaGwendolyn R. GibsonJustin Michael GondaDaisy Consuelo GonzalezDebra Ann GreeneJose Erik GuadarramaMeaghan Taylor HallTeresa A. HarbinJaclean Yvette HarrisHeather Louise Harrison

Patty Diane HoustonTanya Justine HowardSteven Luis IbarraAlexandra JohnsonKhalilah JonesTyson David KnoppLacey Lynn LarsonMadison Kate LemoineKimberly Lashoun LucasElivorio Zamora Luna Jr.Claire LylesStephanie Lee Marza-HebertTrina Dawn MatthewsMarvin Ray MatysekLaJonda Kaye McCoyMatthew Robert McCurryAmy Marie MidkiffLayne Garrett MiguezTrevor Barclay MorganJaleeca Reshae’ MorrisKelly Jeanne PetersonStephen Evan PettyeTyler Reece PowellJulie Michelle PrejeanMichael David PresleyKelli Nicole ReddixAmber Rachelle ReynoldsYaritza RodriguezBrianna Michelle SandersHeather Sha Na SchneiderMarisela Shamsid-DeenShawn Durell SheridanJocelyn Lozano SippsAmy Marie SmithAngela Jean SmithVesta Marie ThompsonIsidra G. TovarMacKenzie Lee TrawhonMauricio Alfredo VillaEric Davon Walker

Krystal Renee WalkerJessica Ann WilkesBrendon Edward WinklerBeth Anne WrightVictoria Marie WrightBarrett Lee Young

BaChelor of general stuDies Rashad Naim Abdul-JabbarMitchell William AndrewsShaniqua Danyell BarnesJaylon Tarod BowdenCydney LeeAnn BoydRandi René BruceAlyse Hanks BurmanLe’Trey Antwione BurtonHillary Paige ButlerStephanie Dawn CammackLarry Jorckeam CarrollKayci Lynette ClarkAdrienne Elysse CollinsKrystal Marie CoronadoOlivia Gayle DavisRobin Starr DickersonJeffrey James Dugan Jr.Shelli Renee’ DuttaNicki Lynn EstepMadison Kay FranklinSherry Leigh GauthierKelly Lee GraebnerPresleigh Paige GreenKandice Nicole HarbertLaura Michelle HesterBarry Wayne HugheyDeirdre Elyse HundemerDonovon Jamal JacksonKristen Mae JaneckaPrincess La’Shawn JohnsonMuriah Marie JosephTanner Cole Kanteman

Amanda Grace Kelly-PoweLisa Lambert KleselLeah Marie LawlerMichael B. LealEarl C. LuckettStephanie Aura Leoniek MarchenaDunstan Trent MarshSamuell Sha’Mund MartinDeA’ngela Janai MathisTaylor Lindsey-Lee MayfieldAngel Marie MilesLorri Michele MillerTorey Jamal NoelChristina Antoinette PerezPatricia Jackson PhillipsBrittney Jean ReddJaci Oliver RomeroHaley Maes SheltonKelly B. ShoppachAndrew Lawrence SmithSequoia De’Anne SmithDominique B. TaylorCorina Ann ThorntonMorgan Leigh-Anne WattsColton Alexander WeisbrodJennifer Renee WendeburgWes Andrew WilliamsKelvin Rashad Young

BaChelor of arts in MatheMatiCs anD historyBryce Andrew Barrett

BaChelor of sCienCe in MatheMatiCsDestiny Faith AllainProgga ChirontoniJoanna M. MarquisAmiee NguyenBrittney Anne Pate

Ryan Thomas PatrickAaron Michael PhillipsEmily Erin St. JohnSuzanne Starr WheelerBradley Derek Worthy

BaChelor of sCienCe in nursingUzoaku Ndidi AkaeluLydia Ann Alcala-GarciaShrona Genelle AlpoughChioma Cynthia AnyanwuCorrinne Robin BallErica Denise BallardJerika Dawnn BarzarKelsey BeardLisa Lovetta BeloneyAlexandra Gabrielle BeltejarHunter Allen BergeronStephanie Nicole BertrandJustin Kyle BoboAceisha Nichelle BowmanKacey Lynn BrockBrittany Shakay BrownCole Joseph BrownTaylor Kathryn BrownlieKizzy Nachelle BurlLauren Ashley BusbeeIlliana CalderonCrystal Latrice CalhounAria Earline CamargoSeemin CharaniaJo A. ClarkDestin Ranae CorleyVictoria Hope CornellJordan Ruth CourtrightTaylor Michelle DavisLorena De LeonGeryne Kate Fajardo De TorresKaren Lizahira Diaz

Kimberleigh Ginail DixonRyan Edward DonovanSylvia A. DuhonDestoni Janine DunnFrancescea Harris DurhamClay Stephen EdwardsJonna Vhil Bueno EginaMakayla Nicole EmmonsDestiny Ann EwingCara Anna GallowayJessica Nicole GarciaSally Ann GarciaHaley Elizabeth GeraldEric Atlas GodeauxDavina Uchechi GodfreyAlfonso GonzalezRoss Ivan GraySarah Louise Olson HalterSusan Christina HapkeKathleen Marie Sookim HayesJaimee D. HaywardJustina IkimiTiffany W. Hammon IrelandLucas Alan IsenhowerEmily Nicole JamesPamela JobeMadelyn Laura JohnsonKyndal Madison JonesJustine Danielle JordanRodaria Deshanae’ JoynerKaren Elizabeth KahlaCharles Brandon KinardTeresa Nichole KinkopfAlexander Chase KolarStephanie LaganaBreelee Doris Spencer LeblancAaron Jacob LemelleEduardo LopezFaiza Sultanali MarediaTaylor Lyllian Martin

Tanagela Patrice MazyckBritton Alyse MelanconBrenna Alyse MerrillBrian Anthony MillerFarhana alam MinaDesiree Michelle MirandaGlenda Lynne MoateNissa L. MortonBrandi Nicole MullenRachel Mary MurphyChelsey Kaye MusickThu NguyenToreia NolenQuinie Antoniete NorbertAnuoluwa OgunlereEmmanuel O. OmoruyiApollo E. PeoplesTaylor Rae PoplaskiBrittany Jean PowellKristen Yolanda PuenteKelci N. RaineyMarie Antoinette ReevesJanice Leigh RigginsMichele Ashley RigsbyKamri Nikole RobinsonJennifer Michelle RochaJessica Lynn RootReshell Winter RossIdaly RuizKerri Christine SaboChambree Taylor SmithMayajean Edem SmithKelli Grace StarkHeather Ann StephensStephanie Nicole SwayngimChelsea Nicole ThibodeauxSereena Salomi ThomasJalyn Nicole ThornAutumn Brooke ThrasherKarissa Lynette Times

Alexandria Natalia Toledo*Pauline Diem Thi TranAshley M. VanHaverbekeRita Yvette VargasCrystal Alejandra VenegasMiriam Marie WeathersbyCharles Monroe WhiteCoyth Michaela WhitneyChelsea Ann WillifordAshley Dawn WolfShelby Allen YarbroughJennifer Tenille YoungKaley Alexis YoungLea Nicole ZarskyCourtney Marie Zawatski

BaChelor of sCienCe in PhysiCs anD MatheMatiCsDaniel Adney DoveNicolas Nikoloutsos*Christopher W. York*

BaChelor of sCienCe in PhysiCsLogan Ryan AverettCarlos A. Caballero Coneo*Benjamin Edwin O’FielAaron Michael PhillipsSuzanne Starr Wheeler

BaChelor of sCienCe in PolitiCal sCienCeBrooke Ashely ChillaMichael Isaac EdwardsJordan DeAnne RodeheaverRobert Jordan Root

BaChelor of arts in PsyChologyGabrielle I. FloresHaley Janea Jones

BaChelor of sCienCe in PsyChologyAnuoluwa Esther BalogunNatalie Priesmeyer BlanchardGene Autry BoydAgnes Ta’Keyyah Yvette BrownChristian Alexander Carroll ChildressMarlena Renee CisnerosBriana Kay DennisKaleigh GalindoEmily Jo GantCassandra Colleen GradyTroyneshia Maria HenryBryan Austin LandrumMarc Anthony MeyerJorge Alfredo OsegueraAngela Lynn PalevichMitva Rajendra PandyaMark Delaney PetersbergerKerrington L. PowellTerrance Michael SextonBrandi Therese StevensJennifer Christine WilsonJennifer Anne Worry

BaChelor of sCienCe in CriMinal JustiCeRobert AcevedoJawanda Amor AdamsSeth Edward AdamsJacob I. AguilarRobert Baldemar AlvaradoWayne Edward Anderson Jr.John Lee Bennett IIIDavid Michael Bentley Jr.Mariela BishopClint David BookoutJace Elliott CampbellFederico L. Cano Jr.Dalton Brian Davis

Frank R. Dixon IIIStephen J. DowellChristopher Marques DwellinghamMatthew Gordon EschRoman Patricio GonzalezMarcus Neal Green Jr.Alfredo Hernan HerreraAmethyst Jean HollowellCaden Walker HuntMatthew Keith JacksonMoesha Rene KinardJanerika C. LivingstonSophia Beatrice LoeraAdriana Elizabeth MartinezKevin Maldonado MartinezChad Allan MckinneyKarli Marae MearsCole A. MichalkValeria MosquedaAlexis Dominique NicholsBrandon M. PaytonBenjamin Bradley PhillipsNathaniel Lee RamseyCorey Arric RiceTimothy Joseph RileyBraden Louis RobeyBailey Jean RogersDavid Antonio SaldanaSarah Ahlaina ShumakeKirsten SmithNelson Lamar TassinIsaac TellezOscar Manuel VaraAlexander Stevenson WigginsPaul Richard WillenbrockSheena Dae Yarbrough

BaChelor of arts in soCiologyFreddy Cordova

BaChelor of sCienCe in soCiologyJoanette Jaa’ AdamsMarisela AlvarezAshanti Benefield HarperAndrea LaRayne BoykenCatherine Marie CaballeroBranda Casmire GoodieAaron L. HoustonRegina Ozana JonesChelsea Danay OrdwayTaylor Mari MarrUquisha Q. MoselyAlecia Victoria MyersJacob Briggs SimmermanJodi Ann StoneDana Monique Wise

BaChelor of soCial Work Tiesha Yvette AyersCheniya Cherrel ChatmanErnest GrahamKatie Elizabeth LeavinsMaria LewisMiranda Nicole MillerMarion Evelyn RiveraLisa Renee ShoemakerDestani Paige Williams

*Reaud Honors College Graduate

Masters theses

Acharjee, Mithun Kumar – Air Quality and Lung Cancer: Analysis via Local Control – Kumer P. Das, Supervising Professor

Afolabi, Oromidayo P. – Biocompatibility of Reinforced Poly (Lactic Acid) and Ethyl Cellulose in Bone Repair – Paul Bernazzani, Supervising Professor

Baviskar, Manish – Microbial Analysis and Isolation of Iron-Reducing Bacteria from Marquez Crater, TX, USA – Thi Nguyen, Supervising Professor

Chakma, Avijoy – Particulate Matter Analysis Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks – Jing Zhang, Supervising Professor

Das, Sourangshu – Sentiment Analysis of Twitter Data Using Various Classification Algorithms – S. Kami Makki, Supervising Professor

Evans, Tyler – Intergenerational, Interspecific Population Dynamics with Stochastic Lotka-Volterra – Kumer P. Das, Supervising Professor

Iheagwam, Success Chijioke – Applying Statistical Methods to Unstructured Data Sets Using Text Pattern Analysis – Kumer P. Das, Supervising Professor

Selby-Karney, Troy – Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Mercury (II) Coordination Polymers Based on 1,2,4,5-Tetra (Isopropylthio) Benzene Ligand – Perumalreddy Chandrasekaran, Supervising Professor

Sharma Rijal, Nabin – Ensemble of Deep Neural Networks for Image Analysis – Jing Zhang, Supervising Professor

Shrestha, Manisha – Heavy Metal Tolerance and Removal by Bacteria Isolated from Marquez Crater Soil – T. Thuy Minh Nguyen, Supervising Professor

alPha laMBDa DeltaFreshman Honors

Red, White and Gold Triple Cord

Beta Xi ChaPter of Phi Beta Delta

International Student HonorsGold Medallion with Red and

Yellow Ribbon

College of arts anD sCienCes Arts and Sciences Majors

with a 4.0 GPAGold Medallion on Red Ribbon

gaMMa nu ChaPter of sigMa tau Delta

English Honor SocietyCardinal Red Stole with Black

Embroidered Seal, Brass Medallion on Red Ribbon, Cardinal Red and

Black Double Cord

lu aMBassaDorsStudent Ambassadors

Red and Gold Double Cord

lu honorsLatin Honors

Red and White Double Cord

lu veteransUS Military Veteran

Red, White and Blue Double Cord

national stuDent nursing assoCiation

Student Nursing AssociationBlue and White Cord

orDer of oMegaGreek Honors

Gold Stole with Logo, Gold and Ivory Cord

Phi Beta DeltaInternational Honor Society

Gold Medallion with Red and Gold Ribbon

Phi eta sigMaFreshman Honors

Black and Gold Double Cord

Phi kaPPa PhiJunior/Senior Honor Society

Yellow Stole with Insignia on White Background, White Medallion with

a Blue Ribbon and Blue Cord

Pi Mu ePsilonMath Honor Society

Purple, Lavender and Gold Triple Cord

Psi ChiPsychology Honor Society

Platinum and Dark Blue Cord, Platinum Stole, Platinum Medallion

on Navy Blue Ribbon

honors

An Honor Graduate must have completed 60 hours at Lamar University for a 4-year degree. A student with a GPA of 3.5 or higher on all LU

undergraduate work will be awarded honors. Cum laude is 3.5 to 3.64, magna cum laude is 3.65 to 3.79 and summa cum laude is 3.8 to 4.0.

reauD honors CollegeGraduate who has completed at

least one high impact educational practice and 23 hour hours of

honors coursework, including an honors thesis, or 26 hours with

eight hours of upper-level credits while maintaining a 3.4 GPA.

Bronze medallion with Red and White Ribbon

ronalD e. MCnair sCholarFirst generation, low income, and

underrepresented graduate who has completed graduate-level research internship, including undergraduate

thesis and research defense.NASA Blue Stole with Lettering,

Lamp of Knowledge Medallion with Red, White, and Blue Ribbon

sigMa Delta PiSpanish Honor Society

Red and Gold Double CordsGold or Red and Gold Stole

sigMa theta tau internationalInternational Nursing Honor Society

Purple and White Double Cord

sMith-hutson sCholarSmith-Hutson Scholarship Recipient

Black Stole with Red Trim

uPsilon Pi ePsilonComputer Science Honor Society

Medallion on Maroon Ribbon, Maroon and White Double Cord

Pi sigMa alPhaNational Honor Society in

Political ScienceRed, White and Black Cord Medallion on Red Ribbon

the aCaDeMiC regalia

In its essential features, the academic regalia worn at American college exercises had its beginning in the Middle Ages. The oldest universities in Northern Europe grew out of church schools, and both faculty and students were regarded as part of the clergy. Hence, as their regular costume, they wore clerical garb borrowed largely from the monastic dress of their day.

The academic gown and hood were first regularly adopted by the University of Cambridge in 1284 and by the University of Oxford a little later. The custom transplanted to this country in Colonial times by King’s College in New York, now Columbia University. In 1895, American universities and colleges decided to standardize their academic styles and developed the intercollegiate code of academic costume. The style follows in the vein of the Cambridge tradition. The distinctive caps, gowns and hoods worn at present-day college and university functions denote the institution that granted the degree, the field of learning in which the degree was earned and the level of the degree – bachelor, master or doctorate.

The gown is usually of black material (serge or worsted for bachelors, the same or silk for masters and silk for doctors). Bachelor’s gowns have pointed sleeves and master’s have long pouch-like sleeves, which reputedly were once used to carry books. Doctor’s gowns are faced with panels of velvet down the front and three bars of velvet across each sleeve.

The hood, worn around the neck so as to hang down the back, is the principal emblem of the nature and source of the degree held. The colors in the hood lining are the colors of the school conferring the degree. The color of the border indicates the scholarly field of the wearer. Hoods may be worn only after the degree has been granted.

The cap, the square mortarboard in American universities, but a round, short, flat velvet hat in British, Canadian and some European universities, bears a tassel which may be black, or it may be colored

according to the scholarly field of the wearer. Only the doctors’ cap may be of velvet.

The degree colors are used for the edging of all hoods and may be used for the velvet facing and sleeve bars of doctors’ gowns and tassels on bachelors’ and masters’ caps. This includes: Arts and Letters – White, Commerce – Drab, Education – Light Blue, Engineering – Orange, Fine Arts – Brown, Humanities – Crimson, Law – Purple, Library Science – Lemon, Medicine – Green, Music – Pink, Pharmacy – Olive, Philosophy (Ph.D.) – Dark Blue, Physical Education – Sage Green, Science – Golden Yellow and Theology – Scarlet.

university MaCe

Originally a medieval weapon and later carried by Sergeants at Arms guarding kings and high church officials, the mace has gradually assumed a purely ceremonial character symbolizing authority. As used in formal academic processions, the mace derives from the early university history. The Lamar University mace is traditional in design. The mahogany shaft is crowned by a head on which are mounted four representations of the university seal. The president of the Faculty Senate, who leads the academic procession, carries the mace in today’s ceremony.

aCaDeMiC gonfalons

Gonfalons, banners that are designed to hang from a crossbar, have historical roots dating back to the 12th century when they served as the official emblems to represent the various districts of Florence, Italy. In more recent times, gonfalons have been adopted by academia to serve as symbols to represent each college within a university. Each college has their own representative banner with the dean from the respective college carrying the gonfalon in the academic processional.

Special appreciation is extended to volunteers for serving as ushers for today’s commencement ceremony.

This program is not an official graduation list. This printed program lists students who are eligible to graduate pending the outcome of final examinations and final grades. Therefore, it should not be used to determine a student’s academic or degree status. The student’s permanent academic record is kept by the Records Department, P.O. Box 10010, Beaumont, Texas 77710. Students, faculty and staff members are selected without regard to their race, color, creed, sex, age, disability or national origin, consistent with the Assurance of Compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Executive Order 11246 as issued and amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Lamar University is dedicated to student success by engaging and empowering

students with the skills and knowledge to thrive in their personal lives and

chosen fields of endeavor. As a doctoral granting institution, Lamar University is

internationally recognized for its high quality academics, innovative curriculum, diverse student population, accessibility,

student success, and leading-edge scholarly activities contributing

to transforming the communities of Southeast Texas and beyond.