FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021

Mission & VisionSCHOOL OF EDUCATION COMMISSIONING SERVICE

Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson is founder, chancellor and CEO of Regent University. Robertson has achieved national and international recognition as a religious broadcaster, philanthropist, educator, religious leader, businessman and author. In addition to his significant role at Regent, he is the founder and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) Inc., and founder of International Family Entertainment Inc., Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation, American Center for Law and Justice, The Flying Hospital Inc., and several other organizations and broadcast entities.

Robertson is the son of Gladys Churchill Robertson and A. Willis Robertson, who served for 34 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.

He entered Washington and Lee University in 1946, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1948, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. After graduating magna cum laude from Washington and Lee University in 1950, Robertson served as assistant adjutant of the First Marine Division in combat in Korea and was promoted to first lieutenant upon his return to the states in 1952. He received a juris doctor degree from Yale University Law School in 1955 and a Master of Divinity degree from New York Theological Seminary in 1959.

Honors for his humanitarian efforts include: Lifetime Achievement Award, 2017 - 25th Silver Anniversary Movieguide Awards Winston Churchill Lifetime Achievement Award, 2013 - Faith & Freedom Coalition Hampton Roads Business Hall of Fame, 2009 New York Theological Seminary Distinction in Ministry Award, 2009 The State of Israel Friendship Award, 2002 - Zionist Organization of America, Chicago Cross of Nails Award for his work with The Flying Hospital, 2000 Defender of Israel Award, 1994 - Christians’ Israel Public Action Campaign One of America’s 100 Cultural Elite, 1992 - Newsweek Magazine Christian Broadcaster of the Year, 1989 - National Religious Broadcasters Man of the Year, 1988 - Students for America Humanitarian of the Year, 1982 - Food for the Hungry Robertson is past president of the prestigious Council on National Policy. He has served on President Ronald Reagan’s Task Force on Victims of Crime, the Board of Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Robertson also founded and served on the Christian Coalition of America.

He and his wife, Dede, have four children, 14 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren, and reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

DR. M.G. “PAT” ROBERTSON

2021 Commissioning Address

School of Education 2021 Commissioning Ceremony

Welcome ................................................................................................................................. Dean Kurt Kreassig

Invocation................................................................................................................................. Dr. Glenn Koonce

Introduction of Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño .......................................................................... Dean Kurt Kreassig

Congratulatory Remarks from Academic Affairs ...................................................... Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño Executive Vice President

Introduction of Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson ......................................................................... Dean Kurt Kreassig

Chancellor’s Commissioning Address ........................................................................ Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson Founder, Chancellor & CEO, Regent University

Song- Blessed Assurance ............................................................................................................... Regent Singers

Recognition of Family and Friends ...................................................................................... Dean Kurt Kreassig

Academic Awards

Outstanding Graduate Award (M.Ed.) ............................................................................................. Dr. Merv Wighting

Outstanding Graduate Award (Ed.S.) ..................................................................................................... Dr. Jeff Pittman

Outstanding Graduate Award (Ed.D.)................................................................................................Dr. Linda Grooms

Outstanding Graduate Award (Ph.D.) ................................................................................................Dr. Linda Grooms

Outstanding Faculty Award ............................................................................................................... Dean Kurt Kreassig

Outstanding Staff Award ............................................................................................... Assistant Dean Katie Goldman

Introduction of Commissioning Ceremony and Prayer ................................................................ Dean Kurt Kreassig

Graduate Charge ....................................................................................................................................... Dean Kurt Kreassig

Prayer for and over Graduates ............................................................................................................................ SOE Faculty

Song- The Doxology ...................................................................................................................... Regent Singers

Benediction ........................................................................................................... Assistant Dean Katie Goldman

Message from the Dean On behalf of the School of Education and Regent University, I extend a sincere congratulations. It is an honor

and privilege to have partnered with you over the years, and it brings us great joy to witness your faithfulness

and diligence in successfully completing your degree. You have been exceptional representatives of the School

of Education and I know that you will continue to serve as worthy ambassadors for the School of Education

by building upon our reputation for innovation and leadership in your chosen fields.

I want to remind you of what you came to our School of Education to accomplish and why, and what lies

ahead for you. The Lord has prepared you not just over these few years at Regent University in the discipline

you studied, but for a lifetime of service to come. A repeated theme in the Bible is what the Lord told Peter -

Each of you has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's grace (1 Peter 4:10). Each of you has

the opportunity to serve and enrich the lives of those around you. So, as you move forward from Regent

University, remember your gift of service and seek to share it with others for the Glory of God.

We would like to personally thank all spouses, parents, family members, and loved ones who have supported you

along the way. We are keenly aware that your success is not always achieved alone.

Kurt Kreassig, Ed.D. Dean, School of Education

Reflection

In light of the challenging circumstances affecting the United States and many other nations worldwide, we

remind you of God’s faithfulness and His declaration to all who trust in Him:

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

Class of 2021

CANDIDATES FOR THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN

EDUCATION

James Allen Dissertation: Impacts of Call Me Mister Mentorship Program on the academic success of African American Males in higher education.

Cheryl A. Bostrom Dissertation: Culturally valid assessment of the alphabetic principle for early elementary Hmong students learning English.

Roger L. Dutcher Dissertation: A phenomenology of parent and practitioner experiences with autism and K-12 education in Mongolia.

Teneika L. Eve Dissertation: Multimedia design: adult culinary learners’ perception of recipe usability and learner comprehension.

Andrew Maynard Francis Dissertation: Mitigating destructive behaviors: examining the association between resilience and belongingness among active-duty navy personnel.

Nneka Greene Dissertation: Mirror, mirror on the wall: in search of ethnic homogeneity in mentoring – a critical mixed methods study.

Briana K. Marker Dissertation: Factors to prepare Christians for service in public education.

Jennifer Palazzari Dissertation: Recipe for success: a phenomenological study investigating factors contributing to success in a virtual high school program.

Martinarose Lillian Polnitz Dissertation: Effective instructional coaching: secondary teacher perceptions of how coaching activities influence classroom practices.

Kami Reece Dissertation: Teacher perception of the impact of mathematics instructional coaching.

Shawn Milton Jensen Roberts Dissertation: Exploring the predictive relationship between school day start time, gender, school level, and standardized test results.

Kathryn Lee Whitney Dissertation: The effect of personalized learning on student achievement.

Kimberly Yontz Dissertation: Grade five teachers, professional development, and teaching common core math standards: a phenomenological study.

CANDIDATES FOR THE

DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

DEGREE

Chakira Handy Ashby Dissertation: A product of the environment: the effects of environmental and social factors on recidivism as it compares to reciprocal determinism

Jonathan Bare Dissertation: The student–faculty relationship among male M.Div. students.

Elizabeth Bayless Dissertation: Student perception of the online learning community: A phenomenological investigation of undergraduate students in the distance learning environment.

Marquita Braswell Dissertation: The recruitment and retention of generation z teachers.

Cary Austin Brown Dissertation: The relationship of spirituality in African American male graduates from a historically black university: a phenomenological study.

Lauren Cave Dissertation: PBIS tier on implementation: is there a difference in referral rates, suspension rates, and attendance rates over time in a three-year analysis amongst elementary and middle school students?

Frances Cooney Dissertation: Teachers' social-emotional competencies and perceptions of social-emotional learning.

Mandi Lorene Cumpston Dissertation: A correlational study of elementary school teacher perceptions of the relationship between the attributes of a teacher evaluation system and the evaluation system's quality and impact on professional practices.

Nancy Daniels Dissertation: An exploration of beginning teacher mentoring models in Virginia and their impact on retention.

Melissa Huffman Duckworth

Dissertation: Race, age, and prior educational attainment as predictors of vocational program participation or completion in a Virginia prison: a phenomenological study.

Jessica Lanette Ferguson Dissertation: Strategies of equity

minded leaders to promote academic achievement for African American students.

Maranda Miracle Daireis Hall

Dissertation: Fortnight, screenager, and student resistance: a correlational analysis.

Eric Dante Henderson

Dissertation: Perceived self-efficacy and resourcefulness of student veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder in higher education.

Jeanne Elizabeth Hopkins

The impact of college faculty of professional development on course design, teaching and assessment practices,

Summer Jacobsen Dissertation: Social media tools

in instruction and the digital classification of middle school teachers.

Carol Elaine Johnson

Dissertation: Exploring the impact of restorative justice practices on students' sense of academic, social, and emotional self-efficacy in a small, rural, northern Virginia school division.

Angerina Jones

Dissertation: Closing the pedagogical gap: a look at the recruitment practices of African American teachers

Ashley Symone Livingston Dissertation: Experiences and perspectives of teachers' teaching low-income minority students in early childhood: a phenomenological study.

Tonya Sheree Manago

Dissertation: Parents' self-perceived influence of high school athletic coaches on the academic success and character development of student-athletes.

Sonia T. March Dissertation: Hope as a practice

among educational leaders and its impact on organizational climate.

Matthew L. Mac Kelly Dissertation: The Title IX

regulations: An examination of the rules and what they mean to higher education.

Ella Louise Moore

Dissertation: Christian parents' perceived self-efficacy for discipleship and the practice of Christian discipleship of children in the home.

Yvette Carleen Motley

Dissertation: A trend analysis of middle school suspension data of districtwide and school-based implementation of restorative practices in Maryland.

Sherri Dale Hall Myers Dissertation: Socialization of homeschooled students.

Michael Jon Pelloni

Dissertation: Analysis of the little lions learning lab to improve teacher recruitment and retention.

Aaron M. Perez

Dissertation: An investigation of student and staff perceptions of standardized testing participation at a blended/online high school that serves at-risk students.

Douglas James Pietersma

Dissertation: The lived experience of homeschooling families and the transference of faith tradition: a narrative exploration.

Marian A. Redwine Dissertation: A portrait of engagement: a mixed methods inquiry into the characteristics of faculty and staff engagement and the impact on spiritual vitality on the Christian higher education.

Melina Reeves-Bartone

Dissertation: Factors influencing the educational decisions of students in rural Appalachia.

Gloria Lenora Robinson-Sessoms

Dissertation: Case study analyses of the free appropriate public education for parent advocates.

Elizabeth C. Rodriguez

Dissertation: Using an online orientation to predict first-time online students’ readiness.

Jonita Renee Shabazz

Dissertation: Equity in student discipline: an examination of the disparities in school discipline for African American females in K-12 public schools in Region II of Virginia.

Jeffrey Thomas Shivak

Dissertation: An exploration of experiences from a lay perspective concerning the behavior of physicians: an ethnographic collective case study.

Chaundria Lynn Smith

Dissertation: Factors that motivate or inhibit assistant principals to pursue the urban principalship.

Tamara D. Smith-Moyler Dissertation: The impact of the co-teaching relationship on elementary special education teachers' self-efficacy for teaching mathematics.

Barbara M. Sutton

Dissertation: A qualitative study of teachers' perceptions of workplace support while experiencing grief.

Terry L. Taylor

Dissertation: Interpretative phenomenological analysis of the spiritual journey of single male non-ministry students.

John Troyer

Dissertation: Accomplishing purpose: mission alignment in Christian higher education institutions.

CANDIDATES FOR THE

EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST

DEGREE

Joscelyn Renee Akadi

Shar-Reese Alfred

Rachelle Andrews-Mobley

Carla Beale

Natasha Beene

LaTonia N. Bills

Mercedes Buck

Vernita DeSha Burnett

Allison Case

Brittany Farmer Cobbin

Robert Crumpler

Gina Suzanne Cruz

Jacqueline Cuellar-Spring

Traci Dill

Sandra Donati

Kamil Donawa

Latoria T. Dorsett

Jennifer Nicole Evans

David Nathanael Eveland

Jessica Ford

Jacquiline Jeannine Foster

Yomeka Gaffney

Carrie Elizabeth Gantt

Kimberly Ann Gegner

LaWanda Ramona Gray

Sandra Michelle Hale

Shawnese Moore Preuitt Harden

Chastity L. Hylton

Jocelyn Anne Jones

Joseph Klein

Jon Kramer

Maria Therese Mandis

Kia Ericka Mccardell

John McDaniel

Kimberly Moore

Warren Carlos Moore

Kerrie Gaston Osborn

Mandy J. Payne

Sarita Evett Phillips

Sharonda B. Ragland

Teresa A. Ritzel

Ashley M. Savage

Natasha Sayed

Valerie Scott-Dixon

Kelly Anne Simpson-Maksem

Nanette Lee Solomon-Gaines

Sarah M. Tainow

Anita Tawiah

Joi Angel Tramuel

Kimberly D. Tucker

Shane Underwood

Kimberly Waite-Cooper

Chonita Walker

Alicia Regina Williams

Ana Luz Williams

Syreena Reneice Williams

Margaret D. Wilson

Scott Zimmerman

CANDIDATES FOR THE

MASTER OF EDUCATION

DEGREE

Sarah Maria Alspaugh

Karen Grace Amos

Elick Arp

Jerome Nowell Ashton

Lakishia Banister

Jill Glover Bauserman

Alessandra Fernandez Bautista

Amy Belcher

Janine Price Bell

Vanessa Dale Bell-Spence

Michelle Elizabeth Benard

Duasiane' Benjamin

Kyi Benkowitsch

Heather Lynn Bergeron

Brent David Bland

Ashlyn R. Bolton

Bridget Nicole Bowles

Laura Lucia Bowman

Faye Stone Brandon

Danielle Brewer

Michelle R. Brown

John R. Brunschwyler

Rachel Kristine Bull

Craig Andrew Campbell

Heather D. H. Cannarella

Natasha Caulder

Kathryn Chandler

Hannah Choi

Carolyn Marie Christopher

Elliott Ryan Cobbins

Pauline Bundy Collins

Sheila T. Concepcion

Melanie Connors

Lori LeAnne Corbett

Sasha Corrodus-Odom

Candace R. Crawford

Brian Kwame Dadson

Adam L. Davis

Astrid Aileen D'Meza

Brickell Lee Dotson

Ivonne Myriam Draper

Ryan Dunbar

Claire Talbot Eddins

Cecelia Ann Edic

Yuriko Karena Edwards

Gabriela Escobar

Joanna Espinosa

Sharday Ewell

Jarid Fagin

Amanda L. Fiel

Robert Flanigan

Lesley Steven Garnai

Dalton Gatlin

Suzan Beth Gibson

Jessica Lauren Goad

Thelma Alexandria Gray

Jenny Rae Greene

Natalie Rose Griffin

Andrea F. Grindea

Amanda Guerrieri

Christina Hairgrove

Alisha Hamilton

Whitney Hargraves

Leroy Harper Jr.

Ronald D. Harrison Jr.

Kristen Nicole Hilferty

Brenda Lee Hines

Aaron Householder

Dana Howald

Rebecca Lauren Innamorato

Meghan Jackson

Natasha Benet Jackson

Michael Jakubowski

Brittney James

Kimberly R. James

Bryant Christopher Jefferson

Rashad Jones

Teresa Jordan

Caitlin Kearney

Mikaila Keller

Kristin Anne Kidd

Gee-Won Kim

Ashley R. King

Katherine Karen Kivlin

Erin S. Knapp

Alexandra LaFratta

Rebecca Marie Lepper

George Lias

Wendy Maldonado

Karie Miller Mallory

Michael Harrison Mangan

Jenny March

Alice O. Marshall

Reza Aaron Marvashti

Tammy Lynn Mascolo

Kyle Mason

Magdalene Mason

Kelly McGaha

Grace Mcguire

Amanda Ruth McIlwain

Christopher M. McKeaney

Colleen Anne Marie McVey

Lacey Alanna Meneide

Lindsay J. Meredith

Nichole B. Minot

Scott Patrick Murphy

Kelsey Murray

Sara Kathryn O'Malley

Scott O'Neal

Stephanie Kathleen O'Neil

Brian Osborne

Vance Lamont Page

Kimberly Harris Palmer

Howard Anwar-Saeed Paras

Melanie Parks

Thomas Allen Pear

Regina Michelle Perez

Thomas A. Peters

Tiffanie Peterson-Webb

Marvella Phillips

Anca Potoan Riccio

Gabriel Powell

Faith Nicole Pyrch

Fauzia Rafiq

Janice Irene Riley

Lauren Rimando

Erica Marie Rivers

Lauren Nicole Robinson

Kirstie Robison

Lauren Salas

Joshua C. Sanders

Caleb Sears

Shahnaz Sepehrband

James Seymore

Gretchen Hilary Shahriari

Kevin Maurice Shepherd Jr.

Nashonda Sherrod

Jeffrey Lloyd Shildt

Stephanie Elizabeth Shook

Tulsa D. Silver

Kelsey Q. Sinclair

Karen Skinner

Heather Marie Slivecky

Kelly Anne Smalley

Ami F. Smith

Cheryl Smith

DeMarcquis Smith

Evelyn Kristine Smith

Jashima L. Smith

Justin Jacoby Smith

Nathan Allan McLeod Smith

Terrion Demetrius Smith

Cindy Renee Snead

Lauren Ashley Speight

Dorinda Stagg

Kathleen Marie Starman

Meghan Fleming Streit

Caroline T. Striepe

Shanai Monique Sykes

Brian Taylor

Danielle Taylor

Kiana LaVonda Taylor

Justice Telfare

Deborah Thompson

Zenilda Alicia Thompson

Crystal Jean Torbush

Raymond Trac

Elizabeth Merrill Trigg

William C. Turner

Jacob Vaughn

Laurie Ann Waller

Sharon Flanary Wallin

Jamie Ann Weaver-Denning

Anthony Quinn Wheeler

Lisa B. Wiertel

Nathan Wiles

Marvin Wilhite

Desiree S. Wilson

Rebecca Karen Wong

Alysia Younce

Grace Yusckat

Amelia Zarate

Faculty and Staff of the School of Education

Marissa Ash, M.Ed. Selig Fellow

Jason Baker, Ph.D. Professor

Paul Carr, Ed.D. Program Chair, Professor

Rachel Copeland, M.Ed. Certification/Licensure Official Donald Finn Jr., Ph.D. Program Chair, Associate Professor Andrea Francis, MBA Graduate Assistant Katie Goldman, Ed.D. Assistant Dean

Linda Grooms, Ph.D. Professor

John Hanes Jr., Ph.D. Associate Professor

Sheila. Hill, Ed.D. Program Chair, Assistant Professor

Jiuhan Huang, Ed.D. Associate Professor

Elizabeth. Hunter, Ed.D. Program Chair, Assistant Professor

Glenn Koonce, Ed.D. Program Chair, Associate Professor

Kurt Kreassig, Ed.D Dean

Diane Morgan Administrative Records Coordinator

Deanna Nisbet, Ed.D. Program Chair, Professor

Jeffrey Pittman, Ph.D. Program Chair, Associate Professor

Ashley Rombs, M.Ed. Selig Fellow

Brenda Vaughan, MM Coordinator of Field Placements

Mervyn Wighting, Ph.D. Program Chair, Professor

The Regent University School of Education: History

The School of Education was formed in 1980 with approximately 16 students and three full-time faculty members. The school initially enrolled mostly students interested in Christian school education. The interests changed when the university introduced programs geared toward practicing public school teachers and administrators as well as using more convenient formats such as weekend courses and online instruction. Today, the majority of students seeking advanced degrees are public school employees. The school has since grown to serve 1200 degree-seeking students each year and offers 23 distinct areas of study ranging from master’s level through Ph.D. The school employs 12 full-time faculty members. Our mission states, “The School of Education, through its commitment to excellence in teaching, research and service, provides a biblically based, Christian education to equip men and women in mind, heart, and character for lives of educational service and transformational leadership.” The faculty believe that curriculum is enhanced by the infusion of Judeo-Christian values found in Scripture, especially in cultivating our students as ambassadors of hope and compassion. Our vision is that our graduates portray a lifestyle that ignites change because of their commitment to these eternal values. We give God thanks for His faithfulness for over forty years of service to the Regent community, including our alumni and students and the sectors in which they serve, especially education. Our impact has gone throughout the world. With His help, we have proved that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13).

“I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who

Strengthens Me.” PHILIPPIANS 4:13

Mission & Vision

The mission of Regent University is to serve as a leading center of Christian thought and action, providing excellent education

from a biblical perspective and global context in pivotal professions to equip Christian leaders to change the world.

The vision of Regent University is to be the most influential, Christian, transformational university in the world.

AAF210284