Commencement Ceremony Program

MAY 3, 2025 / 10:30 AM

CHAPEL AND FINE ARTS CENTER
2201 SILVER LAKE ROAD, BARTLESVILLE, OK

Commencement

*PROCESSIONAL

INVOCATION
Paul Olla, Class of 2025

WELCOME
Dr. Jim Dunn, President, Class of 1988

SCRIPTURE READING
Dr. Catherine Cox, Class of 2025

STUDENT TESTIMONIAL
Ronald Adkins, Class of 2025

CONFERRAL OF HONORARY DOCTORATE
Dr. Jim Dunn, President, Class of 1988
Dr. Craig A. Dunn, Honorary Doctorate Recipient, Class of 1980 & 1982

GRADUATE ADDRESS
Dr. Craig A. Dunn, Honorary Doctorate Recipient, Class of 1980 & 1982

PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES
Dr. Jim Dunn, President, Class of 1988
Dr. Keri Bostwick, Provost & VP of Academic Affairs, Class of 1998

BE ONE SENT
Dr. Jim Dunn, President, Class of 1988

TASSEL CEREMONY & RINGING OF SAM’S BELL
Dr. Keri Bostwick, Provost & VP of Academic Affairs, Class of 1998
Dr. Gregory Nichols, Class of 2025

BENEDICTION
Dr. Keri Bostwick, Provost & VP of Academic Affairs, Class of 1998

*RECESSIONAL

*Congregation please stand

Speakers

Dr. Jim Dunn
President (Class of 1988)

Before joining OKWU as President in June 2019, Dr. Jim Dunn served as pastor and leader within The Wesleyan Church denomination. Most recently, he served as Vice-President of Church Relations at Wesleyan Investment Foundation. In addition, he has served in leadership positions on numerous boards and taught at Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Wesley Seminary, and Indiana Wesleyan University. He has a BA from Bartlesville Wesleyan College (OKWU), an M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Dr. Dunn and his wife, Wendy, have four children: Dr. Dunn has a son, a daughter, and two grandchildren, and Wendy has two daughters.

Dr. Keri Bostwick
Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs (Class of 1998)

Dr. Bostwick is a proud graduate of Bartlesville Wesleyan College with a BA in Secondary English Education and an M.Ed. (Oklahoma Wesleyan University). She earned an Ed. D. in Transformational Leadership from Concordia University-Portland in 2020. Dr. Bostwick was fortunate to work for Bartlesville Public Schools as a teacher and leader for seventeen years. She came to OKWU as a Professor of Education in 2013. She has also served as the M.Ed. Director, the Dean of Education and Exercise Science, and the Dean of Assessment and Accreditation. She was named Provost in the Summer of 2022. Dr. Bostwick is married to Michael and has three children: Jaxon, Cooper, and Georgia.

Dr. Craig A. Dunn
CEO of Wesleyan Investment Foundation and Wesleyan Pension Fund, Class of 1980 & 1982

Dr. Craig A. Dunn is our Commencement Speaker and the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Oklahoma Wesleyan University. He is a 1980 Associate of Arts Graduate (Bartlesville Wesleyan College) and a 1982 Bachelor of Science Graduate. In 1995, he earned a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University. Since 2000, he has served as the CEO of the Wesleyan Investment Foundation. He has also been the CEO of the Wesleyan Pension Fund since 2003. He married his wife, Tammy, in 1984. They have three children: Steve (Erika), Becky (Ish), and Levi. They also have six grandchildren: Jasmine, Jacob, Sawyer, Theodore, Daniela, and John.

Graduating Class of 2025

BACHELOR OF ARTS

• Ronald Lee Adkins – Biblical Studies & Christian Thought †~
• Kristi Dorothea Anderson – Pastoral Ministry †
• Angelina Marie Arvizu – Graphic Design & Strategy
• Natalie Marie Ater – Graphic Design & Strategy †
• Jazmin Jacqueline Avila-Lara – Graphic Design & Strategy
• Alan Covarrubias – Digital Media Marketing
• Joni Mae Hofer – Pastoral Ministry
• Cadon Jack McGlathery – Digital Media Marketing
• Avery Elizabeth Osborn – Graphic Design & Strategy & Letters †~

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

• Ciarra Nicole Aeschleman – Interdisciplinary Business
• Nikoleta Aleksic – Psychology
• Nathanael Brian Anderberg – Pastoral Ministry *
• Erin Mae Anderson – Psychology
• Luis Felipe Antigua – Business *
• Colt Ryan Bartling – Exercise Science Pre-Therapy
• Jake Tyler James Benefiel – Sports Management
• Carley Rae Billings – Accounting ➢
• Landon Keith Burton – Exercise Science Pre-Therapy
• Matthew Junior Campos – Interdisciplinary Business
• Jessica Rayann Carpenter – Pastoral Ministry
• Avery Caroline Clevenger – Marketing
• Lloyd Noland Colvin – Ministry & Leadership
• Angelli Cortes – Accounting ➢
• Levi Ray Corum – Business Communication
• Parker James Disidore – Business and Business Communication
• John Michael Dominguez Jr – Interdisciplinary Business
• Matthew Driver – Exercise Science Pre-Therapy
• Jack Henry Dutcher – Accounting ➢
• Annabelle Mari Flores – Criminal Justice
• Eboutoh Mian Fobia – Organizational Management
• Carson Van Patten Frazier – Exercise Science Strength & Conditioning
• Rachel Erin Froeschner – Elementary Education
• Alondra Giselle Garcia – Exercise Science Pre-Therapy
• Tatiana Minjeh Gilford – Psychology
• Jaelin Nicole Glass – Business Communication
• Jake Hutchins Greer – Marketing
• Blake Andrew Hamblin – Accounting ➢
• Hunter Gabriel Hansen – Management & Leadership
• Connor Robert Hickey – Criminal Justice
• Allison Rose Howard – Accounting
• Jarett Walker Imel – Criminal Justice
• Braden Randall Jackson – Criminal Justice
• Kiowa Edward Johnson – Accounting ➢
• Aidan Knowles – Interdisciplinary Business
• Alyssa M Lee – Business Administration
• Jonathan Allen Liebman – Business Administration ^
• Daniel Grayson Lopez – Psychology
• Carlos Enrique Lopez Perez – Interdisciplinary Business
• Ashton Andrew Luera – Criminal Justice
• Jesse Clifton Martin Jr – Business Administration ^
• Rylee Elizabeth Massey – Psychology Studies
• Hayley Elizabeth McBroom – Exercise Science Pre-Therapy
• Haley Gabrielle Meely – Exercise Science Clinical Fitness
• Michael Dean Miller – Business Communication
• Laramie Osage Neff – Sports & Recreation Leadership
• Joao Pedro Neves Santos – Business Communication
• Alyssa Mariah Olivas – Accounting ➢
• Natalia Quiroz – Biology
• Zlatan Ramic – Accounting ➢
• Edinson Rafael Renteria Jr. – Interdisciplinary Business
• Shade’ Shammara Richardson – Interdisciplinary Business
• Moises David Rivera – Organizational Management
• Kathryn Elizabeth Rogers – Exercise Science Clinical Fitness
• Uros Rosic – Interdisciplinary Business
• Jacey Dayle Rupe – Psychology
• Braydon Keller Schiess – Business
• Christian Michael Seebold – Exercise Science Strength & Conditioning
• Coral Christine Serio – Elementary Education *
• Landry Lee Simmons – Interdisciplinary Business
• Sylvia Lynn Skinner – Exercise Science Pre-Therapy
• Taylor Jamison Smith – Exercise Science Pre-Therapy
• Cheyenne Michelle Staub – Biochemistry
• Morgan Elizabeth Swarthout – Elementary Education
• Derrick Dwayne Talton Jr – Business Information Systems
• Zariah Dashay Tillman – Biology
• Zachary Scott Tinsley – Organizational Management ^
• Michael Anthony Todd – Criminal Justice
• Adrian Vargas – Sports & Recreation Leadership
• Connor Tyson Walcher – Accounting ➢ *
• Jessica Morgan Watson – Business ➢
• Matthew Alvin Weidkamp – Criminal Justice
• Jackson Reed Whitby – Criminal Justice
• Kylie Elizabeth White – Exercise Science Strength & Conditioning ➢
• Madeline Alieen Wiese – Elementary Education
• Jenna Nicole Woodring – Elementary Education
• Wesley Owen Wyatt – Marketing †~ ➢

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

• Anna Grace Burk 
• Minerva Nicole Cole
• Martina Paz Cordova Ulloa 
• Noelle Grace Ducote *
• Kaleigh Briona Gritts 
• Jenny Lee Gromovsky
• Allison Lee Henson 
• Misty Rayann Lehmann
• Abigail Jean Lott 
• Bonnie Annemarie Martinez 
• Holly Nicole McElhaney 
• Arianna Faith Palma
• Jacklyn Marie Simma 
• Teri Lenee Stanton 
• Graciana Kathryn Wahnee 
• Emma Riley Ward

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

• Jerome Ellis Cannon 
• Oracio De Leon Diaz
• Jaden Tyler Lietzke 
• Victor Henrique Lourenco Crispim
• Ricardo Alfonso Navia Flores 
• Paul Timilehin Olla

MASTER OF EDUCATION IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

• Krista Aryn Albertson 
• Shelbie Lynn Kirby
• Michael Shawn McFarland 
• Alana Fawn Murphy
• Haylie Dawn Powers

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

• Stacey Lorraine Meloy
• Darian Nicole Roberts
• Katlyn Jo Salazar

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

• Bradley Alan Aeschleman
• Taneisha Lynnette Aeschleman

DOCTOR OF NURSING IN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

• Catherine Marie Cox

DOCTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

• Gregory Allen Nichols

Honors & Recognition

Undergraduate Honors | A graduate who has achieved a certain cumulative grade point average will receive honors recognition and a cord as follows:

Cum Laude 3.5 – 3.69 GPA
Associate’s: White Cord | Bachelor’s: Bronze Cord
Magna Cum Laude 3.7 – 3.89 GPA
Associate’s: Red Cord | Bachelor’s: Silver Cord
Summa Cum Laude 3.9 – 4.0 GPA
Associate’s: Blue Cord | Bachelor’s: Gold Cord

Graduate Honors | Graduate-level students who have achieved a certain cumulative grade point average will receive honors recognition.

Honors 3.8-3.99 GPA
High Honors 4.0 GPA

Veterans | Graduates of the US Armed Services are honored with red, white, and blue intertwined honor cords.

➢ Pareto Group | The Pareto Group is formed by the top traditional OKWU Chesapeake Energy School of Business students based on competency, character, and communication.

† Lewis Fellowship | The Lewis Fellowship, sponsored by the OKWU Honors College, is a consortium of student scholars from multiple disciplines within the university. Its focus is the relation between Christ and culture. Graduates who have earned this honor are awarded a light blue cord.

^ Alpha Sigma Lambda | Alpha Sigma Lambda is a national honor society that partners with colleges and universities to celebrate the scholarship and leadership of adult students in higher education. OKWU’s chapter began in 2005. Graduates who have earned this honor are awarded an ivory stole with embroidered ASLHS script and crest. 

~ OKWU Honors College Graduates | The OKWU Honors College is an interdisciplinary learning environment that shapes servant-hearted Christian scholars through classical education and biblical community. Honors College students may earn a Minor or BA in “Letters” (a British designation focusing on the humanities).

Sam’s Bell | To mark a new beginning, the OKWU Bell first rang during the 2019 Convocation, the ceremony signifying the start of the academic year. The bell, named in Sam Shannon’s memory, declares the grace of new beginnings in Christ. The honor of ringing the bell is given to one embodying the spirit and mission of the university.

After the Ceremony, graduates will recess to the lower (west) grass open space to meet family and friends.

Learn more about OKWU Graduation.

Watch OKWU Commencement Ceremonies on YouTube