Plainview, Texas (news release) – Wayland Baptist University celebrated the start of spring on Saturday with 96 students attending the graduation ceremony at the Hutcherson Center.
Five students were recognized as the highest-ranking graduates in the Class of 2022, each graduating with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Chloe Barham, a humanities major from Amarillo, Samuel Daly, an English and professional writing major from Pearland, Jodi Shea, psychology major from Greeley, Colo., Michaela Phipps, a Christian ministry major from Artesia, NM, and Emily Franklin, from A Plainview Major religious education and mathematics, each was recognized for their academic achievements.
Franklin, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science with an Honors degree, served as the senior class speaker for the ceremony, challenging his fellow graduates to stay in the faith and experience God’s peace in uncertain times. Dr. Scott Franklin, Lori’s daughter and professor of mathematics at Wayland, said Franklin’s journey to graduation has been fraught with uncertainty, starting with her decision to attend Wayland.
“I was afraid that if I went to Wayland, I would take the easy route,” she said, changing her mind when she visited and experienced the commitment from the faculty and staff. “I’m in Wayland because God brought me here. I was afraid I’d make the wrong choice or do the wrong thing, but the whole time, God was supporting me with his hand.”
Franklin drew from Psalm 37:23–24, a scripture voted by the senior class, which states that man’s steps are set by God and that even when man stumbles, God are there to support.
“The truth is that we can find peace even in the worst uncertainties, but we need faith to reach that peace,” Franklin said.
She challenges her classmates to keep faith with her as they embark on this new time of change and uncertainty, and be a shining light to God in whatever career path they follow.
“I’m not saying that our challenges will disappear,” she said. “I only believe that if we trust that God is who he says he is and does what he says, our attitude will change. If we believe that God is pleased with our way , then we can trust that He leads us to good. And God is always leading us to make the world better for His glory, and He has given each of us the unique talent and passion to do so. Have given.”
Welland’s President Dr. Bobby Hall echoed Franklin’s sentiments.
“You are a member of a class that was molded into the most unusual, extreme and challenging circumstances to come from the pandemic,” he said. “Whatever your next adventure in life, you will need the insight, understanding and understanding that you will find only in God. You will yearn to be right, just and fair in a world that is often not interested in those values at all. I hope you will follow the scripture from Psalm 37 to today for the rest of your life, because I promise you, Jehovah will hold you in the palm of his hand.”
class of 2022
Doctor of Management: Benjamin Alexander, Lubbock; Kyle Henson, Graham
Master of Arts in Consulting: Argyna Bolton, Plainview; Safiya Bright, Plainview; Elizabeth Castillo, Plainview; Valeria Lizzette Hernandez, Plainview; Zakia Johnson, Idalou; Cynthia Palacios, Amarillo; Marisa Sullivan, Lubbock; Olga Torres, Lubbock
Master of Arts in Criminal Justice: Soledad Diaz, Plainview
Master of Arts in English: Jason Smith, Plainview; Jessica Thornhill, Plainview
Master of Arts in Humanities: Sequoia Elliott, Silver Spring, MD
Master of Arts in Human Services: Dorothymery Beltran, Tukumkari, NM; Audriana Trevino, Plainview; Holly Anne Wasson, Keller
Master of Business Administration: Michael Acevedo, Abernathy; Layla Lively, Plainview; Randy Cepeda, Plainview; Sebastian Tremulot, La Clusaz, France
Master of Education: Rhoda Morales, Floydada
Master of Public Administration: Eric Omity, Grand Prairie
Bachelor in Applied Science: Rogelio Acosta, Plainview; Leandra Amaya, Plainview; Adelina Chapa, Plainview; Gloimer Diaz, Valla Jaragua, Dominican Republic; Armaldo Gonzales, Jr., Plainview; Maggie Herndon, Madison, AL; Tamesha Jackson-Laval, Henderson, NV; Karissa Jahe, Floydada; Molly Karpeh, Jr., Harbel, Liberia; Carlos Martinez, Las Vegas, NV; Amy Mendoza, Amarillo; Alison Muniz, Floydda; Mason Powers, Plainview; Colin Richardson, Amarillo; Mendy Scarborough, Plainview; Jennifer Stills, Weatherford
Bachelor of Arts: Carissa Aguirre, Austin; Brennan Ballard, Plainview; Chloe Barham, Amarillo; Emily Coward, Austin; Samuel Daly, Pearland; Brandon Duarte-Garza, Reynosa, Mexico; Saybri Gausin,
general view; Andrew Gutierrez, El Paso; Marco Magnoli, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Ernest Marshall, Jr., Planview; Jose Martinez, El Castillo La Isabella, Dominican Republic; Evan Puckett, Plainview; Daniel Romero, Plainview; Aaron Samnigo, Earth; Jod Shea, Greeley, Colo.; Gabriel Washington, Waco
Bachelor of Business Administration: Daniel Abeta, Belen, NM; Ariel Marquez, Bushland; Abigail Myers, Fairbanks, Alaska; Santiago Riano Bogotá, Colombia; Lewis Richmond, Blackburn, England; Estella Rodriguez, Plainview; Garrett Sathoff, Hondo; Davin Santana, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; John Sauceda, San Antonio; Zane Wellborn, Amarillo; Skyler Whiten, Wichita Falls; Deng Bol Yol, Juba, South Sudan
Graduates of Christian Ministry: Matthew Davis, Newton, Kan.; Michaela Phipps, Artesia NM
Bachelor of Fine Arts: William Bridgewater, Amarillo
Bachelor of Music: Taylor Lindley, Pampa
Bachelor of Science with Honors: Emily Franklin, Plainview
Bachelor of Science: Stuti Ayani, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Vittoria Balliero, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Tavia Bell, Amarillo; D’Andra Bundik, Killeen; Carlos Colón, Carolina, Puerto Rico; Joseph Colurciello, Lockhart; Jake Farley, Lubbock; William Glass, Floydada; Brisa Gonzalez, Plainview; Jacob Goldie, Diana; Cheyenne Hill-Johnson, Stafford; Tatijana Markic, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Kaitlyn McCloud, Lubbock; Brianna Moore, Odessa; Reginald Mouton, Killeen; Jayda Nelson, Amarillo; Brooklyn Knicks, Lubbock; Thomas Rosen-St. John, Lahaina, Hawaii; Justin Sandoval, El Paso; Chante Van Zyl, Port Alfred, South Africa; Daniel Vazquez, El Paso; Samuel Velasquez, Amarillo; Gregory Villavizar, La Augustina, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Chloe Winegart, Pampas
Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies: Brooke Quinones, Lavington, NM; Nicolas Quintero, San Antonio; Brittany Smerud, Lubbock
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