Ancilla College graduated its 49th class in school history Saturday, May 7, at the Ancilla Domini Chapel. The college had 91 graduation candidates.
“I am very proud of the graduates,” said Ancilla College President Dr. Ken Zirkle. “I am honored to be able to send this group of students out into the world knowing that their education here at Ancilla has better prepared them for their jobs or continued education.”
A reception organized by the Ancilla Alumni Association followed, as Ancilla faculty, staff, students, and their families gathered in Cana Hall for fellowship and refreshments.
“Commencement at Ancilla College is such an exciting time,” said Dr. Joanna Blount, Vice President of Academic Affairs. “It is a celebration and culmination of hard work by students and faculty. Marching across the stage, changing the tassel from right to left – these are signs of achievement and, for some, the fulfillment of a dream that students did not expect to accomplish. We see the ways in which our students grew and flourished with the individual attention they receive from faculty and staff and know that we have shaped the lives of our students, that we have started them on a journey that will last a lifetime.”
An Honors Convocation was also held on Friday, May 6, at the Ancilla Domini Chapel, as outstanding students were honored for their achievements.
Of the 91 candidates, 23 received recognition for graduating Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude.
Another 26 were honored for their affiliation with Ancilla’s Beta Beta Beta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the two-year college honor society in American higher education. Eighteen graduates were honored with being named among Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.
Graduates receiving additional special honors were: Travon Brackett, Anchorage, Alaska (Departmental Honor for Criminal Justice); Mewsette Cartwright, Plymouth, Ind. (Departmental Honor for Business Administration); Jacqulin Collins, Plymouth, Ind. (Departmental Honor for History); Joshua Felty, Knox, Ind. (Scholar of Distinction; Athlete Scholar; Departmental Honor for General Studies); Randi Fier, Knox, Ind. (Scholar of Distinction); Andrew McCarty, Knox, Ind. (Departmental Honor for Behavioral Science); Kayte Miller, Royal Center, Ind. (Departmental Honor for Elementary Education); Eric Rader, Plymouth, Ind. (Departmental Honor for Elementary Education); James Rimel, Bremen, Ind. (Departmental Honor for Criminal Justice); John Secrest, Burket, Ind. (Departmental Honor for Secondary Education); Sophia Smith, Zeeland Mich. (Athlete Scholar; Departmental Honor for SMIT); Amanda Stephany, La Porte, Ind. (Departmental Honor for Nursing); Majorie Zornes, Winamac, Ind. (Departmental Honor for Early Childhood Development).
