2016 USA/Canada Commencement Report
NCN News compiled the following list of spring commencement reports from each of the Nazarene institutions of higher education on the USA/Canada Region:
Ambrose University
President: Gordon T. Smith
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Web: ambrose.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: April 28 and 30
Commencement Speakers: Sherry Van de Veen (undergraduate), Clyde Glass (seminary), Michael Tymchak (education)
Number of Graduates: 167
Fast Facts: This year's Ambrose University graduation ceremony was held in three parts: 101 students received degrees at the undergraduate convocation, 41 were recognized at the seminary convocation, and 25 graduated at the education convocation ... Convocation events were held in Ambrose Gymnasium and broadcast live over the Internet.
Eastern Nazarene College
President: Corlis McGee
Location: Quincy, Massachusetts
Web: enc.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: May 7
Commencement Speaker: Dan Copp, Church of the Nazarene education commissioner
Number of Graduates: 237
Honorary Doctorate: Kenneth Mills, retiring Mid-Atlantic district superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene
Fast Facts: This was ENC's 94th Spring Commencement ... The college presented awards to Elizabeth Aliota and Joshua Lojzim (outstanding seniors), Brian Alves (outstanding undergraduate, adult and graduate studies), Claire Krasnow (outstanding graduate, adult and graduate studies), and Montague Williams (teaching excellence) ... Susan Watkins was recognized as faculty emerita ... Video.
MidAmerica Nazarene University
President: David J. Spittal
Location: Olathe, Kansas
Web: mnu.edu
Dates of Commencement Exercises: May 7
Commencement Speakers: Wintley Phipps, vocal artist and Grammy Award nominee
Number of Graduates: 607
Honorary Doctorate Degree: Wintley Phipps
Fast Facts: MNU's 45th Commencement was held in two ceremonies at Olathe College Church of the Nazarene ... Terry Baldridge, who is retiring after 34 years, was recognized as faculty emeritus ... Don Dunn received the Robert I. Brower Award for excellence in teaching Professional and Graduate Studies ... The American Heritage Award, the highest award for one undergraduate male and female, was awarded to Caleb Asbill and Kristi Rose Jackson ... Photos ... Full story.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
President: Henry W. Spaulding II
Location: Mount Vernon, Ohio
Web: mvnu.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: April 30
Commencement Speaker: Robert Moore, Painesville Municipal Court judge (traditional), Vickie Sant, president of First-Knox National Bank (graduate and professional studies)
Number of Graduates: 432
Honorary Doctorate Degree: Geoffrey Kunselman, chair of the Board of Trustees at MVNU, and district Superintendent of the Northwestern Ohio District
Fast Facts: This was MVNU's 47th Spring Commencement ... The Class of 2016 included 208 traditional undergraduate students and 224 graduate and professional studies students ... Photos ... Full story.
Nazarene Bible College
President: Harold B. Graves Jr.
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Web: nbc.edu
Dates of Graduation Exercises: May 29
Commencement Speaker: Bob Broadbooks, USA/Canada regional director for the Church of the Nazarene
Number of Graduates: 92
Fast Facts: This was the 46th Spring Commencement at NBC ... The traditional Call and Response of the Apostles was held in Apostles Court ... Awards were bestowed on six Delta Epsilon Chi members and eight students on the Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges list ... Bachelor of Arts in Ministry degrees were awarded to 70 individuals, seven students earned associate's degrees, and 15 received certificates in ministerial preparation.
Northwest Nazarene University
President: Joel Pearsall
Location: Nampa, Idaho
Web: nnu.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: May 7
Commencement Speaker: Joel Pearsall, NNU president (arts and sciences), Ed Robinson, interim vice president for Academic Affairs (adult and graduate studies)
Number of Graduates: 579
Fast Facts: This was the university's 100th commencement ceremony ... NNU's graduates represented 16 countries ... The university honored 41 "Golden Grads," who received their degrees 50 years ago ... The NNU School of Nursing held its 15th annual pinning ceremony ... Photos ... Full story.
Nazarene Theological Seminary
President: Carla Sunberg
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Web: nts.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: May 1
Commencement Speaker: Franklin Cook, former Eurasia regional director and founding editor of Holiness Today
Number of graduates: 49
Fast Facts: This was the 70th Spring Commencement at NTS ... Commencement activities were held at Kansas City First Church of the Nazarene ... The 49 graduates of the Class of 2016 received degrees as follows: 16 Master of Arts, 29 Master of Divinity, and four Doctor of Ministry ... Sixteen of the graduates earned certificates or diplomas ... The graduates represented six countries: U.S., Portugal, South Korea, Mexico, Canada, and Kazakhstan.
Olivet Nazarene University
President: John C. Bowling
Location: Bourbonnais, Illinois
Web: olivet.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: May 7
Commencement Speakers: Suzanne Bell, psychologist
Number of Graduates: 1,395
Honorary Doctorate Degrees: Jerry Hammes, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and longtime supporter of the university
Fast Facts: This was Olivet's 103rd annual commencement ... At the undergraduate ceremony, awards were presented for the outstanding male and outstanding female graduates, as well as scholarly excellence and teaching excellence ... During the Graduate and Continuing Studies ceremony, the first Master of Engineering Management and Doctor of Education in ethical leadership degrees were presented ... There were 598 undergraduate degrees, one associate's degree, 159 adult studies bachelor's degrees, 613 master's degrees, and 24 doctoral degrees ... Full story.
Point Loma Nazarene University
President: Bob Brower
Location: San Diego, California
Web: pointloma.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: May 7
Commencement Speakers: Bill Wood, PLNU professor of history (undergraduate convocation), and Ron Benefiel, lead consultant for mission resources & pastoral relations (graduate convocation prayer)
Number of Graduates: 964
Fast Facts: This was PLNU's 115th annual commencement ... All three ceremonies (two undergraduate, one graduate) were held in the historic Greek Amphitheater on PLNU's campus ... This year's class included the first cohort of graduates from the university's expanded adult degree completion programs, including BSN graduates from the community college partnership between PLNU and Grossmont Community College ... Six retiring faculty members were recognized ... Photos ... Webpage.
Southern Nazarene University
President: Loren Gresham
Location: Bethany, Oklahoma
Web: snu.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: May 14
Commencement Speaker: Rick Harvey, Bethany First Church of the Nazarene pastor
Number of Graduates: 490
Honorary Doctorate Degrees: Susie Shellenberger and Kenneth Tillett
Fast Facts: This was SNU's 113th Spring Commencement ... Susie Shellenberger, an international speaker and Church of the Nazarene evangelist, received a Doctor of Divinity and Kennet, a Belize politician and SNU alumnus, received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree ... Mandie Oliver and Felipe Simoes received The President's Award, the highest award for undergraduates, in recognition of their academic excellence, service, campus leadership, and demonstration of the qualities reflected in SNU's motto, "Character, Culture, Christ" ... Twenty-six members of the Class of 1966 were presented with commemorative medalions ... The morning commencement was followed by the Tradition of the Ivy Ring with graduating seniors and their families ... Photos ... Full story.
Trevecca Nazarene University
President: Dan Boone
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Web: trevecca.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: May 7
Commencement Speaker: Tim Eades, associate provost for the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies
Number of Graduates: 733
Fast Facts: This was Trevecca's 115th Commencement ... Registrar Emeritus Becky Niece and Professor Emeritus Doug Lepter were recognized ... Trevecca President Dan Boone presented the Trevecca Citizenship Award to Sarah Hogan ... Photos ... Full story.