TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama awarded some 2,292 degrees at spring commencement exercises held Saturday, May 19, in Coleman Coliseum on the Tuscaloosa campus.
Best-selling author and journalist Gay Talese was the featured commencement speaker, and he also received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree.
A 1953 UA graduate, Talese has written the books “The Kingdom and the Power,” “Honor Thy Father,” and “Unto the Sons.” Talese, who has also written for The New York Times, Esquire Magazine, Reader’s Digest, and Saturday Evening Post, is credited with founding the “New Journalism” movement emphasizing creativity, a narrative style, dialogue and other features often reserved for fiction.
With this graduating class, UA has awarded more than 178,000 degrees since its founding in 1831 as the state’s first public university. UA holds commencement ceremonies three times a year.
The following students from the Birmingham area were listed as candidates to receive degrees:
JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE
BESSEMER-Donald James Nettles.
BIRMINGHAM-35209-Anastasia Parnham Campbell, William Lynn Campbell Jr., 35209-Robert Franklin Springfield, 35210-Jason Edward Gilmore, 35213-William Drake Blackmon, Christine Eugenia Hudson, Philip Keith Lichtman, Jessica K. Stetler, 35214-Kimberly Renee Ward, 35216-Leslie Garrett Allen, Stephen Cochran Wallace, 35222-Lynlee Wells Palmer, 35223-Kathryn Smith Crawford, Tracy Allyne Elkus, 35226-Matthew Charles Henderson, Edward Morris Holt, 35235-James Wesley Legg, 35242-David Allan Felice, Robin Jill
Levin,William Douglas Montgomery, Joshua Howard Threadcraft, 35243-James Landrum Butler, Melanie Fendley Lyerly, Allison Beth Palmer, 35244-Keith Edward Brashier.
FAIRFIELD-Joi Charisse Scott.
GARDENDALE-Michael Vance McCrary.
HOOVER-Thomas Stuart Creel, Jeffrey Raymond Lees, Margaret Elizabeth McDowell.
IRONDALE-David Lee Brown.
MAYLENE-Bradley Jason McGiboney.
McCALLA-Cheryl Crumpton Herring, Kelly Burleson Rushin.
MORRIS-Lawrence Matthew Lovoy.
PELHAM-Randall James Spivey, Mark S. Williams.
VESTAVIA HILLS-David Raymond Yates.
DOCTORAL DEGREE
ALABASTER-Joseph Paul Ardovino.
BIRMINGHAM-35216-Charles L. Leakeas, 35244-Sreelatha Meleth.
HOOVER-Jessica Ramos-Harthun.
HUEYTOWN-Susan Rhodes Nelson.
MONTEVALLO-Cynthia Pruitt Tidwell.
TRUSSVILLE-Doris Duke Wood.
MASTER’S DEGREE
ALABASTER-Shirley Highfill Gatlin, Bret Michael Lowery.
BESSEMER-Nathan Clifton Chase Jr.
BIRMINGHAM-35205-Dean Allen Daniels, Duncan Lawrence Gibson, Jo Ellen Gilbert, Adrianne Simon Melton, Christina Elaine Smith, Jesse Charles Tilton IV, Rebecca Lynn Wimberley, 35206- Michaela Ingram Bice, Kristi Lynn Shaw, Brandy Barrett Williams, 35209- Sarah Denise Elmore, Jeremy James Griem, Elaine Harris, Kingman Cody Shelburne III, 35212- Michael Stacy Fitts, Jessica Denise Mack, 35213-James Franklin Dixon III, Mary Karyn Emison, Jane Elizabeth Ensey, John Frederick Grimes, James Taylor McElroy, James Bradford Moffatt, James Vaughn Skinner, 35214-Stephanie Anita Gayles, 35216-Kelly Michele O’Donnell, Andrew Roger Patton, Rhonda Minor Truitt, 35218-Tonda Denise Hill, 35222-Joe Olsen Ross, 35223-Catharine Mundy Kassouf, William Bew White IV, 35224-La Tycia Perkins, 35226- Jeffrey Michael Shimizu, 35228-Xersalyn Trashawn Threet, 35235-Leonard Ray McCray, Traci Lynn Slaton, 35242-David Clay Cicero, Leonard Lance Irvin, John Joseph Mooney, John Clayton Shannon, 35243-Ashley Elizabeth Alvarado, Sara Peters Butler, Arthur Merrimon Freeman IV, Jennifer Michele Harvey, Walter Lemuel Meherg, Frances Elizabeth Salamone,
Jarrod Kelce Warren, 35244-Thomas Michael McCanna, Sreelatha Meleth.
CALERA-Teresa Gallagher Miller.
COLUMBIANA-Audrie Caroline Carmack.
GARDENDALE-William D. Fowler.
HELENA-Christi Lane Corbitt, Karen Butler Knapp.
HOMEWOOD-Stephanie Lynn Agro, Amy Lee Irby, Heather Elaine Miller.
HOOVER-Christopher M. Alexander, Judith Chandra Clark, Ignatius Kwateng Fosu, Joy Melissa Groce, Kimberly Kristina Mason, Frank Samuel Skinner III, Pamela Studdard-Prestridge.
HUEYTOWN-Robyn Elizabeth Sager.
LEEDS-Cassandra Pair Taylor, Tyrone Yarbrough.
MONTEVALLO-Linda Fields McCray.
MOODY-Joni McCormack Crowe, Priscilla Elizabeth Praytor.
PELHAM-Allie Virginia Green, Robbie Elizabeth Spivey.
PINSON-Brandi Nicole Renfro.
PLEASANT GROVE-Susan Elizabeth Pennington.
STERRETT-Whitney Leigh Norris.
TRUSSVILLE-Ann Margaret Allen, Joy Ellen Batting, Brandy Danielle Harris, Daniel Matthew Lyles, Lanetta Jean Page, Lou Ann Wogamon.
VESTAVIA HILLS-Sasagu Otsuki.
WARRIOR-Roy Lee McDaniel Jr.
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
ADAMSVILLE-Toni Nadine Bell, Zachary Heath McWhorter, Jermesha Equanna Simmons, David Leroy Williams Jr.
ALABASTER-Kimberlee Niccole Allen, Lily Amanda Ingram, Sherry Lynn Levio, Kyle Surguy Shroyer.
BESSEMER-Devin Julius Errett, Jeremy Oran Fields, Stefan Yongsoo Kim, Hamid Mashayekh Jr., Matthew Steven Weatherly.
BIRMINGHAM-35203-Robert Anderson George, 35204-Henry Elbert Elmore, Tyrell Fleming Jordan, 35205-Laquita Evette Ivory, Simeon Sealy Johnson, Andrew Crockett Mendelson, 35206-Laura Jean Crosby, Michael Lydale Johnson, Erica De’Shaundra Kimbrough, Marlon Ketrell Little, James Hollis Williams Jr., 35209-Meredith Alana Black, Malissa Hall, Tammie Lashae Jennings, Amy Melissa Limbaugh, John Michael Romano, Mahesh Kumar Shah, Tangela Vonsha Thomas, Sarah Carolyn Whitten, 35210-Stephanie Elaine Dunlap, Gloria Roxanne Henderson, Ajeenah Maryam Rasheed, 35211-Keisha Lavetta Harris, 35212- Audwin Juwan Howard, Takeria Nicole Lumpkin, Lynsey Shouse McMillian, Maya Briahn Smith, 35213-Ginna Louise Glaser, Kathryn Patricia Harvill, Barbara Carleton Lynch, Margaret Brooks Moor, 35214-Eric Lee Brake, Jeniese Harvette Hosey, Natalie Rose Muro, 35215-Merri Amanda Bouchet, Jasmine Nichole Caldwell, Floyd Wesley Harrell IV, Reinhart John Koepp III, Denise Melinda May, Mandy Lea’Anne Rodda, 35216-Christi Cornelius Ballard, Jeremy Mark Coleman, Heather Noel Honeycutt, Matthew Rains Jordan, Chadwick Carter Messina, Jamie Ellen Smith, 35218-Tamika Lashon Green, Dionne Layvette Kelley, 35221-Jennifer Maria Estell, 35223-Lucy Davis Anderson, Jeremy Ryan Breibart, Catherine Megan Cowley, Christina Ann Graffeo, Stephanie Lyn Hudson, William Patrick Noles, Colin Alexander Read, Brigitte Lynn Scruggs, John Aston Warnock, Chelsea Lea Weathers, 35226-Mari-Leigh Beckworth, Kara Lynne Brannon, Tyson Jerald Hohne, Correll Shea Mayfield, Kimberly Louise Millican, Kristy ReneE` Stallings, Broderick Ryan Underwood, Amanda Gabrielle Weathers, 35228-Karita Lashunda Smith, 35235-Jeremy Richard Beard, Jerry Leonard Everette, Jennifer Lynne McCollister, 35242-Brigitte Renee’ Barron, Fred Jason Beam, Tiffany Alice Carter, Catherine Inzer Cash, Jennifer Leigh Elliott, Michael Roy Esposito, Tommie Jacob Goggans III, Brian Michael Grillo, Emily Grace Holsombeck, Sara Marie Hood,
Ann Harriet Laird, Kelly Marie Lett, Brandon Keith Macdonald, Amanda Elizabeth Metheny, George Brian Minoso, Matthew Courtney Overton, Danita Renee’ Powell, Joshua John-Robert Reardon, John Clyde Russell, Heather Marie Sells, Holly Jackson Shepherd, Marie Blanche Vercher, Ashley Michelle Waterhouse, John Wesley Whitten, Mollye Elizabeth Yates, 35243-Harrison Hartmann Beauchamp, Michelle Jackson Boles, Jacqueline Cecile Boohaker, Michael Allen Casey Jr., Andrew Thomas Cordell, Daren Joseph Freeman, Morris Michael Gee Jr., Amy Michelle Goins, Holley Contri Johnson, Mark Isaac Naggar, Rebekah Millar Perry, Anna Love Poythress, Jeffrey Lamar Radford, Kristen Elizabeth Spencer, Matthew Christian Tidmore, 35244-Christopher Paul Grant, Jennifer Lauren Griffith, Evan Marshall Gunter, Jason Earl Matherson, Benjamin Neal Meade, Nicole Ann Nelson, Brandon Blake Norberg, Kenneth Burdette Payne, Elizabeth Ellen Perry, Kevin Douglas Vezertzis, 35260-Stephen Michael Davis, 35261-La Kesha Freeman.
CALERA-Mandi Marshell Howard.
CHELSEA-Christine Marie Gates.
DOCENA-Maria Andrews.
FAIRFIELD-Danielle Moniece Hill, Danielle Monique Whitsey.
FULTONDALE-John Edward McGuirk Jr., Candace Hope Wade, Brandon Allen Williams.
GARDENDALE-Michael Gregory Dean, Ashley Renee Dodson, Melissa Dawn Limbaugh, Ryan Christopher Russell.
HELENA-Abra Alexis Barnes, Kelly Colleen Coyle, Tobie Willingham Hand, Michael Charles Yates.
HOMEWOOD-Erin Anne Croom, James Robert Newman, Barry Nathan Reamey, Christopher Cox Sheheane, Staci Leigh Turner, Katherine Benoist Williams.
HOOVER-Edith Michelle Allen, Christopher Lee Beveridge, Kevin Thomas Black, Andrea Beth Carver, Katrina Michelle Coker, Linda Lauren Davis, Stephanie Ann Dominguez, Julia Ruth Echols, Frankie Catherine Finley, Rene Glover Jr., Bradley Ray Hayes, Devon Wayne Horton, Jason Lawrence Jones, Casey Jackson King, Nicholas Anthony Marchiony, Tori Ashley Martin, April Lenore Pugh, Vincent J. Schilleci III, Rachel Lee Scogin, Mary Jeanne Speed, Andrea Lynn Thorn, James Robert Ward III, Alan Michael Williams.
HUEYTOWN-Jessica Raye Bonds, Deedra Sharice Green, Davis Williams Jr.
INDIAN SPRINGS-Valerie Kay Legg, Brooke Lavender Waldrop.
KIMBERLY-Michael Gabriel Swann.
LEEDS-Amanda Denise Pate, Jennifer Lee Smiles.
McCALLA-Windy Ann Gilmore, Adam Shane Kirkpatrick, Ann Marie Trapolino.
MONTEVALLO-Daniel Patrick Draper, Janelle Monique Simon.
MOODY-Isaac Landon Armstrong, Michael Leroy Palmer.
MORRIS-Amanda Carole Mitchell.
MOUNT OLIVE-Krista Renee Adams, Sarah E. Agee, Troy Lamar Henderson, Billy Wayne McGough Jr., Nikolaos Charles Pantaze.
MOUNTAIN BROOK-Amanda Conover Polhemus.
PELHAM-Matthew Gregory Maercker, Brian Christian Neugent, Lauren Marie Pilleteri, Nicholas Joseph Ritchey, Laura Ashley Rowland, Rebecca Leigh Sweeney, Cody Baker Wootten.
PINSON-Leanne Rene Bragan, Kellie Ann Picone.
PLEASANT GROVE-Brent David Bononia, Carla Marie Julian.
SHELBY-Heather Brook Whitworth.
TRAFFORD-Brannon Glenn Smith.
TRUSSVILLE-Alison Rose Holt, Lindsay Rae Kennemur,
Carla Dolores Leake, Julie Elizabeth Romager, Elizabeth Sandlin
Smith.
VESTAVIA HILLS-Ardra Lynne Coleman, Stacy Elaine Dacheux, Meredith Brooke Evans, Steven Anthony Hey, Virginia Lynn Rosenbaum, Nancy Ellen Ross, Natalie Elizabeth Sulzby, Clay Justin Thomason.
VINCENT-Lawrence Lane Waldrop.
WARRIOR-Julie Kristen Blodgett, Michael Glenn Chambless, Jeremy Paul Sherer.
Contact
Linda Hill, (205) 348-8325