TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama awarded some 2,467 degrees at spring commencement ceremonies held Friday, May 16, in Coleman Coliseum on the Tuscaloosa campus.
Internationally renowned flutist and conductor Ransom Wilson gave the commencement address at UA’s two University-wide commencement ceremonies held at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. Wilson, an Artist Member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, is professor of flute at Yale University. He has recorded 30 albums as both flutist and conductor and was nominated three times for the “Grammy” award.
Wilson received an honorary doctorate of human letters from UA. Two notable Alabamians also received awards at the 9 a.m. ceremony. Wayne Flynt, Distinguished University Professor at Auburn University and an expert on Southern history, politics and religion, received the Hugo Black Award, UA’s top award, in recognition of his distinguished service to the people of Alabama and the nation. H. Pettus Randall III, who served as chair of Randall Publishing before his death in 2002, was the posthumous recipient of the Julia and Henry Tutwiler Distinguished Service Award.
David Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, was the speaker for the UA Law School graduation ceremony held Friday at 5 p.m. Bronner holds both a law degree and a doctorate degree from the University and served as assistant dean of the UA Law School from 1972-73.
With this graduating class, UA has awarded more than 185,000 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 Huntsville area were listed as candidates to receive degrees:
JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE
DECATUR — Michelle Leigh Crunk, Amanda Ann Edwards, Michael Alan Pylant, Justin Gregory South
HUNTSVILLE — Michael Mark Linder, Ashley Elizabeth Seuell, Calvert Catherine Sullins
LACEYS SPRING — Jonathan Alex Hardage
MADISON — Amy Elaine Bryant
DOCTORAL DEGREE
DECATUR — Edwin Cross Nichols Jr.
HARTSELLE — Wanda Gail Doss
HARVEST — Jana Parris Beaver
HUNTSVILLE — Tory Colleen Simpson
MASTER’S DEGREE
ALBERTVILLE — Meagan Elizabeth Key, John Lance Kitchens, Patrick I. Smith
ARAB — Donnie Andrew Caves
ATHENS — Karen M. Clem, Martha Susan Fry, Anna Shero, Dallas Shea Smith
BOAZ — Meta Anne Bryant, Jennifer Susan Johnson, Christy Snider McCormick
BRIDGEPORT — Karen Denise Dawson
DANVILLE — Tony Lynn Johnson
DECATUR — Bradley S. Boy, Pamela Janise Brannon, Nancy Conner Julich, Amanda Grace McEntire
FACKLER — Timothy Ryan Wilkinson
FALKVILLE — Robert Ferrell Runge
FLAT ROCK — Christopher Stephen Davis
GRANT — Charles Hugh Edmonds, Vincent H. Edmonds
HARTSELLE — Brenda E. Holloway
HARVEST — Mia Leashawn Rooks
HAZEL GREEN — Erin Sheila Bloxham, April Michelle Hall
HUNTSVILLE — David Bryan Carroll, Jennifer Hayes Carroll, Susan Denney Hancock, James Clyde Harvey, Sarah Elizabeth Harvey, Amy Elizabeth Hayes, Eve Sefton Hinesley, Sandra J.Jett, Randolph Louis Keefer II, Maria D. Kilgore, Laura Ritch Morin, Paul E. Neidhardt, Joan Carla Nurre, April Richardson Stewart, Tammy Steele Summerville, Linda Manhart Tisdale, Samantha Cindy Webb, Charles A. Wilson
MADISON — Christopher Michael Carter, Happy Ann Porter, Suzanne Sketers Sloan, Jennifer Hines Tate
OWENS CROSSROADS — Stacie Diane Hammonds, Jennifer Lynne Sudnik
SCOTTSBORO — Amanda Leigh Brown
STEVENSON — Leigh-Ann Smith Kittrell
TONEY — Laurie Ann Baker
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
ALBERTVILLE — Katherine Joy Allgood, Judson Paul Babcock, Amanda Leigh Davis, Jonathan Dewitt Harbison, Andrew Jason Howard, Frances Catherine Hughes, Christen Michelle Lewis, Holly Leigh Smith
ARAB — Hannah Lin Buchanan, Sarah Amanda Burgett, Janice Marie Burrows, Devin Lee Chamness, John William Hallman Jr., Lee Allen Hallman II, James Andrew Reed, Jennifer Lynn Saunders, Brandon Wade Snider
ATHENS — Amy Elizabeth Anderson, Frederick Ladd Burgreen, Melissa Susan Disher, Michael Barrett Dorne’, Lisa Lee Dunn, Somer Nicole George, Laura Paige Hudson, Brandy Leigh Reece, Christy Leigh Rogers, Telitha Elaine Sparks, Chandra Lynn Styer, Leslie Ann Taylor, James Wright Woodroof V
BOAZ — Jason Shiloh Roberts
BRIDGEPORT — Tara Lachelle Ridley
DECATUR — Christopher Chase Allen, Mary Virginia Barnes, Theresa L. Cox, Anna Catherine Haney, Megan Elizabeth Henry, Anna Caroline House, Misty Lee James, Rhett Lee Norris, Stephanie Jean Penn, John Ward Pylant, Daniel Allen Ray, Elizabeth Layne Richardson, Jennifer Shea Rowden, Destin Wilson Sandlin, Laura Allison Smith, Jennifer Teresa Stevens, Andrew Christopher Svarney, Melissa Joy Terry, Nancy Ellen Vaughan, Eileen Gretchen Verchot, Keri Leigh Watts, Jeremy Marshall White
ELKMONT — Heavenie Page Rose
EVA — Richard Keith George, Tiffany Marie Screws
GUNTERSVILLE — Jeremy Adam Baxter, James Ryan Boggus, Christopher Mark Brooks, John William Campbell, Lauren Elise Clink, Robert Edward Dandridge II, Adam Neil Hammond, Brandon Lee Johns, Shannon Latrice Polk
GURLEY — Jennifer Leigh Peterson
HAMPTON COVE — Benjamin Thomas Morehead
HARTSELLE — Sarah Brickenden Adair, Richard Patrick Clemons, Jennifer Leigh Halbrooks, Alisha Dawn Lovelady, John Davis Tedford
HARVEST — Betsy Lee Taylor, Amanda M. Yerby
HUNTSVILLE — Casey Allison Addis, Meghan Michelle Archer, John Randolph Batte Jr., Jane Kathryn Bentley, Coby McEachern Boswell, Nathan Harrison Bruner, Morgan Rae Carter, Amanda Leigh Chrisley, Samantha Page Clark, Leah Suzanne Cobb, Wendell Roberto Colberg, Kevin Alan Couturier, Thomas Aaron Culpepper, Stacey Marie Davis, Robert Vernon Durough Jr., Aisha Michelle Gilliam, Joseph Jacot Hinesley, Lindsay King Hoffmeyer, Kristen Marie Hougas, Jason Edward Hughes, Jana Lang Jacobs, Heather Nicole Johnson, Cathleen Anne Kelly, Shannon Christopher Lawler, Lauren Michelle Lester, Stephen Paul Lowman, Sarah Beth Magargee, Mark Walter Martin, Errica Anne McGregor, Scot Thomas Meyer, Mark Douglas Murph, Megan Nicole Norris, Clayton Wesley O’Dell, Patrick Scott Osmer, Stephanie Elise Phillips, Valerie Joelle Piette, Robin Marie Preussel, Ashley Fallon Ragsdale, Jennifer Renee Reynolds, Brian Eric Ruff, Paula Cherie Sanders, Maggie Johanne Shelledy, Amy Love Sims, Katherine Irene Terry, William Bryan Thames, Michael Thomas Walker, Brook Jamison Weeks, Brandi Nichole Williams, Kimberly Deann Zarzour
MADISON — Dana Reshaay Eason, Brooke Lanise Elliott, Lauren Danielle Jacklin, Jeffrey John Jones, Kelli Lyn Norwood, Justin Blake Phelps, Sarah Louise Philyaw, Timothy James Sigler, James Radcliff Stewart, Keith Edward Watts
NEW HOPE — Thomas E. Butler
PISGAH — Erin Kylene Frost, Billy Joe Jackson
SCOTTSBORO — Leslie Faith Burbank, Marsha Sue England, Jeremy N. Frost, William Terrance Meade, James Riley Parker, Julia Louise Ponsford
SUMTERVILLE — Kerensa Lynn Halbrooks, April Dawn Maxwell
STEVENSON — Crystal Dawn Hubbard, Kathy Lynn Powers
TONEY — April Renee Hammonds
TRINITY — Farris Brandon Rice
UNION GROVE — Eleanor Louise Williams