Newman University M.S.Ed. hooding ceremony gives extra recognition for graduates

More than 70 May 2015 and August 2015 graduates of the Newman University Master of Science in Education program were recognized May 15. Honorees and their families and friends packed the Dugan Gorges Conference Center for a hooding and pinning ceremony and reception.

Director of Graduate Education School of Education Gina Marx, Ed.D. hosted the event. Faculty and staff  were also in attendance to honor the graduates.

Special guests Newman President Noreen M. Carrocci, Ph.D., and Newman Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Austin, Ph.D. addressed the graduates and their guests.

Eleven graduates received special recognition from M.S.Ed. faculty for their accomplishments.

Newman University M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum and Instruction graduates Cathy Segovia, Ruth Ford and May Brown were presented with 2014-15 Outstanding Graduate Achievement awards.

Segovia is scheduled to finish her course work in August. In addition to the challenges that come with completing an advance degree, the Liberal, Kan., teacher was diagnosed with breast cancer three months ago.

“This achievement has meant the world to me,” Segovia said, “I’ve strived for this all my life and with family and friends and faith in God I’ve done this.”

She credits Newman’s faculty with helping her soldier on when she thought about quitting.

“They were just so great … outstanding, caring, inspiring, they’re just right there with you at all times,” Segovia added.

In addition to the overall achievement winners, two students in each Newman University M.S.Ed. specialty were recognized with outstanding graduate awards.

The Outstanding Reading Specialist awards went to Dyan Steffen and Ashley Zoglmann. The Outstanding Building Leadership Award recipients were Dan Ackland and Diamond Guilick. Julie Linville and Laurel Visser were acknowledged as the Outstanding ESOL and  Curriculum and Instruction students. The Outstanding Organizational Leadership honorees were Megan Rucker and Eric Yeager.

After the special awards were presented by Marx and faculty from each area each of the M.S.Ed. program, graduates were announced and came to stage to be hooded and pinned.

“Today is the accomplishment of a family project. The family is always supporting and asking me to do something else in my career and this is an accomplishment for my family,” graduate Hector Martinez said.

“It’s pretty overwhelming because just knowing that I achieved something that I never really dreamed that I would ever do,” Newman Alumni Director and M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership graduate Sarah Cundiff said.

The graduates also believe lessons they learned throughout their instruction will help them and their students in the future.

“I teach at a very low income school (Linwood Elementary) with ESOL kids … so just using the strategies that I’ve learned will make a difference,” Kelli Loveall said.

The new graduates were extremely complimentary of their Newman University experience.

“I think its been really personal. Every teacher that you have, they’re emailing you back right away and they’re very respectful. They seem to care and do a really good job,” Loveall said.

“The faculty is the most phenomenal faculty … with you all the way, every step of the way not only to support but to guide and advise and even provoke deep thinking and deep learning,” Martinez said.

“Having the faculty support you 100 percent, I can’t even begin to describe to you the amount of time and energy the faculty put into the success of the students … the one-on-one attention, I don’t see how it could get any finer than this,” Cundiff said.

Watch this video of the M.S.Ed. Hooding and Pinning event:

 

View a slide show of the M.S.Ed. Hooding and Pinning event:

 2015 May Newman University M.S.ED. Graduates:

Joy Jean Boyd, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Cody D. Calkins, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Michelle Lynn Clowdis, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Sarah Elizabeth Cundiff, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Everardo Flores, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Ruth Amy Ford, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Brock Daniel Funke, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Meredith Alexandra Funke, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Trixie D. Goode, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Tabetha Lea Gray, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Genene Grindley, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Sara Michelle Harjo, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Amy S. Harris, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Nancy Joan Hascall, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Amanda Nicole Hawkinson, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Traci Rachelle Heiman, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Alma R. Henry, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Sarah Hensley, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Sherlyn C. Jefferson, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Patrick Dustin Johnson, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Biju R. Kalarikkal, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Kacie Kilgore, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Roni Lynn Knight, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Carrie N. Krehe, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Kelly Kwit, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Lori Ann Landwehr, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Julie Linville, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Kelli Lovell, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Jori Machiela, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Chelsea Dawn Mauler, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Catrina R. McGurk, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Heidi Moore, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Jana M. Neufeld, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Stacie Niemann, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Rose Moon Olmstead, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Jill Marie Pelz, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Natalie Vonn Rolfe, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Julie Ronk, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Rajeena Saunders, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Suzanne Shogren, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Lauren Elise Susong, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Megan Renay White, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Brooke Allison Wilson, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

2015 August Newman University M.S.ED. Graduates:

Ernesto Alcantara, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Heather K. Bartkoski-McDowell, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Jamie Leigh Blackburn, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Linda Diana Bland, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Lindi Nicole Cox, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Allison R. Drake, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Lannette Kay Durfey, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Andrea Sue Gardner, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Holly Elise Golka, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Pamela Graham, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Tara Ann Hall, M.S.Ed. Building Leadership

Christina E. Journey, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Charles Le, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Yamir Lozada, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Stephanie LeAnn Maffei, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Darren Keith Marquez, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Abraham John Marintzer, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Hector Martinez, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Roosevelt Matthews Jr., M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Jessica Marie Meitler, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Amber Messer, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Madalynn Perry, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Eydie Ann Petty, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

David J. Pines, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Michelle S. Price, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Mary Christine Rittlinger, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Dana Sue Robinson Sachs, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Megan Rose Rucker, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Cathy Segovia, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Tricia R. Spencer, M.S.Ed. Reading Specialist Curriculum & Instruction

John Turner, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Mary Jeanette Valdez, M.S.Ed. ESOL Curriculum & Instruction

Deon Anthony Vornes, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Amber R. Willis, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

Eric W. Yeager, M.S.Ed. Organizational Leadership

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