Newman University honored the class of 2026 with spirited music, a roaring crowd and vibrant academic attire during its annual commencement ceremony at Heartland Credit Union Arena on Saturday, May 16.
A total of 419 graduates crossed the stage to receive their associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees — making them one step closer to answering their professional call.
Director of Mission Integration Sister Therese Wetta, ASC, reminded graduates that each of them has a specific purpose, and drew from a prayer written by 38th Doctor of the Church St. John Henry Newman: “God has created me to do him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next … therefore, I will trust God.”
That hopefulness was echoed by the Newman Chorale and Troubadours, led by Assistant Professors of Music Mary Ellen Swords and David Pérez, who performed “When You Believe” from “The Prince of Egypt,” composed by Stephen Schwartz and arranged by Thomas R. Vozzella. The song’s lyrics encouraged graduates to consider the endless opportunities within their futures: “Who knows what miracles you can achieve? Somehow you will … when you believe.”
‘A source of hope for our society ’
When Sister Vicki Bergkamp, ASC, received the 2026 St. Newman Medal, the university’s highest honor, at the Legacy Awards Banquet in April, she was simultaneously selected to give the spring commencement speech. She set the tone of graduation day with a heartfelt challenge for graduates: to be peacemakers in the world.
The Pretty Prairie, Kansas, native took her final vows as an Adorer of the Blood of Christ sister in 1967, immediately following her graduation from Sacred Heart Academy. For more than six decades, Bergkamp has served Newman as a faculty member, trustee, administrator and community leader, even stepping in as acting president in 1988. In 2018, she was elected as the leader of the Adorers’ U.S. Region, making her the first member of the former Wichita province to hold the role since the consolidation of the three American provinces in 2000. Bergkamp currently ministers in the area of socially responsible investing, working with national coalitions of religious communities and nonprofits to ensure resources are deployed in ways that serve the common good. She also continues to serve on local boards advancing the Adorers’ mission in the Wichita community.
“Newman University states that we want our graduates to transform society,” she said. “Transforming anything is a lofty goal, transforming society seems very idealistic. And yet, educators know very well that it is possible, and with motivation, it is probable. You, the graduates of 2026, are a source of hope for our society.”
She added that having the basic tools of mindfulness, reflection, lifelong learning and balance will enable graduates to face challenges with optimism and lead by example. Just as St. Newman was quoted as saying, “To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often,” Bergkamp emphasized the importance of a willingness to change as a lifelong learner.
“Lifelong learning does not just apply to your chosen profession; it opens doors you don’t even know exist,” Bergkamp said. “Allowing yourself to be a lifelong learner creates an exciting space for you and those who know you … Don’t sail away in your own boat or the boat of a friend, take time to build bridges so that all may join you. Class of 2026, we send you to transform society.”
Students embrace the call to lifelong learning
For many graduates, commencement marked the culmination of years of perseverance, growth and learning more about who they were becoming.
Sergio Morales-Diaz, a business management and marketing major, said graduation carried special significance as a first-generation college student. After taking a semester away from school and questioning whether college was the right path for him, Morales-Diaz credited his parents with encouraging him to continue.
“My parents told me, ‘No, keep going. Push yourself. You’re already there,’” Morales-Diaz said. “They came here and started working to provide a better future for us. They helped me financially, mentally, even spiritually to keep my faith.”
Now, Morales-Diaz hopes his journey will inspire his younger siblings to pursue their own goals with confidence.
“I’m hoping that I can show them that there’s a way,” he said. “Maybe it might take a while, but as long as you put your goals and God first, you’ll get there.”
For interdisciplinary studies graduate Nayeli Martinez, whose degree focused on healthcare and business, commencement symbolized perseverance through uncertainty and change. Martinez originally transferred to Newman to pursue sonography before realizing her goals had shifted.
“It was a tough road getting to where I was at,” Martinez said emotionally. “I didn’t think I was going to make it with school. I was going to quit halfway through, and I did end up finishing. I’m super proud about that.”
Elementary education graduate Gracie Kraft of Garden City, Kansas, said her experiences as a substitute teacher taught her the importance of adaptability and continuing to learn alongside her future students.
“I have grown a lot as a person, and I think of myself as a lifelong learner,” Kraft said. “That’s why I’m going back to school to work in a school; you get to learn every day. I learn from my students, and my students learn from me.”
Aniya Day, a social work graduate, described her college experience as “transformative,” especially after losing both of her parents while completing her degree.
“Who I was as a freshman and who I am now — two completely different people,” Day said. “If you would have told me that I would have lost both my parents and still graduated in four years, I would have said, ‘You’re lying.’”
Day decorated her graduation cap with the phrase “Be the change” — a message inspired by her mother and one that closely aligned with St. Newman’s famous “to live is to change” quote.
“Lifelong learning is about making sure that you don’t stay stagnant in one place,” Day said. “Being a social worker, you have to continuously learn as the world evolves around you.”
Christal Shaner, who earned her master’s degree in data science, chose Newman because of the university’s strong data science program and the close relationships she formed with faculty members who encouraged her growth.
“This day is a celebration,” Shaner said. “It’s realization for me that I can achieve what I want to and I can actually go after my dreams and make them real.”
Nursing graduate Alaina Waters said Newman shaped her not only personally, but also professionally as a soon-to-be nurse.
“When we step out into our jobs, we also look at our patients as whole people,” Waters said. “You’ve got so much experience in life that you’ve lived, and it definitely helps shape the way that we provide our care. And our patients deserve the best from us.”
Recognizing great potential: the Ablah Awards
Each year at commencement, one male and one female are recognized for the most prestigious undergraduate awards at Newman: the Ablah Awards.
These awards were established by Fran and Geri (Ablah) Jabara to honor the memory of Geri’s parents, Harvey J. and Leona J. Ablah, and to perpetuate their vision of entrepreneurism and the American dream. Both award recipients must graduate with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and each student receives a monetary award.
The 2026 nominees were Eliana Gaytán, Alysha Keck, Valeria Rodriguez, Travia Smith, Hayley Stewart, Ariana Sweitzer, Ethan Albers, Shaurya Datta, Matthew Fowler, Nathan Galicia, Jonathan Garcia Vega, Joseph Luebbe, Thomas Munn and Gabriel Trevino.
The winner of the Leona J. Ablah Award was Smith, and the winner of the Harvey J. Ablah Award was Munn.
Honoring Travia Smith
As an elementary education major and St. Newman Scholar, Smith became known across campus for her servant leadership. Originally from the Bahamas, Smith immersed herself in campus life by serving as chair of the Campus Activities Board, participating in the Student Government Association (SGA) and as a student-athlete on the Newman softball team.
Nominators also recognized Smith for her commitment to service beyond campus. Whether volunteering at community events, supporting fellow student-athletes or mentoring young people through church activities, Smith consistently sought opportunities to uplift others. During her internship in a local elementary school in fall 2025, she demonstrated the same leadership in the classroom that she had shown throughout her college experience.
“Her nominators agree,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Alden Stout said. “She is exactly the kind of person you would send as Newman’s ambassador to the world.”
Smith said she was overwhelmed when her name was announced as the Leona J. Ablah Award recipient.
“My heart was beating so, so fast because everyone who got nominated was really deserving of the award as well,” Smith said.
Smith said her biggest goal is to “build future leaders” — a challenge she hopes to achieve as she begins her role as a kindergarten teacher at Alta Brown Elementary School in Garden City in August.
“I want to continue my commitment to service and try to be a positive influence in the lives of other people,” she said. “And just to share the joy of God with everyone I meet.”
Honoring Thomas Munn
Munn, an accounting major, earned Dean’s List recognition every semester and held a long list of leadership roles that left a lasting impact on campus life.
He served as a resident assistant for three years, co-founded the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, led SGA as treasurer and captained the varsity baseball team. He also mentored youth through St. Peter Catholic Church and coached youth basketball and baseball, demonstrating the servant leadership that fellow Ablah Award winner Smith embodied.
“The St. Catherine Medal, the Mr. Jet Award and the Outstanding Accounting Student Award all tell the same story: Thomas Munn is someone who leads by example,” Stout said.
Munn’s father, an alumnus of Newman, was no stranger to his son’s Ablah Award nomination.
“My dad was an Ablah Award nominee,” he said. “(My family members) were all really excited. They saw the hard work I put into it and were just proud of the acknowledgement of it.”
Although Munn said his efforts on campus were not done with the hopes of winning an award, “it’s an honor to be acknowledged for it.”
Munn will continue working part time at Edward Jones Financial Advising in Wichita as he chases his dream of obtaining his Master of Business Administration degree at Newman. He will also continue serving students as a residence assistant and competing on the men’s baseball team.
Final sentiments and a graduate sendoff
President Kathleen S. Jagger, Ph.D., MPH, described the graduating class as “strong, resilient and adaptable” — all traits that St. Newman led by.
“These are what distinguish those who thrive amidst life’s challenges from those who merely get by,” Jagger said. “You have learned a great deal about yourselves, your individual potential and what kind of influence you may have in the world. In a world that will remain dynamic, we expect that you will continue to learn and grow with confidence … You have the talent and preparation to bring light wherever you find yourself.”
Cheers rippled through the arena as graduates crossed the stage and moved their tassels from right to left, marking their transition from students to alumni. Michael T. Eck ‘03, president of the National Alumni Board, warmly welcomed graduates into a global network of more than 18,000 Newman alumni.
Though the celebration has ended, the call to be lifelong learners has just begun.
Vice President of Academic Affairs Alden Stout described the degree as a representation of students’ entire educational experience, from building relationships and a commitment to service to the symbol of what Newman University stands for as a whole.
“Our students’ education has not just been about knowledge — it has been about formation: the shaping of character, conscience and mind together to reach the fulfillment as a human person in the image of God,” Stout said. “How will you transform society? What change will you make in a world that so desperately needs it?”
“Whatever the answer,” he continued, “the world needs what Newman has formed in you.”
Earn a degree from Newman University
Newman students have a variety of options when pursuing their personalized academic journey, including associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees — all taught by talented, skilled and mentoring faculty.
