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135th Defiance College commencement ceremony held

May 16, 2022

One hundred and seven graduates were awarded diplomas during Defiance College's 2022 commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 14.

Also recognized during the ceremony were Pilgrim Medal recipients Timothy Binkley, a 1985 graduate of Defiance College, and graduating senior Kaitlyn Keefer, Neapolis, Ohio. The Pilgrim Medal is the highest honor awarded by the College and recognizes specific traits in awardees: reliance in self, pride in work, courage in conscience, strength in education, and faith in God.

Profesor Emeriti/ae was presented to Dr. Marian Plant, Dr. Deborah Dalke, Dr. Mary Catherine “MC” Harper, Dr. Jo Ann Burkhardt, and Dr. Fred Coulter. Dr. Holly Seabury, a 1997 and 1998 alumna, was awarded an honorary degree. 

Delivering the commencement address was Michael Miller, a 1975 alumni of Defiance College. He is the President and CEO of Ategrity Specialty Insurance Company in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Hailey Krawczyk, Sylvania, Ohio, spoke on behalf of the graduating class.

Receiving diplomas were:

Bachelor of Arts
Amber Baldwin, Defiance, magna cum laude; Mackenzie Benham, Marshall, Mich, magna cum laude; Cortez Bradley, Cleveland; Elmer Maurice Brewer, Frayser, Tenn.; Justin Caballero, Tampa, Fla.; Gordon M. Campbell III, Bryan, Ohio, cum laude; Matthew Cline, Fostoria, Ohio, magna cum laude; Jacob Cook, Decatur, Ind.; Gabriel Scott Curell, Lapeer, Mich., summa cum laude; Taylor Day, West Mansfield, Ohio, cum laude; Nathan Dull, Ypsilanti, Mich.; Kendall Duval, Blissfield, Mich.; Ethan Harris, Fort Wayne, Ind., cum laude; Chad Haven, Defiance; 

Jeremy Jimenez, Cape Coral, Fla.; April Johnson, Defiance, magna cum laude; Jennifer Kaffenbarger, Lewistown, Ohio, magna cum laude; Hailey Krawczyk, Sylvania, Ohio; Nicholas Minshall, Pittsburgh, Pa., cum laude; Quantrez D. Pittman, Detroit, Mich.; Robert Richmond, McClure, Ohio, cum laude; Kelsie Shafer, West Alexandria, Ohio, magna cum laude, Amin Shaheed, Fayetteville, Ga.; Matthew Stefan, Xenia, Ohio; Lynne Stuckey, Archbold, Ohio; Cole Woods, Defiance; Seth Yenser, Payne, Ohio, magna cum laude.

Bachelor of Science
David Amador-Miller, Adrian, Mich.; Tyler Andrew, Indianapolis, Ind.; Maddison Baacke, Fremont, Ohio; Sofia Barajas, Wauseon, Ohio; Mackenzie Benham, Marshall, Mich., magna cum laude; Kaitlyn Borgelt, Defiance, cum laude; Elmer Maurice Brewer, Frayser, Tenn.; Caitlin Brinegar, Fayette, Ohio; Madalyn Brown, Toledo, Ohio; Nathan Dull, Ypsilanti, Mich.; Kaylee Dunkle, Canal Winchester, Ohio, magna cum laude; Dominic Fannin, Wakeman, Ohio; Natalie Ferguson-Schuerman, Pemberville, Ohio; Briawna Francis, Indianapolis, summa cum laude; Hali Geraci, Springboro, Ohio, magna cum laude; Michaela Jeanai’ Lyvonne Gilliam, Indianapolis; Brendan Good, Paulding, Ohio; Colton Hines, Ansonia, Ohio, magna cum laude; Kalin Hubble, Anderson, Ind., cum laude; 

Nathan Kaffenbarger, DeGraff, Ohio, cum laude; Alexis Kiessling, Defiance, magna cum laude; Anthony Kostecki, Pataskala, Ohio; Hailey Krawczyk, Sylvania, Ohio; Malique Lawson, Washington, D.C.; Dia Lee, Cincinnati, Ohio; Jessica Lynt, Fort Atkinson, Wis, summa Cum laude; Ryan McLaughlin, Naperville, Ill.; Shelby Mercer, Canton, Ohio; Morgan Minic, Sherwood, Ohio, cum laude; Brett Moravec, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Mason Morris, Grove City, Ohio; Jennifer Nashalsky, Galloway, Ohio, cum laude; Juan Olvera, West Lafayette, Ind.; Robyn Otey, Sylvania, Ohio; Nicholas Pepple, Hicksville, Ohio, cum laude; Felesia Peterkin-Campbell, St. Mary, Jamaica; Dakota Pohlman, Marysville, Ohio; 

Fallon Faye-Marilyn Radcliffe, Defiance; Cole Recker, Monument, Colo.; Samantha Sayler, Defiance; Nat Shingler, Huntingdon, Pa.; Katelyn Smith, Edgerton, Ohio; Nysha Speed, Mount Clemens, Mich., magna cum laude; Chase Stiner, Danville, Ill.; Samuel Stofferahn, Galloway, Ohio; Breetta Strauss, Hillsdale, Mich.; Daniel Tomalak, Tecumseh, Mich.; Amanda Vasko, Metamora, Ohio; Alexander Wallen, Defiance, summa cum laude; Cassidy Weiss, Richmond, Ind., cum laude; Kendra Wellman, Defiance; Brianna Wheeler, Sturgis, Mich.; Morgan Zang, Cincinnati.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Kaitlyn Keefer, Neapolis, Ohio; Katrina King, Defiance; Keshia Shoup, Montpelier, Ohio; Makenzie Wilson, Haskins, Ohio.

Master of Arts in Education
Samantha Fleming, Van Wert, Ohio; Megan Gearhart, Montpelier, Ohio; Jason Hale, Greenwich, Ohio; Kaitlyn Kuhn, Celina, Ohio; Megan Reichert, Attica, Ohio; Katie Thiel, Antwerp, Ohio.

Master of Business Administration
Michael Oluwaseyi Oladokun Beidleman, Washington, D.C.; Taylor Biggs-Specht, Cincinnati; Noah Blosser, Wauseon, Ohio; Joshua Cooney, Ludington, Mich.; Riley Driscoll, Peabody, Mass.; Bailee Kodash, Hiram, Ohio; Brooke Lyczek, Cranberry Township, Pa.; Chandler Minnard, Carroll, Ohio; Delaney Monnin, Defiance; Alex Moore, Plain City, Ohio; Michael Reese, Constantine, Mich.; Jacob Rygula, Midlothian, Ill.; Nick Stifel, Cincinnati; Lucas Thomeier, Wickliffe, Ohio; Alex Weaver, Archbold, Ohio.

Associate of Arts
Jonah Bill Schlegel, Defiance; Terry Williams II, Virginia Beach, Va.

Chartered in 1850, Defiance College is an independent, liberal arts-based institution in Northwest Ohio, offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. DC has created a unique career readiness program called Jacket Journey to help students learn career skills in and out of the classroom. The four pillars of its mission guide the College: To Know, To Understand, To Lead, and To Serve.