Oakland City University celebrates 129th commencement

HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) – Oakland City University celebrated the graduation of 201 students on Saturday, May 4 on the Oakland City, Indiana campus.

University officials state the ceremony was a full house, attended by family members, guests and Board of Trustees. OCU President Dr. Ron Dempsey extended his congratulations to the graduates in his address.

Officials state six students were honored with the President’s Award.

1. Aron Busick – Paoli, Indiana – Major in Business Administration and Management – perfect
   4.0 G.P.A.
2. Kataryna Kulynych – Kharkiv, Ukraine – Bachelor of Science Major in Human Biology – Associates in Business Administration with a Minor in Chemistry – 3.98 G.P.A.
3. Blake Pruitt – Fairfield, Illinois – Major in Business Administration in Sports Administration – 3.95 G.P.A.
4. Kenzie Black – Oblong, Illinois – Major in Early Childhood Education – 3.99 G.P.A.
5. Moniek Meeringa – Elst, The Netherlands – Psychology – 3.96 G.P.A.
6. Mariana Anastasiadi – Nikaia, Greece – Major in Criminal Justice-Investigative Forensics – 3.96 G.P.A.

Officials say Dr. Andrea Boyle from the School of Education and Dr. James Sigler from the School of Business were voted by the student body as “Co-Professors of the Year.”

Former Evansville mayor and current Chief Executive Officer of the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership Lloyd Winnecke gave the commencement address where he informed the students that many opportunities would knock on their door throughout their careers. He also said the new graduates should be open-minded, evaluate the risks, weigh the benefits, and when the benefits outweigh the risks, he encouraged them to take the opportunity. He also opined that taking those risks may push one beyond their comfort zone, but he asked the graduates to embrace living outside their personal comfort zones. Officials also said Winnecke advised the graduates to have grace in all they do, show mercy and kindness, and set a goal to do something nice for someone every day, and the former mayor emphasized that “Nice matters!”

Officials also said OCU Provost Dr. Cathy Robb presented the students for graduation after certifying that each had met their academic degree requirements then OCU President Dr. Ron Dempsey conferred upon the students the degree by which they completed all the work, with all rights and privileges, making it official as he invited the graduates to move the tassel from the right side of their caps to the left, signifying their degree.

Officials also said the students were then presented by their Dean.

• Dr. Ron Mercer, Dean of the School of Religious Studies and Chapman Seminary, presided over the conferral of degrees and certificates to seven students from the school, which was founded in 1885.
• Dr. Justin Murphy, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, presided over the conferral of degrees and certificates to 27 students from the school, which was also founded in 1885.
• Dr. Kevin Smith, Dean of the School of Education, presided over the conferral of degrees and certificates to 52 students from the school, which was founded in 1907.
• Dr. Jervaise McDaniel, Dean of the School of Business, presided over the conferral of degrees and certificates to 74 students from the school, which was founded in 1918.

OCU’s Community Outreach Correspondence Program graduated eighteen students, and Mr. Jed Jerrels, Principal of North Daviess High School, presided over the conferral of degrees and
certificates to 23 current North Daviess students. These students graduated from OCU with their Associate of Arts degrees in University Studies before their upcoming high school graduation
ceremony.

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