Commencement December 2020
Commencement
December 19, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. Welcome.................................................................................................................................................Mr. Dean C. Collins President Invocation............................................................................................................................ Dr. Shirley Thompson-Lewis Director of Social Work Field Education Instructor in Human Relations and Social Work Introduction of Speaker......................................................................................................................Mr. Dean C. Collins President Commencement Address........................................................................................................................ Mr. Brian Jordan Professional Athlete and Sports Analyst Special Recognitions......................................................................................................................... Mr. Leonard Phillips Chief Diversity Officer Presentation of Candidates for Degrees........................................................................................... Dr. Stephen Waers Chief Academic Officer Conferral of Degrees............................................................................................................................Mr. Dean C. Collins President Benediction....................................................................................................................................Mr. Samuel W. Huxford Dean of the College of Biblical Studies and Ministry Professor of New Testament and Theology
Candidates for Graduation As s oci ate of S ci ence
Information Technology Joseph Earley* Taymar Moore Roshundra Talley
Medical Assisting Julie Bell* Cordney Darden* Brittani Goodman Tammy Harrison Aisha Higgins Amanda May Aries Rutledge
Medical Coding and Billing Megan Gregory* Mckenzie Hornsby* Jo Jones* Tonia Martin* Natalie McDonald* Rosalyn Polk* Kolton Sellers*
A s soci ate of Arts Business Administration Brittney Chandler* Christian Cosme* Jennifer Lee Ewing* Kathy Reneé Godwin* Holly Hardnett Nadia Hervey
Child Development Christelle Putney* Brittany Szkapi
Christian Ministries
General Studies
Camill Davis Kaitlyn René Dykes Xavier Hammonds* Seanna White* Allie Young*
Healthcare Administration Christie Holland Jakiea Roberson* Ashley Thomas Lakeshia Tillman*
Human Relations
Monica Tayia Hicks
Organizational Leadership Nikki Culpepper*
Psychology
Christian Davon George Rachel Anne Marchman* Amethyst Ellen Mason* Kellie Rodman-Holley
Public Health Thissy Boone Kellie Parks
Kasharia Kennedy Jay Littleton*
Bac hel or of S ci ence Accounting — Forensics and Fraud Kristin Rogers*
Applied Ministry
Rachel Marie Hakes* Niles Richardson
Biblical Studies and Preaching Ministry
Stephen Nethaneel Curtis*
Biology
Falen Kizunga Monica Joanne Ocasio Deja Smith
Business Administration Garrett Brown Carnegy J. Calzado Tristan Campbell Jorge Alejandro Claro Noah Ryan Elam Ronnie Dewayne Johnson* Tysee Moffett-Hugh
Child and Youth Development Kendall Hillman Kinley Elizabeth Osborn* Leland Steed Alaina Strickland*
Child Development Tanaka Appling* Kimberly Bailey* Amanda Hayslip Ashley Holloway Athara Pierre
Christian Ministries
Katelyn Waterman Frazier Jessica Gratton Gwen Henderson Jonathon Taylor Jeffries Herring James Thomas Holloway* Brady Howell Marli Anna King Brandon Tyler Smith
Counseling and Human Services Michael Poole Elizabeth Smith*
Criminal Justice
Daniel Addai-Kwarteng Martha Mormeneo Kristen Stripling*
Exercise Science
Heather Grace Cook* Arizona Storey
Healthcare Administration Brandon Evans* Marissa Layne Kraus
Joseph David Cole Paisley Savannah Patterson Alexis Simone Thomas
Human Relations
Organizational Leadership
Information Technology — Network Administration
Taylor Bruhn Camillia Carlisle Saundra Davis Nixon Dana Osborne*
Precious Bell Chanacey Graves Wendy Huguley Melissa Lewin Loni Nelson Shaun Alexander Nguyen Patricia Smith Andrew Stephens
Chelsea Hudson
Marketing
Zeth White* Ashley Wilson
Music
Hannah Olivia Cox* Tyler Johnson Wesley Rice* Charles Chandler Sweatt Mark Ryan Wozniak*
Psychology
Social Media Marketing Mark Ross Carlisle, Jr. Asia Desirae Wilson*
University Studies Gary Shorrow*
Kaylah Richale Bumpers
Bac he l o r o f Busi n ess Ad m i n i strati on Accounting
Zachary Lamar Hammond Christopher Bryson Hoke Ethan Shugart
Financial Management Jordan T. Bates MarQuez Deonte Jackson
Management
Raichel Fransisco De Freitas Roque Eduardo Antonio MuĂąoz
Bachel or of Arts Counseling and Human Services Kathleen Elisabeth Johnson
English
Eman S. Cohen Mekenzie Leigh Patterson*
Psychology
Lizzeth Plascencia
History
Hutch Railey Blair * Denotes potential honors graduate The listing of degree candidates in this publication is not an official documentation of actual graduates. The conferral of a degree is by receipt of a diploma or official transcript noting degree completion.
Ma ste r o f Busi n ess Ad m i n i strati on Business Transformation Natalie Ann Brown Sherry Cochran Tiffany Lynnette Davis Michael Peter Ellinas Wanda R. Snipes Alajujuan Sparks
Ma ste r of S trategi c M i n i stry Travis Martin Brown
Ma ste r o f Tr a nsform ati v e M i n i stry Vearnia Hall Sharon A. Harden Nikkisha Lawrence Bobby Robinson Chelsey Thompson
* Denotes potential honors graduate The listing of degree candidates in this publication is not an official documentation of actual graduates. The conferral of a degree is by receipt of a diploma or official transcript noting degree completion.
About the Commencement Speakers
Brian Jordan is a professional athlete most known for building a multi-sport legacy, as he has been an All-Star player with the Atlanta Braves and an All-Pro selection with the Atlanta Falcons. For almost 20 years, Jordan has helped make sports history, as a leader on both the baseball and football fields.
Jordan, a Baltimore native, is an Emmy award-winning sports analyst for FOX Sports South and a recurring broadcast personality for the MLB Network, Sports South and ESPN. As a lead analyst for the Atlanta Braves, he is in the homes of millions of sports lovers every week. In 1998, he founded the Brian Jordan Foundation, which helps children strive to reach their full potential. The mission of his non-profit organization is to provide useful information, resources, and tools to help and support young people and their families. A highly sought-after speaker, analyst and author, Jordan most recently began displaying his considerable talent as a writer. His best-selling children’s book, I Told You I Can Play, is a brilliant chronicle of how he followed his heart to show young people that they can do anything if they put their minds to it. In 2010, Jordan released his second children’s book, Overcoming the Fear of the Baseball. His most recent children’s book is titled Time-Out For Bullies. Jordan has served on the Morehouse School of Medicine Board. He privately funded a wellness center for Grady Hospital employees and full college scholarships and mentorships for several students and young athletes. Jordan is also an ambassador and public advocate for the YMCA, The American Diabetes Association and Boy Scouts of America. He has been honored as the Boy Scouts Peach of an Athlete Role Model award, received the Babe Ruth Community award from the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, and inducted into the Virginia Hall of Fame, the University of Richmond Hall of Fame, and the Maryland State Hall of Fame.
Graduation Honors
Students who earn a grade point average of 3.500 through 3.699 are graduated cum laude, 3.700 through 3.899 are graduated magna cum laude, and 3.900 through 4.000 are graduated summa cum laude. Associate degree graduates receiving these honors are identified with silver tassels and silver honor cords. Bachelor's degree graduates receiving these honors are identified with gold tassels and gold honor cords. Blue honor cords indicate student-athletes who are graduating with honors. The Hathcock Award is the highest honor Point University awards to a student graduating with a bachelor's degree. This recognition is based on academic achievement, character, and servant leadership.
Academic Dress
The academic dress worn by the Point University faculty today originated in the Middle Ages and was standardized in 1895. The gown indicates the level of the highest degree held: for bachelors, the black gown with flowing, pointed sleeves; for masters, the black gown with sleeves slit midway for the arms and the sleeve bottom closed flat with a semicircle cut in the side; for doctors, the flowing robe with sleeves closed at the wrist. Sleeve decorates are chevrons of velvet, most often black on black, but occasionally of another color, indicating the general field of study. Most identification is noted by the hoods. Velvet edging indicates the subject matter in which the degree was earned. The lining of the hood is a precise code identifying the university of the degree’s origin. If the highest degree was attained in the United Kingdom or Europe, academic gown and hood styles do not fit a standard pattern and are determined, rather, by the degree-granting university. Generally, these can be identified by an open front and a colored hood which designates the degree earned.
About Point University
Founded in 1937 as Atlanta Christian College, Point University is preparing students to influence culture for Christ in all spheres of life. Point University’s purpose is to equip students to take their faith into the marketplace in new and culturally relevant ways — to erase the lines between who they are and what they do so that they see life and mission as one and the same.