18% of Elon's graduating class Communications majors

One-hundred and sixty students majoring in the School of Communications were among the record 890 seniors taking part in Elon University's commencement in a May 25 ceremony Under the Oaks.

The keynote speaker was Dr. John Sullivan, Elon's Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Philosophy. Sullivan had been waiting in the wings as Elon's "back-up" Commencement speaker for decades, and his speech gained national publicity in a Page-One feature in the Wall Street Journal and in feature packages on CNN, NBC-TV's "Today Show" and on "NBC Nightly News." Thus, Elon hosted a Wall Street Journal reporter and TV crews from CNN and NBC.

Elon is the Hebrew word for oak. When students enter the university as freshmen, they are presented with an acorn. As is the custom, each graduating senior was presented with an oak sapling. School of Communications faculty members were on hand for a brief reception at the Fonville Fountain following the official program.

The 11 students graduating with degrees in both communications and journalism include:

Guillermo Erik Furlan, Suzanne Grant George, Taresa Marie LaRock, Justin Edward Mazzola, Jessica Marie Rivelli, David Leland Serafini, Elizabeth Campbell Sudduth, Jessica Marie Vitak, Stephen Charles Dignan, Nicholas William Masi and Audrey Marie Seagraves.

The 142 students graduating with a communications degree include:

Kristin Marie Abbamonte, Alexander Ranon Abbell, Alison Whitney Abbey, Katherine Montgomery Ach, Ashleigh Brennan Altherr, Jason Michael Anderson, Jessica Bryant Angle, Timothy Daniel Archibald, Pamela Anne Avirett, Joshua McKinney Ball, Grace Lee Bardsley,

Cynthia D. Beidel, Christopher Lee Benedict, Jocelyn Ann Berner, Shannon Patrice Bonezzi, James Cannon Bonniwell Jr., Janel Marie Boyd, Katherine Rose Brannack, Cristal Renee Brenneman, Kristen Carroll Brinkley, Shelby Victoria Brown, Allyson Marie Brunetti,

Alison Renee Bunch, Elizabeth Anne Burris, Kevin Patrick Burrows, Alexander Colvard Cason, Monica Marie Catalano, Liane Desiree Champagne, Tara Marie Chavez, Barry Wayne Collins, Joseph James Coniglio, Emily Anne Coons, Margaret Lauren Cooper, Amy Lynn Corona,

Paul Tulane Craddock, Steven Edward Cuomo, Gregory Stanton Darling, Brette Elizabeth DeSessa, Allison Marie Deiboldt, Brett Andrew Diakon, John William Dickey III, Lauren Nicole Dickson, Melissa Lynn Dodge, Jennifer Ruth Dowski, Susan Nicole Duppstadt, Holly Graham Edwards, Scott David Evans, Lisa Marie Farnkopf, Rebecca Ellen Farris,

Teresa Marie Fitts, Nicholas Ryan Fogelsonger, Edward Chalfant Frey, John William Gallagher, Michael Rand Garcia, Christopher Laughlin Gerbino, Joel VanVleet Gilmore, Christine Alyse Glatsky, Michael Patrick Grimes, Madeline Anne Groman,

Amy Eileen Grzeskiewicz, Edward Anthony Gurley, Erin Marie Hagee, Jamesia Danielle Hale, Eleanor Louise Hallewell, Dana Lee Heatherly, Janis Elayne Hepburn, Emily Melinda Hill, Nicholas Mahlon Hilton, Dax Christopher Hock, Nathaniel Ryan Hogge, Robert Griffith Hunt Jr., Ashley Rose Igdalsky-Mattioli, David Shawn Ingalls,

Stephen James Jeffries, Eryn Elizabeth Jennings, Michael Elliot Jensen, Bryan Scott Jernigan, Summer Jamie Johnson, Thomas Quincy Jones, Eric Nicholas Kastendike, Kristen Hayden Kerr, Sarah Price King, John Robert Kirchgessner, Joshua Hamilton Kirksey, Jennifer Marie Koch,

Melanie Anne Koolhof, Michael Bradford Kowalski, Meredith Ann Krill, Erin Marie Lautermilch, Kennan Elizabeth Lubeley, Daryl Hooper Lunsford, Colleen Kirwin Magovern, Aimee Michelle Marcionetti, Christian Koper Marge, Aubrey Lee Matulevich,

Amber Renee McCafferty, Lucas Matthew McCloud, Shawn Patrick McLaughlin, Courtney Jane Merten, Jeffrey Abbott Mize, Christie Nicole Montalvo, Seth Patrick Moriarty, Lorento Nii-Kotey Neequaye, William Shepard Nuckols, Allison M. Oskin, Janell McBride Otis, James Allen Ouellette Jr., Nolyn Blaise Pascal,

Margaret Bowe Penn, Alanna Gioia Porter, Sarah Margaret Porter, James Joseph Principi III, Bridgett Leslie Ray, Paul Kevin Reuter, Tiffany Simone Richberg, Garrett Mason Ritz, Courtney Meghann Russell, Jamall De'Shan Scott, Cheri Adell Seagraves, Brian Todd Sentman,

Sarah Elizabeth Shelton, Lauren Leigh Shores, Elizabeth Jane Snavely, Mark David Soussou, Erica Amanda Stanley, Bryan Matthew Stempka, Ashley Noelle Summers, Kristen Amber Swift, Mary Alice Taylor, Cheryl Marie Thompson, Ryan Alderman Thompson,

Laird Scott Townsend, Mark Allen Tuck, Jesse Lloyd Turkus, Nathan Thomas Webster, Leigh-Ann Weingarten, Paige Elizabeth White, Kelly Alaine Wilson, Roger William Wise III, Douglas James Wise, Kate Elizabeth Wodyka, Brian Phillip Wolanski.

The seven students graduating with a journalism degree include:

Kathleen Genevieve Botty, Morgan Rae Chase, Shawna Kristen Foord, Leanda Noelle Gahegan, Jaya Sherrai Martin, Christopher Robert Rash, Tammy Lynn Tripp.