Friday, May 3, 2024

Commencement Ceremonies

Thank you for joining us in celebrating the Southern Virginia University Class of 2024! Congratulations graduates and Go Knights!

  • Processional
    Administration and Official Guests
    Faculty
    Class of 2024

    Welcome
    James Lambert, Provost

    Hymn
    “How Firm a Foundation”
    Text Attr. to Robert Keen, ca. 1787; Music attr. to J. Ellis, ca. 1889

    Invocation
    Delcia Coolbear, Class of 2024

    Opening Remarks and Introduction of Speakers
    James Lambert, Provost

    Valedictorian Address
    Joanna Porter, Class of 2024

    Address
    Elder Vaiangina Sikahema, General Authority Seventy

    Conferral of Degrees
    Bonnie H. Cordon, President
    James Lambert, Provost
    Hugh Redd, Chair, Board of Trustees
    Glade Knight, Emeritus Board of Trustees
    Deidra Dryden, VP of Advancement & Development
    Samuel Hirt, Associate Provost

    Closing Remarks
    Bonnie H. Cordon, President

    Music
    “Shenandoah”
    American Folk Song, 19th century

    Benediction
    Samuel Petty, Class of 2024


    Music

    “Pomp and Circumstance”
    Composed by Edward Elgar, 1857–1934

    “How Firm a Foundation”
    Text Attr. to Robert Keen, ca. 1787; Music attr. to J. Ellis, ca. 1889

    How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
    Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
    What more can he say than to you he hath said,
    Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,
    Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

    “Shenandoah”
    American Folk Song, 19th century

    Conductors
    Kyle Nielsen, Director of Choral Studies
    Julia Evans, Class of 2024

    String Quartet
    Katelyn Leinbach, violin
    Thomasin Schkrohowsky, violin
    Felicity Clayton, viola
    Annalisha Staples, cello

    Vocalists
    Abbegail Pennington, Class of 2024

  • McKenna Albert
    N. James Allen
    Ryan Armstrong
    Jaydon Arnold
    Lauren Athay
    Joshua Babb
    Nykiah Baisden
    Abigail Baker
    Nicholas Baker
    Brynne Baldwin
    Brogan Bennett
    Sarina Betts
    Nathan Blackwell
    Anna Bonney
    Miriam Bonney
    Addison Bray
    Michael Brown
    Corinne Brubaker
    Baylee Bruce
    Parker Buhler
    Stuart Burbidge
    Ethan Campbell
    Nicolas Cantos
    Morgan Carter
    Kamree Castle
    Savanna Chapin
    Christian Clement
    Delcia Coolbear
    Julianne Cordova
    Alex Cox
    Jon Creasy
    Nicholas Daynes
    Sam De Melo
    Emma Knight Denney
    Riley Dickerman
    Ricardo Diego
    Emily Donbrosky
    Scott Dransfield Jr.
    Elizabeth Edler
    Misa Eller
    Addison England
    Shaianne Erickson
    Julia Evans
    Emma Ferguson
    Stockton Ferguson
    Madeline Fisher
    Benjamin Fly
    Ella Foutz
    Michael Golden Jr.
    Tanner Gonder
    Gabriel Gorham
    Ally Haney
    Erick Helzer
    Tyler Hermansen
    Riley Jo Heward
    Alexis Higgins
    Haislee Hill
    Weston Hirschi
    Sophia Hirst
    Annalise Huber
    Sarah Hughes
    William Hughes
    Hadley Jacob
    Matthew Johansson
    Grant Johnson
    Richard Johnson II
    Sinjun Johnson
    Tayma Johnson
    Porter Jones
    Samuel Justice
    Parker Kam
    Reilly Karchner
    Alex Lanktree
    Samuel Larson
    Michaela LaSauce
    Daniel Lawhorne
    Johanna LeBaron
    Annalyce Leuck
    Ammon Lewis
    Madison Bogh Lloyd
    Nathan Losee
    Sabra Larson Lott
    Kobe Lowery
    Dara Lusk
    Johnston Mackie
    Gabriel Martinez
    Devon Mason
    Michael McCaffrey
    Matthew McCubbins
    Thomas McPoyle
    Jex Mecham
    Emmaline Merrill
    Quinton Meyer
    Natalya Millet
    Madison Miner
    Kaitlyn Morris
    Ethan Moua
    Michael Nash
    Skyler Nelson
    Denver Norcross
    Eric Noor
    Olivia Norton
    Elvis Nwaneri
    Sierra Weeks Nye
    Nicholas O’Conner
    Malakai Olson
    Sally Osterman
    Elisabeth Pack
    Adalynn Parker
    Jilane Pedersen
    Abbegail Pennington
    Samuel Petty
    Terell Phillips II
    Sydney Pope
    Joanna Porter
    Rebecca Porter
    Andjela Rich
    Emily Roth
    Jake Schenk
    Piper Searle
    Dillon Seawright
    Clark Sheaffer
    Payson Simmons
    David Smith
    Jared Smith
    Nathalie Smith
    Madison Sollis
    Braden Spurlock
    Colton Stanley
    Ashlyn Stone-Awong
    Triniti Stores
    Sarah Stradling
    Zachary Sullivan
    Ellie Tomlinson
    Ashley Torbenson
    Ammon Uasilaa
    Tristen VanBrocklin
    Donna Marie Walker
    Kayley Wardle
    Gideon Wassum
    Jessica Webb
    Angela Wenk
    Kennedy White
    Joseph Whitmore
    Robin Williams
    Alea Willis
    Jake Wilson
    Luke Wilson
    Makinna Winterton

  • Academic Honors

    Latin Honors
    Latin honors are noted on the transcripts of students who have completed all requirements for graduation, earned at least sixty credit hours at Southern Virginia, and achieved the following cumulative grade-point averages:

    3.95–4.00, summa cum laude (“with highest praise”)
    3.85–3.949, magna cum laude (“with great praise”)
    3.70–3.849, cum laude (“with praise”)

    Valedictorian (gold cord)
    Cumulative grade-point average 4.0

    Joanna Porter

    Salutatorian (gold cord)
    Cumulative grade-point average 4.0

    Ryan Armstrong

    Cumulative Grade-point Average 4.0 (gold cord)

    Ryan Armstrong
    Nykiah Baisden
    Miriam Bonney
    Nicholas Daynes
    William Hughes
    Sabra Larson Lott
    Emmaline Merrill
    Natalya Millet
    Skyler Nelson
    Joanna Porter
    Clark Sheaffer
    Jared Smith
    Robin Williams

    University Honors (antique gold cord)
    Completion of the Honors Program and Honors Thesis

    Ryan Armstrong
    Nathan Blackwell
    Gabriel Gorham
    Skyler Nelson
    Emmaline Merrill
    Emily Roth
    Jared Smith

    President’s List for Two or More Semesters
    Semester grade-point average in the top ten percent of current students

    Ryan Armstrong
    Nykiah Baisden
    Sarina Betts
    Anna Bonney
    Miriam Bonney
    Corinne Brubaker
    Baylee Bruce
    Sarah Bunker
    Ethan Campbell
    Ashley Cannon
    Nicholas Daynes
    Julia Evans
    Gabriel Gorham
    Riley Jo Heward
    Haislee Hill
    Madison Hollenbeck
    William Hughes
    Tayma Johnson
    Porter Jones
    Samuel Justice
    Reilly Kartchner
    Emma Knight
    Ammon Lewis
    Annalyce Leuck
    Samuel Larson Lott
    Madison Bogh Lloyd
    Kobe Lowery
    Devon Mason
    Jex Mecham
    Emmaline Merrill
    Quinton Meyer
    Natalya Millet
    Skyler Nelson
    Olivia Norton
    Sally Osterman
    Joanna Porter
    Piper Searle
    Clark Sheaffer
    Jared Smith
    Nathalie Smith
    Kayley Wardle
    Kennedy White
    Alea Willis
    Jake Wilson

    Provost’s List for Four or More Semesters
    Semester grade-point average at or above 3.5

    Ryan Armstrong
    Brynne Baldwin
    Anna Bonney
    Miriam Bonney
    Corinne Brubaker
    Bayley Bruce
    Ethan Campbell
    Morgan Carter
    Delcia Coolbear
    Nicholas Daynes
    Emma Knight Denney
    Emily Donbrosky
    Addison England
    Julia Evans
    Gabriel Gorham
    Ally Haney
    Eric Helzer
    Tyler Hermansen
    Riley Jo Heward
    Haislee Hill
    Sophia Hirst
    Sarah Bunker Hughes
    William Hughes
    Tayma Johnson
    Porter Jones
    Samuel Justice
    Reilly Kartchner
    Alex Lanktree
    Samuel Larson
    Michaela LaSauce
    Ammon Lewis
    Sabra Larson Lott
    Annalyce Leuck
    Devon Mason
    Jex Mecham
    Quinton Meyer
    Skyler Nelson
    Sally Osterman
    Elisabeth Pack
    Samuel Petty
    Joanna Porter
    Emily Roth
    Clark Sheaffer
    Jared Smith
    Nathalie Smith
    Braden Spurlock
    Kayley Wardle
    Angela Wenk
    Kennedy White
    Alea Willis
    Jake Wilson

    Barrus Scholars (green chord)
    Excellence in the Liberal Arts

    Ryan Armstrong
    Emmaline Merrill

    Chi Epsilon Omega (purple & gold cord)
    Business Honor Society

    Miriam Bonney
    Michael Brown
    MacGregor Henrichsen
    Nathan Losee
    Jex Mecham
    Quinton Meyer
    Samuel Petty
    Joanna Porter
    Rebecca Porter
    Jacob Seawright
    Jared Smith
    Kennedy White
    Luke Wilson

    Omicron Delta Kappa (white, black & light blue cord)
    National Leadership Honor Society

    Ethan Campbell
    Nicholas Daynes
    Ricardo Diego
    Addison England
    Sophia Hirst
    Hadley Jacob
    Emma Knight
    Kobe Lowery
    Nathan Losee
    Devon Mason
    Matthew McCubbins
    Emmaline Merrill
    Sally Osterman
    Sydney Pope
    Joanna Porter
    Piper Searle
    Jared Smith
    Braden Spurlock
    Alea Willis

    Phi Alpha Theta (red & light blue cord)
    History Honor Society

    Emily Donbrosky
    Braden Spurlock
    Eric Helzer
    Michaela LaSauce
    Johnston Mackie
    Jex Mecham

    Phi Kappa Phi (blue & gold medallion)
    All-Discipline Honor Society

    Ryan Armstrong
    Anna Bonney
    Miriam Bonney
    William Hughes
    Sabra Larson Lott
    Tayma Johnson
    Emmaline Merrill
    Skyler Nelson
    Joanna Porter
    Clark Sheaffer
    Jared Smith

    Phi Sigma Tau (white & purple cords)
    Philosophy Honor Society

    Alex Cox
    Sabra Larson Lott

    Psi Chi (navy & silver cord)
    International Honor Society

    Baylee Bruce
    Nicholas Daynes
    Emma Knight Denney
    Addison England
    Grant Johnson
    Tayma Johnson
    Alex Lanktree
    Joanna LeBaron
    Devon Mason

    Sigma Delta Pi (red & gold cord)
    Spanish Honor Society

    Alex Cox
    Johnston Mackie
    Joanna Porter

    Graduation Distinctions

    Leader-Servant Graduation Distinction (crimson & gold medallion)
    Completed 100 hours of community service, including a capstone project

    Nicholas Baker
    Miriam Bonney
    Ricardo Diego
    Piper Searle

    Institute Graduates (white cord)
    Church Educational System

    Ryan Armstrong
    Miriam Bonney
    Addison Bray
    Christian Clement
    Delcia Coolbear
    Alex Cox
    Misa Eller
    Madeline Fisher
    Sophia Hirst
    Grant Johnson
    Tayma Johnson
    Porter Jones
    Reilly Karchner
    Emma Knight
    Daniel Lawhorne
    Annalyce Leuck
    Nathan Losee
    Gabriel Martinez
    Abbegail Pennington
    Terell Phillips, II
    Joanna Porter
    Rebecca Porter
    Sheridan Schoen
    David Smith
    Braden Spurlock
    Ammon Uasilaa
    Donna Marie Walker
    Jake Wilson

  • As one of the most beautiful times to visit the Shenandoah Valley, we recommend all visitors review the below recommendations for lodging, dining, and activities.

    Local Businesses & Deals

    Flowers & Things at Sycamore Lane
    2265 Beech Ave., Buena Vista, VA
    Full service flower and gift shop.

    The BeeVe: Sweet Souvenirs
    2175 Magnolia Ave., Buena Vista, VA
    Ice cream, soda, and souvenir shop. New merchandise designs, ice cream flavors, and sales will be available during graduation week.

    Katana: Sushi and Hibachi Express
    1913 Magnolia Ave., Buena Vista, VA
    Authentic Japanese sushi and hibachi restaurant with dine-in and takeout options.

    Vinyl Cuts
    2159 Magnolia Ave., Buena Vista, VA
    Gift shop specializing in custom cut shirts, banners, and signs.