Chancellor Gerald Flurry Expounds on Transcendent Education at Herbert W. Armstrong College Commencement
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EDMOND—Chancellor Gerald Flurry expounded on transcendent education during his Herbert W. Armstrong College commencement address on May 18 in front of 17 seniors, 25 sophomores and about 500 friends and family members in Armstrong Auditorium. Hundreds more streamed the entire ceremony live online.

The ceremony capped a weekend of royal treatment for the graduates, who enjoyed a class dinner, took class pictures, and danced and reminisced at Graduation Ball on May 15, then feasted with family members at Graduation Brunch the morning before commencement.

In his commencement address, Chancellor Gerald Flurry told the audience that hwac education transcends America, history and time itself, much like the British Empire transcended borders, history and time. “That’s something that inspires and moves us,” he said. “That is, in a nutshell, what Armstrong College is all about.”

Mr. Flurry discussed the college’s intention to open a new campus in Britain and how a beautiful environment, such as a historic estate, is conducive to effective study. “Why establish a new college?” he asked. “Because our education transcends America.”

Mr. Flurry also revisited Winston Churchill’s love for the British Empire, which he said brought civility and prosperity to poorer, weaker nations. “This is a character-building institution,” Mr. Flurry said of hwac. “A lot of character went into building the British Empire.” Without an empire education, God’s people will never achieve His goal of teaching the world, he added.

God inhabits eternity and will soon put the universe in subjection to man, Mr. Flurry said, quoting Hebrews 2:8. This future should fill us with hope, he said.

The hour-long ceremony began with a processional march. As the Imperial Academy orchestra played excerpts from “Crown Imperial” by William Walton, underscored by a consistent drum roll, audience members stood, and faculty then students filed into the theater to be seated for the student address, choral performance, commencement address, and the conferring of diplomas.

Student body president Christopher Eames spoke about hope in his student address. After mentioning world crises, the New Zealand senior asked, “What hope can be found in this world? It all comes back down to education.”

Eames also praised the uniqueness of hwac, where students graduate debt-free after learning how to truly live. He concluded with a quote from Winston Churchill: “Now is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

After Eames’s message, the hwac Choral Union and Imperial Academy orchestra performed two numbers: “May the Road Rise to Meet You,” a hwac graduation classic composed and conducted by assistant music director Mark Jenkins; and “Largest Audience Possible,” a song from music director Ryan Malone’s Morning Star musical, which will be performed at the Philadelphia Church of God ministerial conference in June.

Dean of Students Stephen Flurry followed the chancellor’s address by presenting a Herbert W. Armstrong Achievement Award to two seniors: Eames and Daniel Arnfield, from Kansas. Mr. Flurry described Eames as a man who pours his heart into all projects, has a curious mind and loves to learn. “I think he’s an excellent example of a young man who allowed this experience to change him,” Mr. Flurry quoted an unnamed faculty member as saying. Eames will work full-time in the music department.

Eames said before graduation that his college career taught him to “be ready for anything. You go into your day, not knowing whether or not you will suddenly find out you are going to be a [Philadelphia Youth Camp] counselor or an assistant area supervisor at an archaeology excavation. You take every amazing day here as it comes.”

Arnfield underwent a miraculous transformation during his hwac career, Mr. Flurry said. According to Mr. Flurry, Arnfield committed himself to a healthy lifestyle, showed willingness to apply instruction, and accepted challenges; he also learned advanced coding on the fly and remained steadfast during his mother’s health trial last year. Arnfield will now continue his service in the information systems department.

“Before college, none of the congregations I attended had many people my age, so I grew up pretty introverted,” Arnfield said before graduation. “AC has really helped me come out of my shell and branch out in a lot of ways. I’ve been able to develop social and leadership skills that I never would have been able to otherwise.”

Afterward, the chancellor, dean of students, and registrar Jason Hensley presented diplomas to the sophomore and senior classes.

The 25 graduating sophomores preceded the seniors onstage, beaming as photographer Aubrey Mercado snapped away. Nine were honored for a grade point average of at least 3.33 out of 4.0, and 17 will continue on to the four-year program.

One by one, the seniors accepted their diplomas, nine of the 17 garnering recognition for outstanding grades. Six were hired full-time by the Philadelphia Church of God, and two will take classes for one more year.

Faculty and students received a standing ovation as they walked out into the lobby to congratulate one another and chat with attendees for a couple more hours.

Seniors

  • Daniel Robert Arnfield (with high distinction)
  • Alayna Janelle Blanchat (with distinction)
  • James Michael Brandon (with distinction)
  • Ariel Nicole Buckler
  • Tabitha Danielle Burks (with distinction)
  • Bailey Ray Crawford
  • Christopher Kelvin Eames
  • Hannah Palacio Estebat
  • Sharalee Kay Fraser (with distinction)
  • Matthew Ross Friesen (with high distinction)
  • Gabrielle Haddad
  • Jamie Lashay Hawkins
  • Jessie Ray Hester (with high distinction)
  • Breanna Nicole Leiferman (with high distinction)
  • Tyrel James Schlote (with high distinction)
  • Tonya Lynn Wainwright
  • Callum Robert Wood

Sophomores

  • Abigail Renee Benedetti
  • Whitney Cheri Campbell
  • Jesse Michael Chaney
  • Elizabeth Mary Rose Clarke (with highest distinction)
  • Michael John Cocomise
  • Jessica Louise Dalton (with high distinction)
  • Brooke Hali Davis (with high distinction)
  • Sean Elias Davison
  • Lindsy Nicole Eagle
  • Lauren Elizabeth Eames (with high distinction)
  • Justin Acorda Goodearl
  • Daryle Eugene Hochstetler
  • Joel Hudson-Stewart
  • Erica Lourae Irwin
  • Elyssia Margaret Lancaster
  • Victoria Lynn Lancaster (with highest distinction)
  • Samuel Aaron Livingston
  • Kiall Alexander Lorenz (with distinction)
  • Nathan Moffett
  • Joel Kendall Gareth Price (with distinction)
  • Jordanya Rain Rouzer (with distinction)
  • David Martin Savage
  • Winston Cordell Schlote
  • Victoria Allison Terrell
  • Danielle Brooke Underwood (with highest distinction)

With Distinction: GPA of 3.33 to 3.54 With High Distinction: GPA of 3.55 to 3.79 With Highest Distinction: GPA of 3.8 and above