EDMOND—Herbert W. Armstrong College held its 14th graduation ceremony in Edmond, Oklahoma, and its first ever at Edstone, England, on May 17. The college graduated 13 seniors and 23 sophomores from 8 countries and 13 American states.
Hundreds of guests assembled at Armstrong Auditorium for the start of the ceremony, dozens watched from the television studio at the Church’s UK regional office in Edstone, and hundreds more streamed the ceremony live. Faculty, seniors and sophomores walked down the aisles to their seats as the Armstrong Youth Orchestra, conducted by Imperial Academy music instructor Mark Jenkins, played excerpts from “Crown Imperial” by William Walton.
President and dean of students Stephen Flurry welcomed guests and led the invocation. Student body president Abraham Blondeau delivered a student address. In his speech, Blondeau said that 1.7 million college students will receive bachelor degrees in the United States from 7,000 colleges in 2015. But, he said, Armstrong provides a unique education that is the “need of the hour.”
The 65-person Armstrong College Choral Union and the 27-person Armstrong Youth Orchestra performed “May the Road Rise to Meet You,” composed and conducted by Mark Jenkins and “Reach for That City,” composed and conducted by Ryan Malone.
Chancellor Gerald Flurry’s commencement address centered on the laws of success exemplified by inventor and technology ceo Steve Jobs. Mr. Flurry focused on one aspect of Jobs’s business philosophy that made him a phenomenal success: He learned to be “totally teachable.” Jobs learned this, Mr. Flurry said, from the management team at Pixar, who were all “A-players” and all contributed to the company. Chancellor Flurry then paraphrased verses from Isaiah 28.
“Be totally teachable before God, and just get everything out of the way and let God teach, and you’re going to see a success like no other on this earth,” Mr. Flurry said.
President Flurry presented the annual Herbert W. Armstrong Achievement Award, a $500 cash prize recognizing the “pursuit of excellence,” to two seniors. The first recipient was Blondeau who came to AC from Canada, and is remaining in Edmond to work full-time as pcg call center assistant supervisor. The second recipient was Anthony Chibarirwe, who came to Armstrong on his sixth application after finally being accepted and receiving a student visa.
President Flurry introduced the sophomore class, beginning with four sophomores at Edstone who received their diplomas from Regional Director Brad Macdonald, and were visible in Edmond on a live video feed. Mr. Macdonald said it was a “special and moving opportunity” to present the diplomas.
“We were separated by thousands of miles and a massive ocean, yet it was almost as if we were sitting in God’s house in Edmond,” he said.
Back in Armstrong Auditorium, Mr. Flurry described sophomore Mark Saranga’s unique journey to the stage. Saranga, an Edmond deacon with a family, enrolled as a full-time student in 2001, the first year of the college. He was unable to continue full-time but has taken classes part-time while working as the mail department manager. Fifteen years later, he received his two-year graduate diploma.
Saranga said he felt that he had to finish the program bit-by-bit to show respect and gratitude for being given the Armstrong education.
“Even though it may take a long time, finishing what God gives us is one way to give back,” he said.
Mr. Flurry announced the name and academic distinctions for each sophomore, who shook chancellor Flurry’s hand and received his or her diploma.
President Flurry then presented the seniors to the chancellor, and when all had received their diplomas, he invited the audience to stand and salute “our future, the senior class of 2015.”
Following the “Crown Imperial” recessional, graduates and guests mingled in the lobby and balcony for more than an hour, congratulating one another, sharing memories and saying goodbyes.
Two-year Edmond graduate Nicole Tremblay said that attending Armstrong College has been an “incredible gift” and that she learned that God is in control of her life.
“Words really can’t express how happy I am that I was able to attend Armstrong College,” she said. “I am excited to go out and share what I have been given with brethren.”
Two-year Edstone graduate Paris Turgeon said she thought the “intimate” graduation ceremony was “absolutely beautiful.”
“It was also incredibly special to be able to share it with some of the local brethren that have never been to a graduation in Edmond before,” she said. “Their excitement was so inspiring for me.”
Mr. Stephen Flurry drew attention to the impact this year’s graduating class will have, since nine seniors and one sophomore have been hired by the Church, the largest group hired since the first four-year graduates in 2006.
“With so many departments and projects in God’s Work expanding, the impact of this year’s group of graduates will be massive,” he said.
Graduates 2014-2015
Seniors
- Sherry Beezley (with distinction)
- Michael Benedetti
- Abraham Blondeau (with distinction)
- Anthony Chibarirwe
- Chelsea Cocomise
- Kyle Cocomise
- Sarah Culpepper
- Tasha Eagle
- Kyle Tremblay (with high distinction)
- Grant Turgeon
- Charles Wittsell
- Ben Young
- Reese Zoellner
Sophomores
- Zachary Bush
- Charlene Campbell
- Albert Clarke (with high distinction)
- Rachel Culpepper
- Brandi Davis (with distinction)
- Kaitlin Eames* (with high distinction)
- Jordan Ellis
- Timothy Guenther (with highest distinction)
- Nicholas Irwin* (with distinction)
- James Lowry
- Emmanuel Michels*
- Kaleb Robson
- Mark Saranga
- Jennifer Schlote (with high distinction)
- Emma Smithies (with high distinction)
- Maree Tolis (with highest distinction)
- Panayiota Tolis
- Nicole Tremblay (with high distinction)
- Anya Trietsch
- Paris Turgeon* (with distinction)
- Justin Wainwright
- Daniel Westerbaan (with high distinction)
- Bianca Wilson
*Students enrolled at Edstone