EDMOND—A total of 31 Herbert W. Armstrong College graduates walked across the Armstrong Auditorium stage with their diplomas on May 21 at the 16th Herbert W. Armstrong College commencement. At the same time, three more Armstrong students received their diplomas at Edstone Hall in Edstone, England.
After 154 graduates, family and friends shared the traditional graduation brunch together at the John Amos Field House earlier in the day, the ceremony began at 3 p.m. at Armstrong Auditorium with the stage curtains opening and the Armstrong Youth Orchestra and Armstrong Youth Chorus playing excerpts from “Crown Imperial” by William Walton as audience members stood to acknowledge the procession of faculty, sophomores and students to their seats.
After Edmond dean of students Wayne Turgeon gave the invocation, student body president Emmanuel Michels delivered the student address, which dwelled on how the college transforms its students. The choir then performed “May the Road Rise to Meet You,” composed and conducted by music faculty member Mark Jenkins, and “These Are Great Days,” composed and conducted by music director Ryan Malone, with lyrics taken from a 1940 speech by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
College chancellor Gerald Flurry followed with a commencement address that coincidentally focused on Churchill and his “historical imagination.” Mr. Flurry said that Churchill’s deep study into history gave him great vision that enabled him to save the Western world during World War II.
Mr. Turgeon and assistant dean of students Eric Burns then awarded three students Herbert W. Armstrong College Achievement Awards: seniors Emmanuel Michels, Nick Irwin and Panayiota Tolis.
After the chancellor awarded sophomores with their two-year diplomas, the crowd in Edmond watched on a screen as three seniors received their diplomas at the college campus in England from Edstone dean of students Stephen Flurry. Finally, the 14 seniors in Edmond walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, stand for a group photo, and cap off their academic careers, with a recessional to a recording of “Crown Imperial” and a standing ovation from the audience.
For the next hour, graduates stood in the auditorium lobby, receiving multitudes of hugs and congratulations from guests and family members, some of whom traveled 1,500 miles from Washington State or as far away as Australia to be with their graduates.
Six of the graduating seniors have been hired by the Philadelphia Church of God (which supports the college), and three will continue working for the Church for approximately one year. Nine sophomores will remain at the college to continue the four-year diploma program. Meanwhile, eight seniors and eight of sophomores said their goodbyes to friends and to each other as they anticipated leaving campus and beginning what one pcg minister recently called “life itself.”
To date, the college’s two-year program and four-year program have graduated a total of 261 students.
2017 Herbert W. Armstrong College Two-Year Graduates
With Distinction: gpa 3.33 to 3.54
With High Distinction: gpa 3.55 to 3.79
With Highest Distinction: gpa 3.8 to 4.0
- Kyle Robert Amos
- Jessica Lee Brandon (with highest distinction)
- Justice Anthony Brown
- Cheyenne Taylor Chaney
- David Samuel Dodds (with distinction)
- Amber Rachelle Eagle
- George Elie Haddad (with high distinction)
- Sera N. Millar
- Bradley Callum Smithies (with high distinction)
- Cory James Szabo
- Joella Polixeni Tolis
- Kassandra Rose Verbout (with high distinction)
- Tyler John Michael Verbout
- David Hans Warner
- Timothy Jerome Warnsley
- Brianna Nicole Weeks (with highest distinction)
- Jesse David Zoellner
2017 Herbert W. Armstrong College Four-Year Graduates
With Distinction: gpa 3.33 to 3.54
With High Distinction: gpa 3.55 to 3.79
With Highest Distinction: gpa 3.8 to 4.0
- Zachary Ryan Bush
- Albert George David Clarke (with high distinction)
- Rachel Elizabeth Culpepper
- Jessica Louise Dalton (with high distinction)
- Brandi Kaye Davis (with high distinction)
- Kaitlin Veronica Eames (with high distinction)
- Jordan Peter Ellis
- Timothy Jacob Guenther (with highest distinction)
- Nicholas Terry Irwin
- Emmanuel Michels
- Kaleb Lars Robson
- Jennifer Leanne Schlote (with high distinction)
- Emma Caitlin Smithies (with high distinction)
- Maree Magdaline Tolis (with highest distinction)
- Panayiota Lambrini Tolis
- Paris Lynn Turgeon (with distinction)
- Justin Earnest Wainwright