Congratulations, Class of 2015!

Perkins School of Theology Celebrates 2015 Graduates

Watch the video:  2015 Celebration of Diplomas and Academic Achievements


DALLAS – Perkins School of Theology celebrated the graduation of 85 students during the 2015 Celebration of Degrees and Academic Achievements held Saturday, May 16 at Highland Park United Methodist Church, part of the day-long commencement events at Southern Methodist University.  Guest preacher for the service was the Reverend Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe, chief executive of The United Methodist Church's General Board of Church and Society (GBCS).

Read the full media release announcing Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe as guest preacher

Prior to the presentation of diplomas, awards were given for outstanding achievement during the 2014-15 academic year. View the awards and recipients.

The 85 graduates (listed below) range in age from ages 24 through 65 and include at least 14 denominations. The degrees and diplomas awarded include: 

  • Master of Divinity: 45 
  • Master of Arts in Ministry: 3 
  • Master of Sacred Music: 2
  • Master of Theological Studies: 22 
  • Doctor of Ministry: 13 
Among students in the May graduating class, 46 are United Methodists. Other faith traditions represented include African Methodist Episcopal, Anglican/Episcopalian, Assemblies of God, Baptist, Catholic, Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Episcopalian, Evangelical, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, and United Church of Christ, as well as a number of students who classify their affiliation as nondenominational. 

Graduating students come from a number of different United Methodist Annual Conferences, including Alabama-West Florida, Arkansas, Florida, New Jersey, North Georgia, North Carolina, Northwest Congo, Oklahoma, Rio Grande, Texas, Central Texas, North Texas, and Western North Carolina. 

Congratulations to the 2015 graduates of Perkins School of Theology/Southern Methodist University:


2015  GRADUATES

Master of Arts in Ministry
 Leslie Gene Chandler II3         
                 Kim Meyers                     
                +Beth Ann Stuyck       
                                                                                                                                       

Master of Sacred Music
 +Alissa Davis
                        *Benjamin Anderson Hensley


Master of Theological Studies
+Virginia Kay Ash      Elizabeth Patience Hering

 Ailey P. Pope
 Willy Yumba Banza        
  *Carl Edward Hilliard    Nancy G. Shilling3
 Mark David Beggs   +Travis L. Ingels   #Astria Leigh Smith
#Andrew Elrod   *Andrew P. Love
  *Cathy Rene Sweeney    
#David Taylor Finley      
  #David Ray Luckey
   Wanda Elaine Ward
#Melanie M. Golder       
            #Daniel Carter McCain
            
#Lisa Marie Hancock     
#John Thomas McPherson    
   
                                                                                                                                                                   

Master of Divinity
 Millicent Albert

 Eulis Harold Hill4         Carissa Marie Rodgers
*Lainie Acridge Allen2
   Jeffrey M. Hinton
   Michelle Rushing
*Fred Bates Jr.
  #Deanna Lynn Hollas
  *Josefrayn Sanchez-Perry 
 Kevin Antoine Brown1
  +Lacie Danielle Jefferson3
  +LyAnna Johnson Smith 
 Joyce Ann Campbell
  *David Kenneth Johnson
   John F. Stephenson II
 Todd Anthony Cooper4
   Lawrence Denson Jones III
            #Rebecca Elizabeth Guldi
 Katrina Marie Culberson
   David Lynn Madden
        Tankersley2
 Joseph Cephas Davis1    Lina Lole Mahe    Christopher Michael Vaughan
 Veronica Daryl Davis    Broderick Morris Sr.    Adam Gilbert White
 Regina J. Franklin-Basye3                  Jermaine Kareem Mulley               #Brenda D. Wideman3
*Thomas Irl Harper    Laura Elaine Nusbaum    Dale Alan Wilbanks
*Kelly Kathryn Hay   +Benjamin Johnson Pascoe   #Jessica Nicole Williams5
 Donald Keith Haywood    Michael Benjamin Rigsby                                              
 Spencer M. Hickman    David Rivera
               
                                                                                            
     
Doctor of Ministry
°Kendrick Garrison Crawford
                °Sumith D. Peter Fernando
                 Stephen Augusta Redmond
°Geraldine Adams Daniels
   Denise Allen Luper
   Manoj Thomas
°Mary Jan Davis
   Mollie Ann McGee
   Todd J. von Helms
 Yolanda Annette Davis
   Andrew Nunley III
                                            
°Sunny Brown Farley
  °Sandralyn Lou Pierce
   

                                          

                                                  

The following students will complete studies in August 2015
and are participating in today's ceremony:


Master of Theological Studies
 #Mari K. Harris
   Marci Lynn Jackson
   Rachel Letitia Roberts
                                                                                                                                                                   

Master of Divinity
 Karen Tidwell Bright
   Katherine Renee Kennedy3
   +Lisa Ann Reece3
 *Marie Rose Fuhrken
   Freedom Antoinette McAdoo3
   Charles Anthony Robinson3, 4
                                                                                                                                                                   

 # Summa Cum Laude

+ Magna Cum Laude

* Cum Laude

° With honors on the D.Min. project

         1 Certificate in African-American Studies

2 Certificate in Anglican Studies

3 Certificate in Pastoral Care

4 Certificate in Urban Studies

5 Certificate in Women’s Studies



2015  ROLL  OF  HONOR

Highest Honors
 Clint Joel Bordelon 
   Deanna Lynn Hollas 
   Kathy Thompson Nations 
 Frederick Clifford Burns III
   Iris Lucille Hollister 
   Katherine Harrison Newsome
 Andrew Elrod
   Sarah Ingham
   Emily Loren Robnett
 David Taylor Finley
   Jennifer Lynne Jordan
   Rebekah Cecilia Rochte
 Michael William Flynn 
   Kristopher Allan Keller
   Courtney Rose Schultz
 Damon Raphael Fraylon 
   Russell Warren LaGrone
   Astria Leigh Smith
 Tamara Lynn Gallaway
   Jennifer Elise Logsdon-Kellogg    Lynne Marie Spencer
 Melanie M. Golder 
   David Ray Luckey
   Rebecca Elizabeth Guldi Tankersley
 Matthew Santana Gonzales 
   Patricia M. Lund
   Beth Elaine Taylor
 Robert Charles Goodson
   Daniel Carter McCain
   Brenda D. Wideman 
 Ethan Scott Gregory
   Bradley Eugene McLain
   Jessica Nicole Williams 
 Lisa Marie Hancock
   William S. McMahon
   Robert Allen Wilson 
 Mari K. Harris
   John Thomas McPherson
   James E. Woods 
 Jay Allen Henderson    Emily Ann Miller-Todd
   Alexander Walter Zeisig
                                                                                                                                                                                

High Honors
 Virginia Kay Ash 
   Kallie Ellen Green 
   Lisa Ann Reece
 Matthew Ryan Bell 
   Stefanie Jean Hayes 
   LyAnna Johnson Smith
 Jennifer Chickering
   Travis L. Ingels    Beth Ann Stuyck
 Anthony James Cunningham    Lacie Danielle Jefferson 
   Melinda Faye Thompson 
 Alissa Davis Joshua 
   Jon Jason Kendzie 
   Melissa Michelle Turkett
 Roy Elder Scott 
   Benjamin Johnson Pascoe 
   Thomas Gordon Webster
 Parker Gilliland    Collin Cave Powell
   
                                                                                                                                                                                   

Honors
 Lainie Acridge Allen
   April Michelle Fehler
   Glenn Arthur Luhrs
 Bill Dean Ball
   Marie Rose Fuhrken
   Mary Montgomery Mears
 Georgia L. Barrett
   Raegan Jane Gilliland
   William Peter Norton
 Fred Bates Jr.
   Thomas Irl Harper    Kaela Elizabeth Patterson
 Sadie Elizabeth Brink
   Kelly Kathryn Hay    Joseph Victor Surdacki
 Leslie Gene Chandler II
   Benjamin Anderson Hensley
   Cathy Rene Sweeney
 Blake Matthew Danner
   David Kenneth Johnson
   Samuel Thomas
 Joy Woodland Dister
   Andrew P. Love
   Peyton Keith Tippett