Oakland City University celebrated the graduation of 201 students on Saturday, May 4th, 2024, on the Oakland City, Indiana campus.
Under the leadership of OCU President Dr. Ron Dempsey, the 129th commencement was a momentous
occasion. The ceremony was attended by a full house of family members, guests, and Board of Trustees.
Evansville, Indiana native, three-term Mayor, and current chief executive officer of the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (EREP), Mr. Lloyd Winnecke, gave the commencement address.
Six outstanding students were honored with the prestigious President’s Award. The awards recognize the highest academic accomplishment in each school and the significant contributions the students have made to campus life, reflecting the university’s commitment to holistic development. These students are:
- Aron Busick – Paoli, Indiana – Major in Business Administration and Management – PERFECT
4.0 G.P.A. - Kataryna Kulynych – Kharkiv, Ukraine –Bachelor of Science Major in Human Biology –
Associates in Business Administration with a Minor in Chemistry – 3.98 G.P.A. - Blake Pruitt – Fairfield, Illinois – Major in Business Administration in Sports Administration –
3.95 G.P.A. - Kenzie Black – Oblong, Illinois – Major in Early Childhood Education – 3.99 G.P.A.
- Moniek Meeringa – Elst, The Netherlands – Psychology – 3.96 G.P.A.
- Mariana Anastasiadi – Nikaia, Greece – Major in Criminal Justice-Investigative Forensics –
3.96 G.P.A.
Dr. Andrea Boyle from the School of Education and Dr. James Sigler from the School of Business were voted by the student body as “Co-Professors of the Year.”
OCU Provost Dr. Cathy Robb presented the students for graduation after certifying that each had met their academic degree requirements. Then OCU President Dr. Ron Dempsey conferred upon the students the degree by which they completed all the work, with all rights and privileges, making it official as he invited the graduates to move the tassel from the right side of their caps to the left, signifying their degree.
The students were then presented by their Dean:
- Dr. Ron Mercer, Dean of the School of Religious Studies, and Chapman Seminary, presided over the
conferral of degrees and certificates to seven students from the school. - Dr. Justin Murphy, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, presided over the conferral of degrees and certificates to twenty-seven students from the school.
- Dr. Kevin Smith, Dean of the School of Education, presided over the conferral of degrees and certificates to fifty-two students from the school.
- Dr. Jervaise McDaniel, Dean of the School of Business, presided over the conferral of degrees and
certificates to seventy-four students from the school.
OCU’s Community Outreach Correspondence Program graduated eighteen students.
Mr. Jed Jerrels, Principal of North Daviess High School, presided over the conferral of degrees and certificates to twenty-three current North Daviess students. These students graduated from OCU with their Associate of Arts degrees in University Studies before their upcoming high school graduation ceremony.
