Adorned with new stoles, Seattle University’s senior student-athletes took their first step into the next chapter of their lives, participating in the annual Undergraduate Commencement ceremonies this past Sunday morning at KeyArena at Seattle Center.
Soccer player Jacqui Wallis graduated with summa cum laude honors with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and a Bachelor of Science degree in cell and molecular biology. She also received the President’s Award, given to the graduating senior who maintained the highest grade point average throughout the undergraduate degree after entering Seattle U as a first-time freshman.
Wallis’s teammate Stephanie Verdoia also graduated with summa cum laude honors, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with departmental honors. Two other soccer players graduated with magna cum laude honors while receiving Bachelor of Arts degrees in business administration: Kiana Kraft in accounting and Kyle Silva in finance.
Haley Kruell of the cross country and track and field team also graduated with magna cum laude honors with a Bachelor of Arts degree in humanities for teaching. Another magna cum laude honoree was Fallon Sullivan, who completed her eligibility with the rowing team in 2014, as she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and creative writing with departmental honors.
Several student-athletes earned cum laude honors, including Brooke McCulloch (B.A. – Art History) of the rowing team. Swimmers John Fulmer (B.A. – Business Administration/Business Economics), Bethany Gehrke (B.S. – Nursing), and Melissa Randolf (B.A. – Psychology), track and field competitors Madison Davis (B.S. – Mathematics), Candice de Sauvage (B.S. – Nursing), and Miles Hille (B.S. – Electrical Engineering), and golfers Luka Karaula (B.A. – Economics) and Monica Keo (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science) also graduated with cum laude honors.
Baseball players Kyle Doyle and Brian Olson as well as basketball player Isiah Umipig received Bachelor of Arts degree in communication studies, while tennis player Riley Newman and Malaki Seanoa of the track and field team earned Bachelor of Criminal Justice degrees. Softball players Jenny Hurst and Lisa Maulden and basketball player Shore Adenekan collected Bachelor of Arts degrees in liberal studies, while soccer players Aris Coover and Renae Russell as well as distance runner Meghan Arigo and volleyball player Alec Goodrie earned their Bachelor of Science degrees in sport and exercise science.
Jarell Flora of the basketball team, Shane Haworth of the soccer team, and softball player Mandie Sugita received Bachelor of Arts degrees in strategic communications. Other degree recipients from the College of Arts and Sciences include basketball player Renee Dillard-Brown (B.A. – Sociology), baseball player Eric Koenig (B.A. – Environmental Studies), softball player Bubba Morrow (Bachelor of Social Work), and track and field student-athlete Zac Schlachter (B.A. – Political Science).
From the Albers School of Business and Economics, Alyssa Campagna of the soccer team, baseball player Grant Newton, and swimmers Kyle Moline and Caroline Van Maren also received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business Administration while majoring in accounting. Soccer players Chase Hanson and Taylor Ritzman majored in finance, baseball player Colin Peterson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, and track and field sprinter Austin Thummel-Gravitt concentrated in management while earning his B.A. in business administration.
Garrett Anderson of the baseball team and Valerie Wu of the track and field team both received Bachelor of Science degrees in civil engineering, while soccer player Ian Hines-Ike earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology. Former Redhawk baseball player Chase Fields completed his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. Basketball player Makenna Clark and distance runner Sophie Curatilo earned Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing.
The Seattle University Athletics Department champions the values expressed in the University’s Mission Statement and views athletics as a key component of the Jesuit philosophy of educating the whole person - body, mind, and spirit. Through participation in intercollegiate athletics, student-athletes will learn critical life lessons and values.