WSU Fall Commencement 2009: Highlight Students

PULLMAN, Wash.— Almost 700 students are expected to participate in the Washington State University commencement ceremony in Pullman from a total of 1,800 students that have applied to graduate with a December date, said Teri Hansen, WSU commencement coordinator.

American sociologist William Julius Wilson, Washington State University alumnus, author, and Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor at Harvard University, will be the WSU Fall 2009 Commencement speaker.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec.12 in the Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum. WSU President Elson S. Floyd will preside over the ceremony.

During the Dec. 12 ceremony the following graduates will be highlighted:

– Pavan J. Antony

College: College of Education
Degree: Doctorate of Education, Special Education
High School: Matha Central School in Alleppey in the Kerala state of India and Sanathana Dharma College, 1997
Career Goal: To support the concept of inclusion of children with disabilities in the educational system in India.
Parents: Sophiamma Antony and CA Antony; Wife: Jennifer George

Bio: Pavan Antony came to the United States almost five years ago. He wanted to study special education and was invited by John Brewer, Rotarian and professor emeritus in the foreign languages department at WSU, to come to the U.S. and live with him for a year while attending school.

Following that year of study, Antony was accepted into the doctoral program in special education in the College of Education. He successfully completed the program this summer after gathering dissertation data in his home country.

During the summer when he returned to India, he was married to Jennifer George. They both made the journey to the U.S. for Antony’s dissertation defense. They are expecting their first child in April and are currently living in Pullman, while Antony works in special education in the area and teaches for the College of Education.

Prior to coming to the U.S., Antony had directed a center for more than 100 children with disabilities. The most remarkable thing about Antony’s pursuit of higher education in special education is that he had to pursue his dream of serving children with disabilities and their families knowing that his work might not be valued in his country. That did not deter him and he is looking forward to a career of making better lives for children with disabilities and their families in his home country.

Contact:
Paulie Mills, Associate Professor Emeritus of Teaching and Learning, 509-335-5015, pmills@wsu.edu

– Lynnea K. Braun (BRAWN’)

College: College of Liberal Arts
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences (General Studies) with an emphasis in English, Psychology and Business
High School: West Valley High School, 2005, Yakima, Wash.
Career Goal: To enter a master’s in teaching program and become an elementary teacher.
Parents: Susan and Robert Braun
 
Bio: Braun began her post-secondary education at North Idaho College as an athlete in volleyball. After completing her Associate of Science degree and uncertain of her next step, she took advantage of an opportunity to compete in javelin at Spokane Community College while completing her Associate of Arts degree requirements.

Her success as a nationally-ranked, Olympic hopeful in javelin brought her to Washington State University in the fall of 2008, but a catastrophic, career-ending shoulder injury during her second meet as a Cougar forced her to find a new direction.

At WSU, Braun has found the support and encouragement she needed to move ahead, but she has also been an inspiration to many. She tutors other athletes, coaches youth teams in the community and is a Reading Buddy at Sunnyside Elementary.

Braun is grateful to be a Cougar and to have found her new passion and goal. She plans to enter a master’s in teaching program next fall and become a school teacher, just like her parents.

College: College of Engineering and Architecture
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Magna Cum Laude
High School: Asotin High School, 1994, Asotin, Wash.
Career Goal: After graduation, she will be working full-time with TD&H engineering in Lewiston, Idaho, as a project engineer. Her long-term plan is to stay with TD&H and move up in the company. She enjoyed environmental and sustainability courses at WSU and that is where she would like to focus her engineering career.
Parents: Rhonda and Thomas Faught
 
Bio: When Heather Faught graduated from Asotin High School in 1994, she never dreamed of being an engineer.

Faught began college with nursing in mind, but after a change of heart she got a temporary job as a secretary at Thomas Dean & Hoskins, Inc. (TD & H) Engineering in Lewiston, Idaho. Fifteen years later, and with significant help and support from the company, Faught will graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
 
When she first arrived at TD & H, engineering was completely foreign to her, but she quickly came to enjoy the many learning challenges that she encountered. She realized that she liked the creative problem-solving and brainstorming that she often saw the engineers do in the office. She first began considering engineering as a possible career after she was promoted from a secretary to drafter at the company.

She began taking classes on a part-time basis while working full-time at the company. Later as a full-time student at WSU, she continued working on a part-time basis. In spite of her challenging schedule, she has thrived in her classes and gained new interests in topics such as environmental engineering and sustainability.

Many of her classes were difficult but she received significant support from her family and her boyfriend when she was struggling.

After graduation, Faught will be promoted to engineer at TD & H.
 
“Heather is one of the most motivated students I have had,’’ said Cara Poor, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “She … shows a genuine interest in engineering. This is likely from her experience at TD&H Engineering, where she has seen firsthand how the things she learns here will be applied.”

“She will be a great engineer,” Poor said.
 
Contact:
Tina Hilding, Communications Coordinator for the College of Engineering and Architecture, 509-335-5095, thilding@wsu.edu

– Clifford L. Hoye Jr.

College: College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences
Degree: Master of Science in Food Science
High School: Falls Christian Academy, 2003, Post Falls, Idaho.
Career Goal: To lead a consulting group in the food product development sector that specializes in all areas, from bench-top formulation to final sensory analysis. 
Parents: Irene and Clifford Hoye; wife Elizabeth Hoye
 
Bio: Clifford “CJ” Hoye is originally from Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. He graduated with a bachelor’s of science in food science from the University of Idaho in 2007 with a GPA of 3.92.

As he worked toward his Master of Science at WSU, he maintained a 4.0 GPA. While completing a research project for his degree, Hoye was a member of the award-wining School of Food Science Product Development Team and he also served as the emcee for the CAHNRS annual banquet.

Hoye has been an integral part of the success of the sensory facility at WSU and has participated as a panelist or assistant in all of the sensory panels that have been held at WSU over the past two years.

Hoye is looking forward to a successful career in the product development industry. He is well-known and liked throughout the department and is highly deserving of this honor for his academic achievements, departmental involvement and engaging personality. 
 
Contact:
Carolyn Ross, Assistant Professor for the School of Food Science, 509-335-2438, cfross@wsu.edu

– Samuel M. Kammerzell

College: College of Veterinary Medicine
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience
High School: Colfax High School, 2004, Colfax, Wash.
Career Goal: To attend medical school, become a family practice physician and work in a rural community. Also, to do some overseas medical work after becoming a licensed physician.
Parents: Tom and Cheryl Kammerzell, Tim and Barb Schluneger

Bio: Sam Kammerzell is an outgoing young man who took time out of his demanding pre-med curriculum to study abroad in Shanghai, China. While in China, he met his future wife, Peach (He Jin Tao).

After graduation, Kammerzell plans to return to China where he and Peach will be married next April and he will teach English to Chinese students for a few months. When they return to the U.S., he will apply to medical school for the Fall 2011 admissions cycle. 

At WSU, Kammerzell was on the student leadership team for Campus Crusade for Christ from 2005 to 2009. He held an executive leadership position with the Student Alumni Connection from 2005 to 2006. He was a member of the PreMed Club and Neuroscience Club, volunteered at Pullman Regional Hospital, and is in WSU’s Honors College.

Kammerzell’s Honors Thesis, “Mechanisims of Methamphetamine-Enhanced Learning and Memory in the Snail Lymnaea stagnalis,” was nominated for a Pass with Distinction honor. He has also been on the President’s Honor Roll every semester and was featured in a WSU recruitment video in 2006, after being recommended by advisers.
 
Contact:
Sandi Brabb, Assistant Director of Neuroscience Program, 509-335-2190, brabb@wsu.edu

– Deborah L. Poris

College: College of Business and the Center for Distance and Professional Education
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a major in Management and Operations, minor in Human Resources
High School: Interlake High School, 1973, Bellevue, Wash.
Career Goal: To find success in achieving a management position and to use her education to be more active in the community.
Parents: Jim and Gerry Boone; Husband: Carl; Children: James and Mark Raysbrook; Grandchildren: Haley, Devon, Brendan, Cassie, Tristan and Ryland
 
Bio: Deborah Poris has put more effort than most into earning her degree. She maintains a 3.97 GPA, works full time and is the Associated Students of Washington State University Distance Degree Programs president. To get everything done, she wakes up at 4:30 a.m. for work and stays up studying until 11 p.m.

Her determination dates back to her childhood, when she had to wear a back brace for scoliosis.

“The back brace did not slow me down, as I was out to prove to everyone I was not ‘handicapped’,” said Poris. “I snow skied, played basketball, tennis and volleyball in my brace. Even my doctor was amazed at my determination and activity level.”

Poris’ college career began at Washington State University in 1973, but she dropped out after completing her second semester. In the mid-80s, she enrolled in Bellevue Community College. Just a few credits short of earning her accounting certificate, she left to devote more time to her children. In January 2004, at the urging of her boss and her husband, she went back to Bellevue Community College. She earned a transfer degree, and enrolled in DDP at WSU.

Poris was named the Outstanding Non-traditional Student of the Year by the University Continuing Education Association in January 2009. She was chosen from six regional winners. Judging criteria include an “unconventional educational background,” the handling of multiple commitments during the pursuit of a degree and the ability to inspire others.
 
Contact:
Chrisi Kincaid, Academic Adviser for Distance Degree Programs, 509-335-3027, ckincaid@wsu.edu

– Jessica Prathiwi (Pra-TEE’-wee)

College: Edward R. Murrow College of Communication
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Communication, emphasis in Applied Intercultural Communication
High School: River Ridge High School, 2006, Lacey, Wash.
Career Goal: To work for a global non-profit organization and to work with international students.
Parents: Claudia Ong and Chris Roberts
 
Bio: Jessica Prathiwi was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. She values hard work and education because it was hard for children in Indonesia to complete their full 12 years of schooling. She took advantage of her opportunities and began learning English at the age of nine and Spanish at 16.

In Indonesia, Prathiwi experienced the riot of May 1998 where the ethnic Chinese and native Indonesian were in conflict, which caused her family to temporarily relocate to an island close to Singapore. This experience strongly influenced her decision to study intercultural communication at WSU and to learn more about globalization. Someday, she hopes to work with global non-profit organizations to solve conflicts like the one she experienced.

Prathiwi moved to the U.S. in 2004, when her mother married a U.S. citizen. Adjusting to a completely different school system was a tough challenge. In the U.S. she was expected to think critically and to speak her mind, something that was not accepted in her home country. However, with the support of her teachers, peers and parents, she adjusted to her American high school. Since the beginning of high school, everyone accepted her as an equal and this helped her adjust quickly into the new school academically, socially and linguistically. She was also enrolled in college courses through the Running Start program during her senior year.

During her time at WSU, she became a peer mentor with the International Center where she guided new international students at WSU. This experience made her realize her love of working with people from diverse backgrounds. Now Prathiwi is fluent in English and Indonesian and is bettering herself in Spanish. She is also starting to learn some Chinese words, thanks to her mentees and co-workers at the International Center.

Through last semester, Prathiwi’s cumulative GPA was 3.88 and she is a member of Phi Eta Sigma honor society.
 
Contact:
Lisa Hunter, Academic Coordinator of College of Communication, 509-335-7333, hunter@wsu.edu
Roberta Kelly, Assistant Dean, 509-335-9153, rkelly@wsu.edu

– Tigist T. Tedla (TEE’-gist TED’-la)

College: College of Nursing
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
High School: Medanealem in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, 1998
Career Goal: To obtain a master’s degree in midwifery and become a midwife.
Parents: Abegu Sinishaw and Teshome Tedla

Bio: Tigist Tedla was born and raised in Ethiopia. She came to the United States in 2002 and had little knowledge of the English language. It was very difficult for her to communicate with other students so she enrolled in college, to take an ESL class. Once she completed that she started taking a basic writing class.

“It was very hard for me to learn the English Language,” she said.

The area where Tedla grew up had a shortage of nurses, which led her to become interested in the medical field. She left Ethiopia right after high school and came to the U.S. to continue schooling. Her aunt has been a nurse in the U.S. for 15 years and became her role model. Her aunt encouraged her to take a Certified Nursing Assistant (CAN) class and after doing so she started working at an assisted living facility. That gave her insight into the nursing filed. While working as a CNA, Tedla’s interest in becoming a nurse grew.

Her passion for caring for and helping others led her to take pre-nursing courses at a community college. It was difficult because English is her second language, but her passion kept her motivated.

Tedla wants to work in labor and delivery and will pursue a master’s degree in midwifery. She will continue to work on improving her English, and that will aid her in her professional goal of being a midwife.
 
Contact:
Renae Richter, Academic Coordinator for the College of Nursing, 509-324-7337, richer@wsu.edu

– Kelli C. Wuerth (WORTH’)

Wuerth did research in the undergraduate math biology program, modeling immune dynamics of equine viruses with Elissa Schwartz and she also worked in a food microbiology lab with Karen Killinger. She plans to attend graduate school in the Northwest and earn her doctorate in immunology. Then she plans to become a researcher in the area of human diseases and the immune system.

Contact:
Susan Bentjen, Publications Coordinator for the College of Sciences, 509-335-6881, bentjen@wsu.edu