56 earn degrees in May

May 9, 2018

Nathan Duffy (back row, left to right), Aaron Seyfert, Yuhao Yan, Joey Geisler, Cecil Renfro (front row, left to right), Megan Franklin, Jennifer Myers, Erin Scholting and Alex Ott celebrate with family, friends, faculty and staff at the department undergraduate graduation reception May 4.

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln conferred a record 3,223 degrees during commencement exercises May 4 and 5 at Pinnacle Bank Arena and the Lied Center for Performing Arts. The graduates were from 60 countries, 45 states and the District of Columbia, and 250 Nebraska communities. Fifty-six graduates from the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture were invited to participate.

John W. Maag, professor of special education and communication disorders at Nebraska, spoke at the graduate and professional degrees ceremony May 4.

Oscar-winning filmmaker and Omaha native Alexander Payne delivered the undergraduate commencement address May 5 at Pinnacle Bank Arena and received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the university.

Payne encouraged the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s graduates to take chances, question everything and be true to themselves.

“My story is unique to me, but what’s not unique to me is something that I’ve both observed in others and learned from my own experience, which is that most of the time nothing in life is quite as hard as people tell you it is. You just have to stick with it,” Payne said. “The world is both encouraging, and even a little disappointing, in how easily it clears a path for people who use their elbows," he said.

He reminded the graduates that young people have always spearheaded change and that this is their time.

“We Nebraskans come armed with tools for success, and other Nebraskans know it,” he said.

The College of Law conducted a separate commencement ceremony May 5 at the Lied Center. Nebraska Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Funke addressed the law graduates. Earl and Patricia Scudder, alumni and longtime supporters of the university, received the Builder Award during the ceremony.

The May graduating class earned 699 new graduate and professional degrees and 2,524 new baccalaureate degrees. The university has awarded 287,104 degrees since it was founded in 1869.

AGRONOMY AND HORTICULTURE MAY GRADUATES
Undergraduates

Isaac Warren Betke, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Bryant J Biskup, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Nolan Rhett Breece, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Cole Robert Condon, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Heath Albert Fink, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Ryan Mark Freudenburg, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Jesse Gall, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Joey Louis Geisler, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Katie Elizabeth Harrell, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Raihanah Hassim, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Benjamin John Hintz, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Scott Anthony Jarecki, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Cody Winter Larson, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Fangyi Li, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Ty Ralph Mangers, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Cassie Jo Mosel, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Alexander Matthias Ott, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Cory Jacob Roll, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Erin Diane Scholting, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Paige Nicole Wacker, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Bryan Michael Wietjes, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Yuhao Yan, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Aliksander Martin York, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Agronomy
Jacob Edward Arenz, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Horticulture
Nathan Robert Duffy, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Horticulture
Aaron Steven Robert Seyfert, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Horticulture
Nicholas Bryce Volesky, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Horticulture
Pierce Bryson Wright, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Horticulture
Megan Jeanette Franklin, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology
Hamilton Lee Ladely Hasty, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology
Michael Blake Miller, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology
Jennifer Anne Myers, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology
Cecil Madison Renfro, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology
Cody Schneider, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology
Alex Louis Dredge, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass and Landscape Management
Kenton Bryan Fritson, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass and Landscape Management
Jacob Clarence Hartwig, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass and Landscape Management
Tyler Justin Hayes, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass and Landscape Management
Matthew David Hellbusch, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass and Landscape Management
Benjamin Wayne Roth, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass and Landscape Management
Qihao Sun, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science in Turfgrass and Landscape Management

Graduates

Rufus John Akinrinlola, Graduate Studies, Master of Science, Specialization in Plant Pathology
Joel Dewane Crowther, Graduate Studies, Master of Science
Josiah David Dallmann, Graduate Studies, Master of Science, Specialization in Range and Forage Science
Jason Allen Holman, Graduate Studies, Master of Science, Specialization in Crop Physiology and Production
Koffi Badou Jeremie Kouame, Graduate Studies, Master of Science, Specialization in Weed Science
Timothy Wayne Mundorf, Graduate Studies, Master of Science
Michael Terry Sindelar, Graduate Studies, Master of Science, Specialization in Soil and Water Sciences
Serkan Tokgoz, Graduate Studies, Master of Science, Specialization in Plant Pathology
Angela M. Bastidas, Graduate Studies, Doctor of Philosophy, Specialization in Crop Physiology and Production
Parminder Singh Chahal, Graduate Studies, Doctor of Philosophy, Specialization in Weed Science
Juan Pablo Garcia, Graduate Studies, Doctor of Philosophy, Specialization in Soil and Water Sciences
Jyothi Kumar, Graduate Studies, Doctor of Philosophy, Specialization in Crop Physiology and Production
Benjamin Allen Loseke, Graduate Studies, Doctor of Philosophy
Manbir Kaur Rakkar, Graduate Studies, Doctor of Philosophy, Specialization in Weed Science
Lauren Segal, Graduate Studies, Doctor of Philosophy, Specialization in Plant Pathology