SIOUX FALLS – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent mitigation procedures that occurred this spring, The University of Sioux Falls held its first-ever virtual graduation ceremony on Sunday, May 17 for a record number of 503 graduates. Of the 503 undergraduate and graduate degree recipients, 84 were student-athletes at USF.
During the ceremony, University of Sioux Falls President Brett Bradfield provided a heartfelt message to the graduates who received special graduation boxes in honor of their achievement of meeting degree requirements. USF graduates were also sent a towel as a reminder of their mission to serve the community.
"On behalf of the entire University community, it is my distinct honor and pleasure to extend our heartfelt greetings to our class of 2020 including all of our family and friends," said President Bradfield during the virtual commencement. "For our University community, the commencement event represents a great time of celebration that is full of energy as we have the honor to gather with our students and their families and commemorate a great achievement in life - that being graduation. In its purest terms, it (commencement) is about new beginnings and the idea when you graduate you have a new beginning to go out to serve God and Humankind as as our mission expresses," said Dr. Bradfield, who noted the ceremony included honoring 342 undergraduates and 161 graduate students.
"This accomplishment (graduation) is something that should never be taken for granted. And no one can take it from you," said Dr. Bradfield. "I can only hope the pride you for feel for this major life accomplishment of graduating is rivaled by the nostalgia you remember about this special place and the special relationship you forged with professors and staff and of course fellow students as you pursued your own common pursuit of a degree."
"May I add, there is a bright future because we know better days lay just behind that great horizon when this pandemic is controlled. To our graduates, their families and friends, thank you so much for being part of our USF faith and academic community. We consider all of you family. Although we know the virtual manner of our relationship in recent weeks has been difficult, I am always reminded friendship and love can overcome any geographic separation no matter how distant. God Bless and enjoy this special moment of celebration with your family and friends," Dr. Bradfield added.
While held for the first time, USF's virtual ceremony provided an opportunity to honor the graduates and their families for their hard work, commitment to academics and activities and culture of service.
USF Director of Athletics
Pam Gohl also noted the importance of graduation and its the achievement reached by USF students, which included 84 student-athletes.
"I want to commend all of the students for their hard work, dedication in the classroom, in competition or other activities, commitment to service and the vast contributions they have made to this University," said Gohl. "We are so proud of them for this life accomplishment. We offer a heartfelt wish of good luck."
Below is the list of the USF student-athletes who have completed degree requirements. The list includes their degree, major, sport and hometown. In addition, links to the graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies are available.
Click here for the Undergraduate Virtual Commencement.
Click here for the Graduate Virtual Commencement.
Graduate Degrees -
Master of Business Administration -
Ryan Bernardy, Baseball, Minneapolis, Minn.;
Billy Beseman, Track and Field/Cross Country, Perham, Minn.;
Tyler Heredia, Football, Minnetonka, Minn.;
Elijah Perine, Football, Milwaukee, Wisc.;
Charles Roskowiak, Baseball, Andover, Minn.;
Luke Rysavy, Baseball, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Clint Sigg, Football, Longmont, Colo.;
Tristan Zawadzki, Track and Field/Cross Country, San Diego, Calif.;
Nick Zimmerman, Football, Rosendale, Wisc.
Undergraduate Degrees -
Honors Program
Rachael Eliason, Bachelor of Arts, Social Work, Honors Thesis: "Domestic Violence Prevention: South Dakota Batterer Intervention Program Standards," Cheerleading, Belle Plaine, Minn.
Clara Paul, Bachelor of Science, Mathematics Education & Secondary Education, Honors Thesis: "A Proof on the Projection of Conic Sections,"
Track and Field/XC, Maplewood, Minn.
Abby Slater, Bachelor of Science, Nursing, Honors Thesis - "Functional Ratings in Sports," Women's Basketball, Andover, Minn.
Julia Zanto, Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science and Psychology, Honors Thesis: "The Impact of a Psychoeducational Intervention on Perceptions of EMDR Treatment," Swimming, New Hope, Minn.
Bachelor of Arts
Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto, Business Administration, Tennis, Cordoba, Argentina;
Dan Armstrong, History and Secondary Education, Track and Field/Cross Country, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Justin Barlow, Social Sciences, Football, Los Angeles, Calif.;
Kyle Barnetche, Criminal Justice and Sociology, Football, Susanville, Calif.;
Jacob Boryca, Criminal Justice and Sociology, Baseball, Omaha, Neb.;
JJ Cooney, Business Administration and Entrepreneurial Studies, Men's Golf, Pickstown, S.D.;
Danielle Cooper, Psychology and Social Science, Soccer, Flower Mound, Texas;
Jasmine Harris, Sports Management, Track and Field/Cross Country, Davenport, Iowa; Ashlee Hausmann, Elementary Education/Special Education, Cheerleading, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Ashlyn Hodak, Business Administration and Media Studies, Cheerleading, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Jake Hudson, Social Science, Football, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.;
Kaely Hummel, Business Administration, Women's Basketball, Cherokee, Iowa;
Chloe Jefferies, Criminal Justice and Sociology, Tennis, Des Moines, Iowa;
Blake Johnston, Educational Studies, Men's Track and Field/Cross Country, O'Neill, Neb.;
Nolan Kern, Political Science/History and Criminal Justice, Football, Eau Claire,Wisc.; Lyndsey Kessler, Elementary Education, Cheerleading, Madison, S.D.;
Lauren LaFavre, Media Studies, Soccer, Burnsville, Minn.;
Zach Lundberg, Business Administration and Criminal Justice, Men's Track and Field/Cross Country, Omaha, Neb.;
Mitchell Martin, Football, Business Administration, Strasburg, Colo.;
Andie Mataloni, Business Administration, Women's Basketball, Urbandale, Iowa;
Michael Maxwell, Social Science, Football, Rosenberg, Texas;
Yvan Medard, Business Administration, Football, Brooklyn, N.Y.;
Sydney Nieveen, Business Administration, Softball, Hallam, Neb.;
Jackson Olson, Criminal Justice and Sociology, Baseball, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Aaron Ortiz, Social Science, Football, Miami, Fla.;
Teathloach Pal, Business Administration, Men's Basketball, Fridley, Minn.;
Brayden Paul, Business Administration, Soccer, Littleton, Colo.;
Mason Phillips, Business Administration, Track and Field/Cross Country, Bailey, Colo.;
Miranda Phipps, Entrepreneurial Studies, Track and Field/Cross Country, Anoka, Minn.;
Alex Robinson, Criminal Justice and Sociology, Baseball, Antioch, Calif.; Haley Robinson, Elementary Education/Special Education, Cheerleading, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Jack Schelhaas, Business Administration, Football, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Becca Schmitz, Psychology, Soccer, Rochester, Minn.;
Austin Slater, Business Administration, Men's Basketball, Andover, Minn.;
Ty Smith, Business Administration, Football, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Tucker Stout, Media Studies, Football, Spokane, Wash.;
Max Sturdevant, Business Administration, Football, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Milan Surlic, Sports Management, Men's Basketball, Nis, Serbia;
Joelle Thorfinnson, Business Administration, Tennis, Glenwood, Minn.;
Augusta Thramer, Sports Management, Women's Basketball, South Sioux City, Neb.;
Sarah Troescher, Psychology, Track and Field/Cross Country, Arcadia, Calif.;
Kyjana Webber, Psychology, Swimming, Gulfport, Miss.; Bronson Wire, History, Football, Belleville, Wis.;
Cooper Wood, Business Administration, Track and Field/Cross Country; Maplewood, Minn.; Nick (Zeus) Zimmerman, Psychology, Oceanside, Calif.
Bachelor of Science
Montana Belford, Biology and Psychology, Track and Field/Cross Country, Rawlins, Wyo.;
Jared Brito, Biology, Football, Santa Monica, Calif.;
Steven Brown, Exercise Science, Track and Field/Cross Country;
Emily Decker, Exercise Science and Psychology, Elkhart, Ind.;
Leah Eagleton, Exercise Science and Psychology, Swimming, Auckland, New Zealand;
Jessie Geer, Exercise Science, Women's Basketball, Gillette, Wyo.;
Chaz Harter, Exercise Science, Harrisburg, S.D.;
Winston Maxwell, Biology, Football, Albany, Ga.;
Jacob Morse, Exercise Science, Track and Field/Cross Country, Elizabeth, Colo.;
Lindsey Mossman, Radiologic Technology, Softball, Belleville, Ill.;
Erin O'Tool, Exercise Science, Soccer, Clear Lake, Iowa;
Joe Rodino, Biology, Football, Omaha, Neb.;
Jonathan Rowe, Computer Science & Applied Math, Track and Field/Cross Country;
Isaac Schubert, Exercise Science, Football, Mitchell, S.D.;
KaSandra Springer, Biology, Psychology and Sociology, Volleyball, Altoona, WIs.;
Taylor Sudenga, Mathematics and Secondary Education, Women's Golf, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Lauren Tabbert, Exercise Science, LeMars, Iowa;
Austin Vickers, Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Football, Broken Arrow, Okla.;
Tiffany Voss, Biology, Tennis, Derby, Kan.;
Gabriel Watson, Exercise Science, Football, Piedmont, Calif.;
Miranda White, Biology, Softball, Spring Hill, Kan.
Bachelor of Science Nursing
Parker Gregston, Nursing, Football, Argyle, Texas;
Lily McKown, Nursing, Independence, Minn.;
McKayla Philippi, Nursing, Soccer, Las Vegas, Nev.;
Marie Schmitz, Nursing, Tennis, Brandon, S.D.;
Mariah Szymanski, Nursing, Women's Basketball, Pulaski, Wis.
Academic Honors -
Summa Cum Laude (3.9-4.0 GPA) :
Clara Paul, Track and Field/Cross Country, Maplewood, Minn.;
Abby Slater, Women's Basketball, Andover, Minn.
Magna Cum Laude (3.8-3.89 GPA):
Montana Belford, Track and Field/Cross Country, Rawlins, Wyo.;
Jack Schelhaas, Football, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
Julia Zanto, Swimming, New Hope, Minn.
Cum Laude (3.7-3.79 GPA):
JJ Cooney, Men's Golf, Pickstown, S.D.;
Jessie Geer, Women's Basketball, Gillette, Wyo.;
Kaely Hummel, Women's Basketball, Cherokee, Iowa;
Lauren LaFavre, Soccer, Burnsville, Minn.;
Lindsey Mossman, Softball, Belleview, Ill.;
Sydney Nieveen, Softball, Hallam, Neb.;
Erin O'Tool, Soccer, Clear Lake, Iowa;
Sarah Troescher, Track and Field/Cross Country, Arcadia, Calif.; and
Cooper Wood, Track and Field/Cross Country, Roseville, Minn.
