(Sioux City, Iowa – May 10, 2025) Briar Cliff University hosted its 94th commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 10, at the Sioux City Orpheum. The ceremony honored the University’s 2025 candidates for undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate degrees.
“While I’m incredibly proud of all that we’ve accomplished, I’m also not quite ready to leave. I’m not ready to say goodbye to the campus that feels like home, and I’m not ready to face the real world,” said Student Body President Sarah Glover. “Four years ago, I missed my parents’ house and the comfort that it brought me. This university felt like it was worlds away, not just miles. Now, I can say that Briar Cliff is my home, and I will miss its people, its comfort, and its memories.”
The class of 2025 included 233 candidates.
“As these graduates leave Briar Cliff, they carry with them not only a degree, but a deeper sense of purpose, service, and community,” said Dr. Matthew Draud, Briar Cliff University’s President. “We are proud of who they’ve become—and even more excited to see how they’ll shape the world.”
Candidates for Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree
Stella Essien (Woodbury, MN); Theresia Tabe (Frisco, TX).
Candidates for Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree
Jenna Becker (Glenwood, IA); Mackenzie Berg (Upton, WY); Dalen Blair (Lee’s Summit, MO); Sophie Brockhaus (Jackson, NE); Clare Caraghar (Littleton, CO); Mara Clark (Laurens, IA); Janessa Conrad (Payson, UT); Ariel DeBeer (Luverne, MN); Taylor Diede (Scotland, SD); Madison Ellis (Omaha, NE); Abagale Ericson (Hawarden, IA); Jessica Gabbert (Brandon, SD); Ashley German (Sioux City, IA); Haley Gonsor (Aberdeen, SD); Hannah Halbur (Lake View, IA); Cassidy Kascht (Sergeant Bluff, IA); Dylan Kalhoff (Sioux Falls, SD); Jesse Lease (Dakota Dunes, SD); Jase Likness (Sioux Falls, SD); Autumn Loga (Bee, NE); Kauryn Ludens (Sioux Falls, SD); Paige McCracken (Montrose, CO); Schylar Powers (Wagner, SD); Kaitlyn Rogers (Spirit Lake, IA); Austin Ryan (Sioux Falls, SD); Carson Roshone (Canistota, SD); Kelly Sonius (Britt, IA); Abbey Stadler (Columbus, WI); Tyler Steffensmeier (Cedar Rapids, IA); Teanna Steers (Gann Valley, SD); Elizabeth Watchorn (Ponca, NE).
Candidates for Master’s in Health Care Administration
Kylie Henkels (Dubuque, IA)
Candidates for Master of Arts in Management Degree
Eli Burns (Houston, TX); Aaron Danson (Southampton, United Kingdom); Luis De La Fuente (Arriondas, Spain); Grace Flanagan (Coggon, IA); Maximus Hawarden (Bakersfield, CA); Sarah Hovden (Le Mars, IA); Logan Pratt (Detroit Lakes, MN); Cade Rickford (Gayville, SD); Madisyn Rogan (Stevens Point, WI); Anthony Rossi (Sioux City, IA).
Candidates for Master of Science in Nursing Degree
Samantha Carpenter (Cherokee, IA); Amanda Erhard (New Underwood, SD); Alicia Hanson (Grand Forks, SD); Rebecca Kallsen (Sioux City, IA); Hannah Kelly (Fort Atkinson, IA); Ashley Konz (Sioux City, IA); Yazmin Leon (Des Moines, IA); Blake Luy (Early, IA); Alex Peterson (Spirit Lake, IA); Heather Santos (Storm Lake, IA); Erin Stoneking (Albert Lea, MN); Amy Strim (Sioux City, IA); Michele Stover (Dow City, IA); Stephanie Van Ruler (Sioux Center, IA) Jaclyn Woehl (Yankton, SD).
Candidates for Post Masters Certificate in Nursing
Amber Franco (Sioux City, IA); Ann Mojeiko (Clinton, IA); Sandra Scholten (Indianola, IA); Wendy Street (Johnston, IA); Stacy Stoterau (Sioux Falls, SD).
Candidates for Bachelor of Arts Degree
Samantha Alarcon (Oxnard, CA); Estefany Alegria (Sioux City, IA); Hermon Alemu (Sioux City, IA); Cali Arens (Lawton, IA); Olivia Arndorfer (Livermore, IA); Elizabeth Bochert (Hernando, FL); Artzer Brayden (Omaha, NE); Olivia Budden (Alton, IA); Molly Bormann (Bode, IA); Rylee Cain (Omaha, NE); Juan Celio (Palos Heights, IL); Jalen Cook (Dallas, TX); Haley Cronin (Timnath, CO); Derek DeWitt (Salix, IA); Madaleine Dishaw (Carolina Beach, NC); Gavin Dobson (Fall Rivers Mills, CA); Gregorio Fernandez (Torreón, Coahuila); Aden Ford (Bradgate, LA); Wilton George (Lafayette, LA); Helene Getz Bergmo (Moelv, Norway); Joseph Giturwa (Johnson City, TN); Baylee Greene (Bellevue, NE); Pablo Gonzalez (Valencia, Venezuela); Ramon Harkins (Clemson, SC); Nicholas Hays (Chaska, MN); Brenda Hernandez de Lopez (Sioux City, IA); Stetson Helwig (Mohall, ND); Daron Jackson (Las Vegas, NV); Jessica James (Sacramento, CA); Shaylee Jensen (Sioux City, IA); Sophia Johnson (Elk Point, SD); Trey Jungers (Newell, IA); Jeremy Koenck (Remsen, IA); Vanessa Lemus (South Sioux City, NE); Isabelle Lenz (Sergeant Bluff, IA); Owen Lester (St. Charles, LA); Joshua Lewis (Sergeant Bluff, IA); Brody Lillefloren (Correctionville, IA); Aiden Lindley (Ashland, NE); Adrian Lopez (Placerville, CA); Cesar Maddox (Escondido, CA); Hugo Mariage (Lievin, France); Tyler Martensen (Mapleton, IA); Mallie McNair (Waterloo, IA); Lucas Monteiro (São Paulo, Brazil); Daryl Moppins (Sacramento, CA); Kellen Murphy (Algona, IA); Taryn Nothem (Orange City, IA); Jayston Paulson (Sioux City, IA); Cade Pepper (Remsen, IA); Kyler Peterson (Sioux City, IA); Antoni Lull Plomer (Montuïri, Spain); Emond Pittman (Lawrenceville, GA); Gage Oetter (Omaha, NE); Evidanio Quinones III (Hesperia, CA); Jacob Rader (Moville, IA); Milorad Rajovic (Belgrade, Serbia); Aman Rashid (Sioux City, IA); Arthur Rebeschini Sr. (Sao Jose do Ouro, Brazil); Justin Remar (Ralston, NE); Conner Richards (Irwin, IA); Camrick Riemer (Sioux City, IA); Yoselin Rodriguez Coto (Sioux City, IA); Zaret Sanchez (Sioux City, IA); Kaitlyn Sevening (Correctionville, IA); Teagan Slaughter (Cherokee, IA); Brett Tinker (Pierce, NE); Garrett Trapp (Washta, IA); Diego Trujillo (Las Vegas, NV); Cole Tunender (Norwalk, IA); Cole Van Holland (Sioux Falls, SD); Hope Wagner (Sioux City, IA); Brock Wallace (Treynor, IA); Georgianna Wenzel (Jackson, MN); Kylie Wilhelms (Tucson, AZ); Kamden Wingert (North Sioux City, SD).
Candidates for Bachelor of Science Degree
Jayden Alexander (North Highlands, CA); Aketzalli Aranda (Merced, CA); Kelly Baade (Algona, IA); Kailyn Bandel (Temecula, CA); Kiersten Baker (Urbandale, IA); Jenna Beazley (Lawton, IA); Kennedy Benne (Oakland, NE); Taylin Boettcher (Cowley, WY); Brigid Boyle (Eagan, MN); Wade Brown (Council Bluffs, IA); Rance Bryant (Danville, IL); Jacob Chronic (Omaha, NE); Luke Davies (Yorkville, IL); Anesa Davenport (Sioux City, IA); Cadence Davis (Gilbert, AZ); Grant Devecsery (Fayetteville, AR); Caleb Geisler (Fresno, CA); Sarah Glover (Sioux City, IA); Logan Hartnett (Sioux City, IA); Tyler Huey (Carter Lake, IA); Natalie Hughes (Mount Carroll, IL); Jasmine Joseph (Prosper, TX); Georgia Krohn (Brandon, FL); Rachel Langel (Le Mars, IA); Karter Lein (Carroll, IA); Alejandra Lemus Garza (South Sioux City, NE); Aron Mawia (Urbandale, IA); Christian Mendoza (Sioux City, IA); Emily Moran (Glasgow, Scotland); Lerato Mosia (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa); Grace Oken (Gilbert, AZ); Paola Ortiz Cuellar (Sioux City, IA); Cy Patterson (Council Bluffs, IA); Grace Perrin (Sioux City, IA); Brayden Pommier-Williams (Omaha, NE); Manuela Polachini Martins Favaro (São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo); Devin Todd (Cushing, IA); Nicholas Sall (Omaha, NE); Nicholas Schefers (Brookings, SD); Jacob Schroeder (Sioux City, IA); Autumn Soter (Juneau, WI); Jaiden-Aavery Stowers (Dacula, GA); Shannon Strutz (Glenwood, MN); Jasper van der Molen (Brussels, NLD).
Candidates for Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree
Vicki Allen (Sioux City, IA); Meagan Barnhart (Lake Park, IA); Lillian Broeg (Storm Lake, IA); Benjamin Burbach (Sioux City, IA); Olivia Corey (Watertown, SD); Sherylyn De Jager (Inwood, IA); Jessica Ernst (Holstein, IA); Lizbeth Garcia Ramirez (Sioux City, IA); Paige Gergen (Remsen, IA); Maureen Nyandera-Green (Dayton, MN); Zoey Gwin (Sioux City, IA); Victoria Johnson (Carroll, IA); Whitney LaCroix (Sioux City, IA); Madalaine Gansen (Spencer, IA); Jordan Mendoza (Oakley, CA); Alyssa Norton (Sioux City, IA); Mieyah Perez (Houston, TX); Angela Phillips-McClure (Sioux City, IA); Luz Reyes Gonzalez (Sioux City, IA); Shiferaw Tessema (Sioux City, IA); Beau Todd (Quimby, IA); Kalla Wilson (Graettinger, IA); Tracy Witter (Albert City, IA); Micheala Wright (North Platte, NE).
Candidates for Bachelor of Social Work Degree
Erin Adams (Spencer, IA); Brandy Baker (Sioux City, IA); Calista Barcus (Sioux City, IA); Corrina Bertness (Sioux City, IA); Chantal Carroll (Evansdale, IA); Ellie Cloyed (Blakesburg, IA); James Corpening (Statesville, NC); Karina Cupples (Drumright, OK); Jesus Escalante (El Paso, TX); Cherray Forehand (Hempstead, NY); Andrea Gonzalez-Cardenas (Sioux City, IA); Brooklyn Grady (Sheldon, IA); Whitney Hahn Rogers (Oskaloosa, IA); Janie Koenig (Salix, IA); Jade Mammen (Sioux City, IA); Michael Mathews (Rochester, MN); Cassandra Pappas (Hayfield, MN); Brianna Shea (Scranton, PA); Kathryn Sims-Kormann (Davenport, IA); Amanda Stanley (Falling Waters, WV); Mary Stocks (Humboldt, IA); Alyssa Truong (Petawawa, Ontario); Hannah Tastad (Sioux City, IA); Rita Weltikol (Minot, ND); Audrey White (Charles City, IA).