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© 2025 Kenai Peninsula College. All rights reserved.
University of Alaska Anchorage

Commencement 2026

Kenai Peninsula Commencement 


Commencement Program (PDF)

Schedule of Events 


Program Prelude & Processional

Mim McKay, piano

Posting of National Colors

American Legion Post 20
VFW Post 10046

Land Acknowledgement

Dr. Adam Dunstan, Assistant Professor of Anthropology

KPC Interim Director's Welcome

Brian Partridge

Recognition of Scholarship Donors

Sara Rinearson, Student Services Director

Awards & Accomplishments

Student Union Awards

Nathaly Rizo-Hernandez, KRC Student Union President
Lydia Schwartz, KRC Student Union Vice President

Faculty Choice Awards

Clair Kochis & Jim Titus, Faculty Chairs

Staff Choice Award

Sara Rinearson, Student Services Director

UAA Chancellor's Remarks

Dr. Cheryl K. Siemers

Keynote Speaker

Johnna Beech, Executive Director, Kenai Peninsula Food Bank

Presentation & Conferring of Degrees

Brian Partridge, KPC Interim Director
Dr. Cheryl K. Siemers, UAA Chancellor
Aaron Dotson, UAA Vice Chancellor
Jane Fuerstenau, KPC Director of Academic Affairs
Christine Resler, UA Regent
Joey Crum, UA Regent
Hal Smalley, KPC College Council, Chair

Valedictorians

Aleea Faulkner, Associate of Arts, Arts & Sciences Division
Lane Koester-Backstrom, Associate of Applied Sciences, Business & Industry Division

College Council Remarks

Hal Smalley, Chair

Closing Remarks

Sara Rinearson, Student Services Director

Recessional 

Mim McKay, piano

Special Thanks to...

American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters for their services


 KPC Degrees Conferred


Honors Key 

*Cum Laude - 3.5-3.74 GPA
**Magna Cum Laude - 3.75-3.89 GPA
***Summa Cum Laude - 3.9-4.0 GPA

 

Honor Society Member

⇟Alpha Delta Ne
§Beta Gamma Sigma
¥Phi Theta Kappa

 


 Associate of Arts General Program

Hope A. Bishop
Natalya M. Croley**
Madison M. Davenport***
Aleea G. Faulkner ***
Annika J. Hagedorn

Hans U. Hesse
Jennifer E. Nickel
Timothy R. Oliver*
Erick D. Paulsrud
Nathaly V. Rizo-Hernandez

Katie E. Rozeboom***¥
Ramon A. Sandoval
Shayla Smith***
Madison L. Whittenberg

Associate of Applied Science
Industrial Process Instrumentation

Coy J. Babcock
Shawnacee L. Brook***
Liz Candee**
Tyle Owens*
Miguel Rojo-Lemke
Stephen Scotti***

Associate of Applied Science
Paramedic Technology

Dakotah L. Buhr**¥
Tucker K. Coleman
Garrick L. Martin**
Elijah Pettet**

 

Associate of Science
General Science

Caitlyn Boeshart**
Waylon J. Hall**
William A. Hall***

Associate of Applied Science
General Business

Desiree R. Bunts*
Alyssa J. Koester-Backstrom***
Brianne M. Little*

 

Associate of Applied Science- Process Technology

Aaron P. Aho*
Luke D. Barnes***
Rodney W. Cone***
Nathan A. Conway
Hunter J. Frank*

Hayden R. Fuller
Cody E. Johnson***
Lane P. Koester-Backstrom***¥
Joshua R. Lange
Travis Meyers

Brent A. Michalski*
Daniel Paul***
Steven J. Renfrow*
Reese J. Robinson***
Joshua A. Williams*


Certificates Conferred 


Dena'ina Language Instruction

Edna C. Standifer

Welding Technology 

Duwain D. Aamodt
Dean Harbaugh
Grant Knauss
Bradley Morrison

 

State of Alaska & National Welding Certifications

Structural Steel, FCAW

James Bouck
Tyler Cruikshank
Wyatt Dyer
Elias Fulk
Owen Fye
Ben Hand
Dean Harbaugh
Elias Kerrone
Gabriel Kerrone
Grant Knauss
Alister Kuzmin
Alex Martinez
Bradley Morrison
Matthew Olson

Structural Steel, SMAW

Russell Aker
Malakai BeDunnah
James Bouck
Brock Cheesman
Dylan Hammerle
Dean Harbaugh
Isaac Hesse
Indiana Jones
Grant Knauss
Alex Martinez
Sean McMullen
Bradley Morrison
John Nelson
Noah Payne
Draven Willard

Structural Aluminum, GMAW

Nels Dahl
Elias Fulk
Dean Harbaugh
Bradley Morrison
Bernie Nyagaka
Draven Willard

Pipe, SMAW ASME IX

James Bouck
Nels Dahl
Elias Fulk
Dean Harbaugh
Bradley Morrison
Bernie Nyagaka
Draven Willard

GED Graduates
Among the graduates are the following:

Rex McKrill
Brianna Pennell
Abraham W. Pellegrom
Gregory Morey
Jester E. Powell
Colt Alan Smith

Certified Nursing Assistants 
Among the certificants and course completers are the following:

Sydney Abrams
Nessa Affleck
Virginia Beck
Maxwell Berninger
Apphia Bowser
Payton Boze
Cheyenne Buchholz
Kathleen Culver
Hannah Dunn
Hanna Embre
Bailey Garret

Ella Gustafson
Gabrielle Heihn
Kayla Heinrich
Rachel Jamison
Tessa Kameroff
Hannah Klima
Maria Kratsas
Alexis Martinez
Elle Pancoast
Morgan Pattock

Nova Paulk
Jamie Pennington
Nicha Ritcharutphan
Samantha Schafer
Rebekah Siegersma
Anna Springer
Leah Stocks
Kaitlyn Von Buelow
Zach Welch

Occupational Endorsement Certificate

Conservation Ecology

Gina J. Barbosa
Jordan S. Best
Olivia I. Coleman
Brookelynn C. Gotschall
Colby Griffin
Amelia M. Keesey
Arabella Levinsky
Gabriela V. Pagan-Hernández
Emma C. Price
Grace J. Ruebling
Molly Walters

Marine Mammal Biology 

Chloe Atkiins
Jordan S. Best
Mallory Bradley
Heather Cormier
Lauren C. Fliearman
Logan Hytten
Reagan N. King
Savannah K. Lyle
Claire Murphy
Emily N. Poteat

Corrections

William R. Way


 Other University of Alaska Degrees & Certificates Conferred

Bookkeeping Certificate (UAA)

DeAnna E. Holly

Children's Behavioral Health Certificate (UAA)

Tina N. Hamlin
Leslie Smith

Rural Human Services Certificate (UAF)

Sonja F. Earsley 

Associate of Applied Science (UAA) Nursing 

Brooklyn T. Bulf*
Erin Rose Combs
Ashley Garvey*
Jennifer L. Hammond*

Katie Hester***
April J. Ivey***
Alloha May Littrell
Tessa J. Luecker*

Renae A. Olson**
Whittney N. Tapley***
Angela K. Uno***

Associate of Applied Sciences (UAA) Human Services

Tina N. Hamlin**¥

Associate of Science (UAS) Health Science

Bluejean Kelley

Associate of Applied Science (UAA) Radiologic Technology

Matthew J. Lafrentz*
Emily J. Seltzer**

Associate of Applied Science (UAA) Early Childhood Development

Leslie Smith***

Bachelor of Arts (UAA) Psychology 

Benjamin A. Veh

Bachelor of Arts (UAA) Interdisciplinary Studies 

Laalêel Bearheart**

 

Master's of Education (UAF) 

Miriam A. Olivio 

Master's of Business Administration (UAF) 

Vincent A. Nusunginya

 

 


Congratulations Class of 2026!


 

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