FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021

Mission & VisionSCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION & THE ARTS COMMISSIONING SERVICE

Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson is founder, chancellor and CEO of Regent University. Robertson has achieved national and international recognition as a religious broadcaster, philanthropist, educator, religious leader, businessman and author. In addition to his significant role at Regent, he is the founder and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) Inc., and founder of International Family Entertainment Inc., Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation, American Center for Law and Justice, The Flying Hospital Inc., and several other organizations and broadcast entities.

Robertson is the son of Gladys Churchill Robertson and A. Willis Robertson, who served for 34 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.

He entered Washington and Lee University in 1946, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1948, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. After graduating magna cum laude from Washington and Lee University in 1950, Robertson served as assistant adjutant of the First Marine Division in combat in Korea and was promoted to first lieutenant upon his return to the states in 1952. He received a juris doctor degree from Yale University Law School in 1955 and a Master of Divinity degree from New York Theological Seminary in 1959.

Honors for his humanitarian efforts include: Lifetime Achievement Award, 2017 - 25th Silver Anniversary Movieguide Awards Winston Churchill Lifetime Achievement Award, 2013 - Faith & Freedom Coalition Hampton Roads Business Hall of Fame, 2009 New York Theological Seminary Distinction in Ministry Award, 2009 The State of Israel Friendship Award, 2002 - Zionist Organization of America, Chicago Cross of Nails Award for his work with The Flying Hospital, 2000 Defender of Israel Award, 1994 - Christians’ Israel Public Action Campaign One of America’s 100 Cultural Elite, 1992 - Newsweek Magazine Christian Broadcaster of the Year, 1989 - National Religious Broadcasters Man of the Year, 1988 - Students for America Humanitarian of the Year, 1982 - Food for the Hungry Robertson is past president of the prestigious Council on National Policy. He has served on President Ronald Reagan’s Task Force on Victims of Crime, the Board of Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Robertson also founded and served on the Christian Coalition of America.

He and his wife, Dede, have four children, 14 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren, and reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

DR. M.G. “PAT” ROBERTSON

2021 Commissioning Address

School of Communication & the Arts 2021 Commissioning Service

Welcome ............................................................................................................. Dr. Peter Fraser Director, School of Communication & the Arts Opening Prayer ............................................................................................. Dr. William Brown Professor of Communication “Jubilate Deo”……………………………………………….Regent University Chamber Choir Introduction of the Executive Vice President ..................................................... Dr. Peter Fraser Introduction of Chancellor ................................................................. Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño

Executive Vice President, Regent University

Chancellor’s Commissioning Address ............................................... Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson Founder, Chancellor, and CEO, Regent University “Stay With Us” ..................................................................................... Regent University Choir History of Academic Degrees .......................................................................... Prof. Eric Harrell Associate Professor of Theatre Academic Award Recipients ......................................................................Dr. Michael Kirkland Professor of Theatre Address from the Director .................................................................................. Dr. Peter Fraser “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” ...................................................................... Combined Choirs Closing and Prayer .............................................................................................. Dr. Peter Fraser

To commission someone is “to entrust, or to give authority” or “to appoint or assign to a task or function.”

Within the context of our graduation, Commissioning is a sacred and holy time of worship, consecration,

reflection, prayer and anointing.

Candidates for Graduation

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN COMMUNICATION

Jinger Bernhardt Dissertation: Reaching the Least Reached People Group in the World: Communicating the Christian Faith to the Deaf Culture

Andrew Forrest Bolin

Dissertation: Take Me Out To The Ballgame?: Situational Crisis Communication Theory and the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the 2020 Major League Baseball Season

Abram Book

Dissertation: The Holiness Movement’s Mark Twain: The Preaching Style of Reuben V. ‘Uncle Bud’ Robinson and the Use of Humor and Southern Folk Preaching to Move Audiences

Michael Cuozzo

Dissertation: I May Accept It, But I Don’t Support It: Furthering Kelman’s Three Process Model of Opinion Change Through the Analysis of Same-Sex Marriage

Adrienne Garvey

Dissertation: Working Through Trauma: The Use of Comfort Dogs in Television Newsrooms

*Stephen Kabah

Dissertation: Connected and Disconnected – The Third Wheel: Social Media Digital Intimacy and the Role of Mediatization on Marriage Well-Being

Kalah Kemp Dissertation: Rape Culture and the Spiral of Silence: A Cultural Analysis of #MeToo in India and the US

*Xiang Li

Dissertation: The Preparation of the Winter Olympic Games: The Soft Power of China’s Citizens Created China’s Global Promotion

*Cynthia T. Long

Dissertation: End of Life Dialogue and Its Influence on the Grief Process

*Brian Mattson

Dissertation: Articulating Christianity: Jacques Ellul’s Dialectic on Technology, Culture, and Power

Colleen Palmer

Dissertation: A Qualitative Investigation of Teens’ Interpretations of the Controversial Show 13 Reasons Why; Using Audience Reception Theory to Analyze a Viable Media and Social-Emotional Literacy

Dara L. Phillips

Dissertation: Multitasking Fitness Routines and Media Consumption: A Uses and Gratifications and Mediatization Exploration

*Philip Joel Williams Dissertation: The Image of Witness *Designates December graduate

MASTER OF FINE ARTS IN ACTING Gabrielle Bauman Nyoka Muawad Remy Patterson Dayton Edward Willison

MASTER OF FINE ARTS IN FILM-TELEVISION

*Nolan Anderson *Vito Bolognone Chelsea Burnette Shana Casey *Cory Casper Nader Elnegery Shameca Freeman Andrew Hawksworth Shana Hughes Charles Alexander Jones Salathiel LePrince Jones *Damian Lahey Jaymes McMillan *Victoria Elaine Rowland Shaudae Smith *Tiffany Joy Taylor Freia M. Titland Kenneth Tschan Elisabeth Joy Williams *Jeriel O. Yordan-Perez MASTER OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION Elexis Hope Bond *Jasmine Z. Bowden Amber Nicole Brown Jordan Leigh Buie *Charve Bynum Brittiani Marie Chamblee *Deondre’ Xavier Chisholm *Eileen Joyce Coussens *Alicia Jo Digges *Alexas Makenzie Durr *Kimberly Dawn Hadzima Sarah Elizabeth Hardy Lauren Hope Latima Nicole Johnson

Michael Bennett Lewis *Beth Ann Minick Morrison Bethany Lyn Myers Skylar Roberts *Kathleen Anna Stephenson *Antonio M. Thomas Lauren West *Andy I. Williams *Clarence Williams *Jeffrey Alllen Yates

MASTER OF ARTS IN FILM-TELEVISION

*Nkosi Yayra Dimitri Juludo Anthony *Victor Virgilio Aviles Jr. Lorisa Baker Sheree Bell *Miracle Nicole Bohner *Reginald Lawrence Brown Stephanie Butler Rose Carpenter Terry Lee Chappell II Paulette Gates Angeli Gozon *Kyle Hinton *Charles Eugene Jackson *Luemisher James La’Shay D. Johnson Shaquille O’neal Jordan Christopher Liverman *Nathaniel Edward Lotzgesell Nichanté Laura Veronique Merkerson Vernessa Mitchell *Samuel Okai Krystle Kai Pate William A. Phillips *David Alexander Rankin Alexis Lorraine Renteria *Kyla Leanna Rodgers *Daniel A. Stahl William Stephens *Susannah Rose Vera Daryn C. Walter *Angela White

MASTER OF ARTS IN JOURNALISM

Jamar Billingsley Arkeshia Brown *Tamika Lynnette Foster *Briana Grace Hudnall *Jennifer Knaggs Kelsee Majette Jannique McDonald Chaslyn Piper Chandler Ivana Sherrod *Jennifer Tomina Destiny Williams MASTER OF ARTS IN THEATRE Karlon S. Artis Jillian Locklear Bauersfeld Ellen Beckham Matthew S. Belopavlovich Lori Bourgeois *Kelleybrooke Brown Rebecca Burns *Brianda Carrasco *Kimberly Darling Kendra M. Dexter Kimberly Freeman *Shannon Bragger Fujimura *Emerie V. Germ Kerri Hacking AnnaGee Christen Harris Cody Hays Aaron Holland Jennifer Alison Hughes-Beshore Kristen Marie Ion Haylee Jacob Brittney Monique James-Crayton *Jennifer Lea Kindig *Josh Landers *Kevin Scott Lane *Grace K. Majer Dana Margulies Rachel Kathlene McFatridge Kelsey McKeel *Brodie Quinton McPherson

Benjamin Thomas Miller Courtney Minton *Matthew Marc Morin Anna Perry *Kevin Joseph Perry Mitchell Prudhomme Adolfo Rodriguez III *Alana M. Sane *Mary Elysse Santa Sean Donald Scott Kassidy Sharp Cristin Mortenson Tillinghast *Brennan Tracy *Holly Carmel Wood *Designates December graduate

Faculty of the

School of Communication & the Arts

Peter J. Fraser, Ph.D. Director, Associate Professor, English & Communication Studies,

Chair, Performing Arts & Music

William J. Brown, Ph.D. Professor, Research Fellow, English & Communication Studies

Kevin R. Crawford, Ph.D. Visiting Assistant Professor, English & Communication Studies

Michael L. Crews, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Chair, English & Communication Studies

Michael D. Elam, Ph.D. Associate Professor, English & Communication Studies

Phillip Hall, MFA Assistant Professor, Chair, Media & Visual Arts

Eric W. Harrell, MFA Associate Professor, Performing Arts & Music

Barbara R. Harrington, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Media & Visual Arts

Michael W. Hill-Kirkland, Ph.D. Professor, Performing Arts & Music

David Impellizzeri, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, English & Communication Studies

John D. Keeler, Ph.D. Professor, English & Communication Studies

Donald W. Krudop, DMA Professional-in-Residence, Performing Arts & Music

Jeremy Larson, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, English & Communication Studies

Micah W. Mattix, Ph.D. Associate Professor, English & Communication Studies

Stephen D. Perry, Ph.D. Professor, English & Communication Studies

Andrew C. Quicke, M.A. Professor, Media & Visual Arts

Peggy M. Southerland, B.A. Professional-in-Residence, Media & Visual Arts Nathan A. Tillett, MFA Lecturer, Media & Visual Arts

Carrie K. White, Ph.D. Associate Professor, English & Communication Studies

Vincent F. Williams, MFA Associate Professor, Media & Visual Arts

David X. Xu, MFA Associate Professor, Media & Visual Arts

Message from the Director

Congratulations graduates! It has been our joy to help you develop as artists and communicators

in service to Christ the Lord. This year unfolded differently than any of us could have imagined,

but the Lord guided us through as always. By His grace and your hard work, you have now

achieved the goal of attaining an advanced degree, and you have laid the foundation for a new

vocation.

The journey from here is largely yours. The world will tell you to focus all attention on success,

security, and influence. We know a different path forward. Commit your ways to the Lord.

Remember what Regent has taught you about excellence, professionalism, and perseverance.

Shape those qualities alongside the virtues of meekness and charity. The journey is yours, but you

will not walk the path alone.

Dream big. Never make excuses. Enjoy every step. Be different. The world may not understand

you, but this old, wheezing world needs you.

And remember to come see us from time to time to tell the tale.

Peter Fraser, Ph.D.

Director

School of Communication & the Arts

Greetings From Alumni Relations Welcome to the Regent University Alumni Association! Upon graduation you will join a

community of over 30,000 alumni in all 50 states and across the world. As your Alumni

Officers, we want to congratulate you on all of your accomplishments and invite you to

stay in touch with us! Visit regentalumni.org today to create your alumni profile.

Although you may be completing your time as a student at Regent University, we hope

you will always stay connected to your Regent family. You can follow us on Facebook at

facebook.com/regentalumni, Instagram by searching @regentalumni, or LinkedIn at

linkedin.com/regentalumni.

Congratulations Class of 2021!

“I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who

Strengthens Me.” PHILIPPIANS 4:13

Mission & Vision

The mission of Regent University is to serve as a leading center of Christian thought and action, providing excellent education

from a biblical perspective and global context in pivotal professions to equip Christian leaders to change the world.

The vision of Regent University is to be the most influential, Christian, transformational university in the world.

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