Criswell College faculty, staff, and guests honored this year’s graduates during its 47th Annual commencement exercise.
Alexander Johnson (M.A. Theological and Biblical Studies, Outstanding Master’s Graduate) presented the graduation speech. Mariana Piña Rodriguez (B.A. Psychology, Outstanding Bachelor’s Graduate), led the graduating class in a responsive reading from John 15.
The program included honorary recognition of Dr. R. Alan Streett, who is retiring from his position as Senior Research Professor of Biblical Theology at the end of the academic year. Dr. Streett was recently bestowed emeritus status by Criswell’s president Dr. Barry Creamer, an honor that was unanimously endorsed by the College’s Trustees during the April meeting.
Dr. Albert L. Reyes, President and CEO of Buckner International, provided the commencement address. He used several scriptural passages to encourage graduates to plant seeds of faith, pull weeds of injustice, and do deeds of love in pursuit of their calling from God. “Once an injustice emerges and the justice of God enters the picture, people begin to have hope,” Reyes said.
“Commencement is always the best day of the academic year,” President Creamer said. “From the day they enroll, we tell students their goal is to graduate. That it’s how we measure success. Seeing this group succeed—despite the addition of a pandemic to the myriad challenges which always accompany a higher ed degree—is especially encouraging.”
The ceremony concluded with the conferral of degrees by President Barry Creamer, Ph.D, and Vice President of Academic Affairs Christopher Graham, Ph.D., and a prayer and benediction by Assistant Professor of Psychology and Counseling Jennifer Burgess, Psy.D.
The 2022 graduating class includes Sterling Gene Archer, Edward Colby Arps, Chad Clayburn Basham, Matthew Jonathan Brittain, Danny Wilson Caldwell III, John Matthew Croasdale, Joseph Khamhlian Cung, Karen Guadalupe Torrez-Gonzalez, Abel Haile Hagos, Alexander Patrick Johnson, Lauren Amy Leige, James Anthony Mayville II, Damien Jerome McIntosh, Christopher Lee Nelson, Michelle Ann Patterson, Jacqueline Michelle Pryor, Emily Joyce Rigsby, Gabriel David Robledo, Mariana Andreina Piña Rodriguez, Roderick Eugene Shaw, Andrea Lea Sheets, Samuel Sulies, Austin Wayne Townsend, Ty Rone Traylor, and Coy Duane Webb.
