The NC State College of Education welcomed more than 390 new alumni during the Spring 2025 graduation ceremony on May 2, 2025. Below is a recap of the event.
Number of Graduating Students: 392 students graduated from the College of Education on May 2, including 39 doctoral students, 181 master’s students and 172 undergraduate students.
Charge to Graduate Students: “Education is more than a profession. It’s a responsibility.”
Jayla Moody Marshall, who earned a Ph.D. in the Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development higher education opportunity, equity, and justice concentration, delivered the charge to graduate students. She shared how five words Department Head and Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor of Higher Education Joy Gaston Gayles said on one of her first days of class — “You can do hard things” — helped guide her through her doctoral journey.
Recalling these words, she reminded her fellow graduates that their work matters even when it is hard because a career in education comes with a responsibility to empower others. “Education is so much more than a profession,” she said. “It is a responsibility.”
She also encouraged graduates to remember three affirmations when difficulties and uncertainties inevitably arise during their careers:
1. We are responsible for each other: “We must see each other not as problems to fix, but as people to love, care for and to learn with. We must honor each other’s voices, and we must not run from the work that this process requires of us.”
2. We are responsible for imagination: “Dr. angela gay-audre empowers us to imagine the kind of worlds we want to build, but to also remember that we already have what we need within us and through our collective communities to build these worlds. Your imagination is a tool. Be bold in your dreaming.”
3. We are responsible for our care: “bell hooks said, ‘Teachers must be actively committed to a process of self-actualization that promotes their own well-being.’ Your well-being is one of the most vital tools in your box as an educator.”
“To be an educator is to build something greater than ourselves. The bricks of our work: our research, our teaching, our mentorship, our service; they may look different, but together, they create something strong and sustainable for every learner to come,” she said. “We don’t just teach; we transform.”
Charge to Undergraduate Students: “Relationships are at the heart of everything we do”
Susanna Cox, who earned a degree in Middle Grades English Language Arts and Social Studies Education, delivered the charge to undergraduate students. She shared about how her experience growing up as a military-connected child who has lived in Japan, Bahrain, Germany, and Guam taught her how to find and build families wherever she went.
She shared how that lesson helped her during her time in the College of Education, from the faculty and staff who cared about the growth of their students to her cohort members who supported her along the way. “All of these things reminded me that I wasn’t alone. I found my people here. I found my Pack. I found my family,” she said.
Cox reminded her fellow graduates that relationships, like those she built during her childhood and in the College of Education, are a cornerstone of teaching as future educators create classrooms where their students feel seen, supported and valued. “I believe that’s one of the most important things we take with us — not just the skills and knowledge we’ve gained, but the understanding that relationships are at the heart of everything we do.”
As she and other future educators prepare to head off to lead their own classrooms across the state, Cox encouraged them to take with them the ability to build community, create belonging and make a lasting impact on their students.
“Let’s be the steady, supportive presence in a student’s world full of change. Let’s build classrooms that feel like home, where our students can grow into their full potential. Let’s carry the warmth and connection we found here at NC State out into the world,” she said. “Let’s be the kind of educators who create family.”
Special Recognitions
Dozens of College of Education students, alumni and affiliated organizations were recognized during the ceremony for their academic, leadership and scholarly efforts. View the students recognized:
Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards
- Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development, Victor Cadilla
- Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Technology Education, Joey Marion
Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences, Bethany Lewis
Departmental Awards
Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development
- Don C. Locke Multicultural and Justice Award, Alejandro Amaya
- Beatrice & Roy Anderson Education Scholarship, Jennifer Martinez-Mejia
- Norman Anderson – J. Conrad Glass, Jr. Graduate Fellowship, Leopolda Raquel Santana-Ramos
- Edgar J. & Ethel B. Boone Adult & Community College Leadership Award, Jennifer Wisely
- Kimberly F. Crews Memorial Endowed Scholarship, Marisol Gracia-Sandoval and Nathan Jenkins
- Thomas R. & Dorothy E. Koballa Endowed Scholarship, Beth Bockoven
- Casandra Lee Versteeg Mitchell Scholarship, Kimberly Sutton and Meagan Ingram
- Wilcox-Hodnett Doctoral Fellowship, Beth Gulewich, Kendall Hageman-Mays, Demetrius Jenkins, Keisha White and Zainab Qaabidh
- Margaret and Bobby Raynor Graduate Support Award, Hilary Bunch-Johnson
Department of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
- Norman Anderson-J. Conrad Glass Jr. Graduate Fellowship, Niloufar Bayati
- The John and Nell Penick Fellowship, Mark Voller and Laura Griffin
- Epsilon Pi Tau Robert and Marilyn Wenig Scholarship, Joseph Kaskel and Sam Munzer
- Garland Kermit Hilliard Outstanding Student Achievement in Technology Engineering, and Design Education, Taylor Dunston
- Robert H. Hammond Outstanding Student Achievement in Graphic Communication Minor Award, Aubri Sprouse
- Dr. John Park Memorial Outstanding Senior Award in Science Education, Bethany Lee
- Eileen Williams Service Award in Mathematics Education, Allison Yopp, Millbrook Magnet High School
- Outstanding Service Award in Technology, Engineering, and Design Teacher Education, Luis Maldonado, Middle Creek High School
- Dr. Joe R. Busby Memorial Award Outstanding Senior in Technology, Engineering, and Design Education, Carter Edward Clever
- John Park Outstanding Service Award in Science Education
- Middle School: The Science House
- High School: Christina Dotson, Leesville Road
- Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences
- John Arnold & Pat Dalton Middle Grades English Language Arts and Social Studies Award, Susanna Cox
- Jimmy Scherrer Outstanding Senior Service Award, Eliana Harr
Education Council Outstanding Senior Awards
- Elementary Education Outstanding Senior, Caity Lenthall
- Middle Grades English Language Arts and Social Studies Academic Achievement Award, Hannah Lynch and Mary Kate Wise
- Dr. Lee V. Stiff Memorial Award for Outstanding Senior in High School Mathematics, Jenna Jones
- Dr. John Park Memorial Outstanding Senior Award in Science Education:
- Middle School: Diego Alonso-Galindo
- High School: Harper Ray
- Outstanding Senior in Technology, Engineering and Design Education:
- Licensure: Elizabeth Marsh
- Graphic Communications: Malik Beason
- Outstanding Senior in Middle Grades Mathematics, Andrea Rosales Alvarado
Special Recognition of Student Groups
Epsilon Pi Tau
- Lillian Kate Avent
- Christian Boakye
- Carter Edward Clever
- Emma Marie Dober
- Taylor Ariel Dunston
- Elizabeth Eileen Marsh
- William Thomas Mistler
Dean’s Excellence Scholars
- Carla Gibson
- Travis Espinoza Mundo
- Andreas Jordan
- Anyah Moore
- Brett Rothman
- Maia Grace Solomon
- Kayla Womble
Goodnight Scholars Program
- Moayad Al Bayyar
- Eli Blackwelder
- Gabrielle Dovin-Litsas
- Cristal Esthela Gonzalez-Valdez
- Bethany Lee
- Maria Guadalupe Mata-Reyes
- Hannah Morris
- Andrea Rosales
- Anna Strickland
- Yahana Nava Trejo
- Jobie White
N.C. Principal Fellows
- Jonathan Anderson
- Giovanna Ayers
- George Nathaniel Barilich
- Duwayne Bennett
- Crystal Boyd
- Jason Bracey
- Rachel Brackney
- Bethany Brantley
- Hilary Bunch-Johnson
- Rebecca Drew Cardwell
- Joshua Clark
- Laurie Farmer
- Lady (Joana) Gonzalez Giraldo
- Regina Harris
- Drew Hermanson
- Mario Kersey
- Andrew Lassiter
- Shelby Levisky
- Connor McKeithan
- Jordan Munday
- Katherine Nock
- Abigail Oliver
- Marica Rawls
- Robyn Reynolds
- Michael Rosenberg
- Nicholas Rotenberry
- Marissa Saxon
- Jason Savo
- Catharine Emily Simler
- Rhett Smith
- Jayme Whitehead
- Kamilla Wright
- Kendra Yearick
Park Scholars
- Syna Sharma
Students Advocating for Youth (SAY) Village
- Halee Baker
- Abigail Bloom
- Gracie Gibbs
- Carla Gibson
- Cristal Gonzalez-Valdez
- Eva Happel
- Sarah Hardie
- Eliana Harr
- Emma Eliane Heavner
- Madeliene Jacobsen
- Elizabeth Kluckman
- Caitlyn Kopac
- Olivia Lasarsky
- Hannah Lynch
- Maria Mata-Reyes
- Larissa McWilliams
- Isabella Murray
- Anyah Moore
- Yohana Nava-Trejo
- Sophia Newhouse
- Evelyn Ng
- Kate O’Neill
- Carley Wilton
- Christina Young
Teaching Fellows
- Samiya Abdul-Lateef
- Kaleb James Adair
- Diego Alonso-Galindo
- Halee Baker
- Patrick Duane Baugher Jr.
- Sarah Rebecca Goldstone Carter
- Carter Edward Clever
- Elena Englert
- Erica Michelle Finch
- Gracie Gibbs
- Laina Grace Hosey
- Sarah Houlden
- Marissa Hunter
- Andrea Dahntay Jordan
- Elizabeth Kluckman
- Bethany Lee
- Gretchen Laming Levine
- Larissa McWilliams
- Stephanie Maloneyu
- Maria Mata-Reyes
- Zacharie S. Mathis
- Evelyn Ng
- Harper Ray
- Jasmine Robertshaw
- Hannah Savariyar
- Dorothy Snyder
- Maia Solomon
- Caitlyn Steed
- Madigan Stevenson
Transformational Scholars
- Carter Edward Clever
University Honors Program and University Scholars Program
- Abigail Owen Bloom
- Simone A. Smith
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