One of the largest classes in Brevard College history graduated Saturday during the 2026 Commencement Ceremony, as 144 bachelor’s students and a record 41 master’s students were awarded degrees before a capacity crowd at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
“Graduates, you’ve made it,” said Dr. Bradley J Andrews, President of Brevard College. “For years, you’ve been working with this day in mind, and this is the moment where we celebrate all of your determination and hard work. We celebrate your attainment of a noble goal.”
Saturday’s ceremony began with the ethereal sound of bagpipes as graduates in black regalia processed onto the field before proud family members and friends. Following a call to order by Chief Faculty Marshal Dr. Mary Louise Bringle, President Andrews delivered an opening address, followed by an invocation from The Rev. Dr. Sharad H. Creasman, BC’s Campus Minister.
Heath Weldon ’75, Chair of the Board of Trustees, offered greetings from the board, followed by a series of awards presented by President Andrews and Dr. Jennifer Frick-Ruppert, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty.
The Lifetime Leadership Award, the institution’s highest honor recognizing a legacy of shared leadership, service and commitment to the Brevard College community, was bestowed upon David and Lynne Joyce.
The Lifetime Leadership Award commemorates outstanding civic leadership and exceptional embodiment of Brevard College’s core values in the spirit of its motto “Learn in Order to Serve.” It marks only the second time the honor has been presented. In 2024, longtime Brevard College supporter Ray Henley was named the inaugural recipient.
Together, David and Lynne Joyce served as President and First Lady from 2012 to 2021, guiding Brevard College through a transformative era marked by growth, resilience and a deepened commitment to its mission. Lynne Joyce passed away on April 2, 2026. Her legacy remains deeply woven into the fabric of the College.
“David and Lynne Joyce defined a decade of critical leadership at Brevard College,” said President Andrews. “Their vision, heart and tireless commitment strengthened the College and the broader community, and their impact continues to resonate across campus and beyond. Their partnership powered the College through a difficult period and continues to shape Brevard College today and for years to come.”
The Presidential Award for Distinction was awarded to Ivelysse Leighton, a double major in Business and English from Mount Dora, Florida. The award recognizes a graduating senior who demonstrates remarkable leadership, service, and academic achievement during their time at Brevard College.
Kelly Lawsonwas honored with the C. Edward and Brona N. Roy Good Citizenship Award for exhibiting a record of moral character, citizenship, leadership, and a positive influence on campus. Lawson, a native of Barrie, Ontario, graduated as a double major in Business and Mathematics.
Eight graduates earned the Presidential Award for Scholarship after achieving perfect 4.0 grade point averages at Brevard College. The award recognizes graduating seniors with at least 62 hours of coursework completed who attained the highest academic rank based on cumulative grade point average.
Recipients of the Presidential Award for Scholarship included Charlyn Anderson (Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education; Meridian, North Carolina), Chloe Banner (Psychology; Jonesborough, Tennessee), Rachel Cooke (Art; Newton, North Carolina), Olive Leonardi (Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education; Cincinnati, Ohio), Kayla Philbrick (Psychology; Hendersonville, North Carolina), Jaxson Tumicki (Environmental Studies; Brandon, Florida), Ian Waldrop (Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education; Cleveland, South Carolina), and Joy Yousef (Exercise Science; Cairo, Egypt).
Unlike many colleges that invite an outside guest speaker, Brevard College encourages student growth and leadership by selecting an outstanding senior to speak at Commencement.
Yousef, this year’s Senior Speaker and the first native of Egypt to graduate from Brevard College, delivered a thoughtful and heartfelt address, reflecting on the graduates’ shared experience at BC.
“Brevard College equipped us with the tools and experiences we will need for our future careers,” said Yousef. “I believe that our time here has not just given us academic experience but also important life experiences that helped shape our character.”
Following the awards and speeches, members of the Class of 2026 crossed the stage to receive their diplomas from President Andrews.
Brevard College awarded a record 41 master’s degrees, just four years after graduating its first graduate student in 2022. The College also awarded its first-ever bachelor’s degree in Computer Science during this year’s commencement.
Twenty-two of the graduates hailed from Western North Carolina. In total, members of the Class of 2026 came to Brevard from 25 states and eight countries outside the United States: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, England, Egypt, France, Mexico, and South Africa.
To conclude the ceremony, President Andrews offered a charge to the graduating class, followed by the traditional Brevard College hymn “Guarded Well By Mountains,” led by Eliza Greenwell ’26, who graduated with a degree in Music Education.
“Graduates, you now join a special group of people as the alumni of this small and mighty college,” said President Andrews. “We know you will take the spirit of service with you to enrich the communities in which you will live and work.”
The festivities began with a traditional Baccalaureate & Hooding Ceremony held Friday afternoon in the Paul Porter Center for Performing Arts, followed by Saturday’s Commencement Ceremony. Both events were livestreamed, allowing family members and friends to participate from afar.
The following list includes Fall 2025 graduates, Spring 2026 graduates, and Summer 2026 candidates:
Master’s Graduates:
Tiago Miranda Aguilar
Kelsey Lynn Akers
Tristan Bayssade
Estevan Oliveira Berto
Alexis Nicole Bowman
Kelly Grady Brown
Ian Alamir Castellanos
Leonardo Concencio Zabeu Lopes
Pedro Eduardo Souza De Abreu
Pedro Olivieri Pires de Campos
Elis Diniz Lacerda Lobato
Maggie BriAnna Cox Dodson
Carson Julian Evans
Jamon Ontario Fanning
Joshua Edward Fitzgerald
Lena Morgan Hatter
Charles Edward Hudson
Cassidy Leigh Hutto
Melinda S Janeiro
Roi Haim Kedar
Alexandre Kiyan Mechri
Daniel James Morgan
Charles Edward Odom II
Zackary Scott Orr
Natalie Diane Panther
Jeremy Michael Posner
Chyna Ja’vae Pouncey
Justice Quashon Redmon
Charles Mandrell Reed Jr.
Jessica Garrison Reigle
Grace Elizabeth Reynolds
Kiera Dayne Robinson
James Anthony Rossi
Facundo Daniel Sunhary Garcia
Mason Lee Tanner
James Richard Tinsley
Christopher Patrick Usher
Brandon Michael Wade
Trey Alexander Williams
Ryan Taylor Willis
Zyon Latone Wilson
Bachelor’s Graduates:
Ethan David Abraham
Charlyn Kacie Anderson ***
Savannah Marie Anderson**
Nicole Esther Arroyo
Elizabeth Rose Auciello
Caleb Graham Baker
Chloe Madison Banner ***†
Ethan Scott Beamish
Anthony Lamar Belcher II
Anthony Ryan Bell*
Jolize Beukman ***
Christopher Alexander Binns†
Nicole Elizabeth Bradbury ***
Dre’Shaun Geronto Brown
Jaylen Anthony Brown
Brandon Christian Bruggman**
Abigail Grace Callahan**
Elizabeth Matet Carmichael
Jadon Blaze Carnes**
Zane Todd Caudle**
Owen Matthew Clark**
Kaitlyn Rose Connerley
Rachel Emmaline Cooke ***
Summer Cassidy Crist
Emma Rose Demcovich
Mya Rose Diaz*
Sergio Diaz Gonzalez†
Mya Kristen Dixon**
Hayden Paul Domingo ***†
Richard Maxwell Shogry Dorman*
Caue Diouf Andrade Dos Santos
Adam Edward Douglas
Kylee Lin Draper ***†
Caleb Iaian Duncan
Katherine Elise Ellison
Lexxus Victoria English ***
Matthew Thomas Evans**†
David Logan Ewing
Andrew Michael Fahringer*†
William Jackson Finney*
Christine Keever Freeman
Chelsea Sarah Fritog
Jonathan Braxton Germany
Breanna Rene Goff**
Pierson Joshua Gordon
Gavin Paul Grant
Gianluca Graziano
Eliza Joy Greenwell
Obadiah Benjamin Grimes
Olivia Danyale Guillermo
Isabel Herrera Hagen*
Amberlyn Marilee Hernandez ***†
Anne Marie Herring**
Charlie J Hester
Josie Rose Hester
Evelyn Virginia Higdon*
Alexandra Hunter Hill
Christian David Hobson
Cameron Rutledge Holbert**
Elisabeth Rose Hornfeck ***
Kavan Horton
David Arthur Hoyle ***†
Zoe Lynne Hughes**†
Olivia Marie Hyde
Tiffin Dalla-Marie Jacobs*†
Thad Pierce Johnston Jr.
Kylie Layne Katcher ***
Gage Phillip Khayat
Andre Richard Kiley
Antonio Rontell King Jr.
Briana Skye Landman**
Michael Noa Lasco*
Kelly Li M. Lawson ***
Ivelysse Suzanne Leighton ***†
Matthew Johannes Leliveld
Grace Hope Leonardi ***
Brody Wyatt Lindsey
Emillee Jordan Long**
Mackenzie Lynn Lozano
Kiara May Lylyk
Wanya Dante Martin
Angelena Marie Martino
Addie Marsh McAlister
Gavin Grant McCoy*†
Jermaree Devion McDaniel
Olivia Shea Miller
Martin Moguel Aguilar**†
Ellen Victoria Mullins ***
Aguilar Aparecido Oliveira
Emerson Russell Peck
Braedyn Christopher Perez
Brice Alan Peterson
Madison Anastasia Petryshak ***†
Schuyler Elizabeth Pettibone ***
Jada Raishon Petty-Wilkins
Kayla Maureen Philbrick ***
David Sterling Phillips
Kember Bailey Phillips*
Owen Lewis Plucar
Ariel Lynn Podlogar**
Tiernan Sean Ponder*
Kiara Lucienne Porcelli**
Cole Frederick Punchard*
Baylee Clyde Ramey
Christena Alexis Rhone
Hailey Kira Riddle
Eleanor Jean Roberts**
Seth O’Ryan Gage Robinson†
Etta-Leigh Liliquoy Rose*
Jeremi Donnell Rudolph
Logan James Sawyer**†
Kaan Kenan Senturk
Abby Marie Shipman*
Gregory Winton Simmons Jr.
Nathaniel Kaden Savaughn Simon
Imani Janay Singleton
Alfredo Sixtos-Rodriguez**
Matthew Ian Smith
Sevasti Ann Smith**
Hannah Faith Sonnenberg
Logan Charles Southern
Jack Spencer Spotz
Marcella Miche Rose Steele**
Jordan Tanner Strickland
Avalon Elizabeth Sweet ***†
Victoria Rose Sylvester*
Matheus Tanure Araujo Mateus
Henry Boykin Tarte
Reginald Leon Taylor II
Signe Anne Thorsen ***
Elissabeth Grace Segers Tinsley*†
Tristan Wynn Troutman*
Jaxson Alexandria Tumicki ***†
Mary Grace Vallentine ***
Abigail Maeve Waldrop ***
Ian Baker Waldrop***†
Lauren Grace Ward
Noah Lee Westbrook
Liliana Reyes White***†
Jaxsen Kalee Wilkerson
Ashton Michael Williams
Katlyn DaHeaven Lee Wynn
Joy Morad Helmy Makram Yousef***
Mikayla Elise Zvekan
*** Summa cum laude, ** Magna cum laude, * Cum laude, † Honors Program Graduate