UMHB holds fall commencement, Cove student awarded Loyalty Cup

Special to Leader-Press 

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor fall Commencement was held on Friday, December 8, in the Bell County Expo. This was the university’s 161th graduating class. 398 students were awarded degrees. Of those, 264 students received baccalaureate degrees, 97 received master’s degrees, and 37 earned doctoral degrees, including the first 34 graduates of the university’s new Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Student awards given during the ceremony included the Provost Medal for highest overall GPA, which was split between nine students who each graduated with perfect 4.0 grade point averages: Abigail McPhail of Copperas Cove; Angele Couvillon of Lafayette, La.; Madilyn Curtis of Houston; Erin Dona of Bonham; Moriah Olson of Cedar Park; Vivienne Salisbury of Kingwood; Cameron Stephens of Midlothian; Lindsey Wash Vasquez of Austin; and Bethany Whatley of Temple.
The Loyalty Cup for the student who is most representative of the ideals, traditions and spirit of the university was given to Abigail McPhail of Copperas Cove. The President’s Award for meritorious service went to Wesley Bailey of Belton. During his time on campus, Bailey served as a class chaplain, Student Foundation president, and was actively involved in student life.
Graduates from Copperas Cove included: Chans Armon Colbert - B.S. - Psychology; Rebecka Taylor Downing - B.S.N. - Nursing; Angela Marie Hebert - B.B.A. - Accounting; Erie Joseph Hebert - B.S.W. - Social Work; Ty Walker Johnson - B.S. - Exercise Science; Beth Kageorge - B.S. - Exercise Physiology; Abigail Leigh McPhail - B.A. - Mass Communication; Marvie Cerbas Miles - B.S.N. - Nursing; Ramona Smith - B.A. – Psychology. 
Michael James Harrigan of Kempner received his B.C.M. and Heather Michelle Franklin of Lampasas received her B.S.N. – Nursing.