Chatfield College Holds 46th Commencement Exercises

Chatfield College held its 46th commencement exercises on Saturday, May 13 at 10 a.m. at the St. Martin campus in St. Martin, OH.  DeAnna Hoskins ’03, Senior Policy Advisor for Corrections & Re-entry for the United States Department of Justice, gave the commencement address.

DeAnna received an Associate Degree from Chatfield College in 2003, a Bachelor’s Degree from Mt. St. Joseph University, and a Master’s Degree from the University of Cincinnati. She currently serves on the Justice Roundtable, the Civil Rights Commission, the National Coalition for Homeless, all in Washington, D.C., and is active with JustLeadership USA in New York, NY.

As a convicted felon, DeAnna has worked hard to overcome the obstacles facing her as she re-entered the job force. Her ideas on re-entry landed her in a key position with the Indiana Department of Corrections, where she was recognized by the state of Indiana for her work with the Access to Recovery program, and in Hamilton County, where she served as Director of Re-Entry. Her efforts have changed employment policy in Hamilton County and the state of Ohio, making it possible for felons to avoid useless job searches and apply only for jobs that accept felony backgrounds. Now, as the Senior Policy Advisor for Corrections & Re-Entry for the Department of Justice, she hopes to make help make similar changes on a national level.

Fifty-nine graduates were honored at the ceremony, which included students from Chatfield’s campuses in St. Martin and Over-the-Rhine who either completed the requirements for graduation or will complete the requirements during the summer session.

Receiving Associate Degrees were Carlie Shae Adams, Sara Louise Adams, Colten Angles, Tommika Ashley, Colton Lee Baker, Haleigh Jane Bates, Abigail Noel Bedard, Elizabeth Ann Bell, Emanuela Lea Blendea, Maria Ruth Bockhorst, Misty Branham, Aaron N. Brown, Grant Larson Brown, Dylon James Byrom, Ashley Nicole Cassidy-Fields, Taylor Paul Chambers, Christopher Clifton, Cory Dwayne Cox, Rebecca Lynn Dabbs, Dawson Michael Eakins, Steven James Michael Fritz, Trenton Michael Gorman, Genine Tammy Leashia Gray, Andrea Rose Green, Fay Lee Grove, Cedric E. Hardridge, Dena K. Hiler, Julia Howard, Ieshia Nicole Irvin, Joshua Jeremiah Jackson, Shanina Denise Jackson, Kadidia Keita, Kylee Morgan Leggett, Denisa Shabree Martin, Jeremy Edward Maxwell, Amanda Jo McQueary, Annabelle Mae Meddock, Kelci Kahryn Moore, Shanika Lanae Moore, Kimyatta Capri Morton, Ke’Shawna Ronvina Newton, Jessica Renee Powell, Tamecka D. Raines, Julie Emma Rodriques, Sidney Shey Rohde, Karli Schnapp, Autumn Marie Slover, Crystal Smith, Joann Nicole Spurling, Heaven Nicole Spurlock, Courtney Rae Stewart, Patricia B. Taylor, Anthony Terrones, Daphne Nicole Thompson, Jamil S. Thompson, Erica L. Tolbert, Janice Marie Toussaint, Tiffani M. Walton, and Raenika White.

Two graduates, Sidney Shey Rohde from the St. Martin Campus and Tamecka D. Raines from the Over-the-Rhine Campus, were given Julia Chatfield Distinguished Student Awards.  This award is designed to recognize a graduate at each campus based on nominations submitted by the faculty and staff.  Besides a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, the student must exhibit the determination of Julia Chatfield by turning obstacles into opportunities, is friendly, inclusive and supportive in dealing with others and displays leadership qualities.

Science department chair and full-time faculty member James Woodford was presented with Chatfield’s Dean Agatha Fitzgerald, OSU Excellence in Teaching Award.  This award is given each year to an instructor who exemplifies the academic spirit and values of Chatfield College.

Jim is the recipient of the George H. Jung, Jr. Chair in Science at Chatfield College.  He has taught at Chatfield College since the fall 2011 semester and has been the part-time Science Department Chair since the 2014-15 academic year. In addition to guiding the science department for the last few years, Jim has taught biology, ecology, zoology, and environmental science at both of Chatfield’s campuses in St. Martin, OH and in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.

The college also honored retired English department chair and full-time instructor Sue Hamann, who was named Emeritus Faculty.  Sue is only the second faculty member ever to be named Emeritus Faculty at Chatfield College.  She joins Agatha Fitzgerald, OSU who is the first Chatfield instructor to receive this designation.

Sue was a faculty member at Chatfield College for 18 years before her retirement in 2013.  She began as an adjunct instructor in 1995, and became one of the college’s first full-time faculty members in 2000.  During that time, she served as English Department Chair, on the Faculty Senate and as Interim Dean.  She was awarded the college’s Distinguished Instructor Award in 2003.  Upon her retirement, Sue’s friends, family, colleagues and former students endowed a scholarship in her name to honor her work at Chatfield.

To hear DeAnna’s full speech, click here.

 

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5k Nun Run

Celebrating Our Scholars Brunch

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