Williams Baptist University awarded degrees to 111 graduates during its 2026 commencement exercises. That total included 12 master’s degrees, 95 bachelor’s degrees and four associate degrees.
Commencement exercises were held May 9 in WBU’s Southerland-Mabee Center. The commencement speaker was Tommy Wells, a 2008 Williams graduate who is now a school administrator in Springfield, Mo. Graduates represented 23 Arkansas counties, 14 states and seven nations.
Honor graduates were recognized as being cum laude (3.5-3.69 cumulative grade point average), magna cum laude (3.7-3.84 GPA) or summa cum laude (3.85-4.0 GPA).
In addition, Coe Scholars were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement. Coe Scholars are a select group of exceptional WBU students who participated in an enhanced academic experience during their time at Williams.
Williams is a private, Christian university in Walnut Ridge.
WBU graduates from Arkansas, listed by county, hometown and degree included:
ARKANSAS COUNTY
DeWitt: DeKyrah Jaiden Banister (magna cum laude) – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management.
BOONE COUNTY
Harrison: Kaylee Grace Wolfe – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management.
CLAY COUNTY
Rector: Morgan Addison Garner – Bachelor of Science in Finance.
CLEBURNE COUNTY
Greers Ferry: McKenna Morgan Bittle – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts; Kendra Danielle Harness (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
Quitman: Taylor Jo Elizabeth Hooten – Bachelor of Science in Biology.
CRAIGHEAD COUNTY
Bono: Kade Keith Carter – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts; Jacob Walker Eubanks – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management.
Jonesboro: Jake Ryan Algee – Master of Arts in Teaching; Mason Alik Escue – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; Lynda Ann Flaherty (cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education; Tyler Lomas Fraley – Master of Arts in Teaching; Haven Maylynn Freeman – Bachelor of Science in Political Science; Peyton Elijah Jackson – Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministries; Kerrigan Amita Kinsey (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education K-6; Kaedynce Serena Miller – Bachelor of Science in Psychology; Abygail Marie Phillips – Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education K-6; Carrington Brock Reid – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management; Mari James Thomas – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
CRITTENDEN COUNTY
Marion: Kenneth Pryce Arwood (cum laude) – Bachelor of Music in Worship; Connor Lane Brinkley (magna cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; Luke Christian Bullins – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; Lauren Mackenzie Davis – Associate of Arts; Joi Montgomery – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
Proctor: John Alexander Marconi (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministries.
CROSS COUNTY
Parkin: Zahryia A’alyse Baker – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
FAULKNER COUNTY
Conway: Natalie Brooke Sansom – Associate of Arts.
FULTON COUNTY
Elizabeth: Taylar Deanne Sanders (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in English Education.
Mammoth Spring: Sara Lynn Crowe (cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
GARLAND COUNTY
Hot Springs: Nathanael Chance Inman – Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministries.
Royal: Destin Andrew Rhodes – Bachelor of Science in Health & Physical Education.
GREENE COUNTY
Marmaduke: Maranda Marie Bear – Bachelor of Science in Biology; Hunter Lee Tuberville – Bachelor of Science in Biology.
Paragould: Timothy James Bedgood (summa cum laude, Coe Scholar) – Bachelor of Arts in Music & Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; Emilee Jane Cook – Bachelor of Science in Psychology; Spencer Patrick Magel – Bachelor of Science in Psychology; Jonathan Blane Sullinger – Bachelor of Science in Psychology; Devon Wayne Perez – Bachelor of Arts in English; Conner Houston Pulley – Bachelor of Arts in English; Robert Eugene Robinson, Jr. (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministries.
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY
Batesville: Kaelyn Danielle Gooch (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
IZARD COUNTY
Calico Rock: Evelyn Louise Bishop – Master of Arts in Teaching.
Melbourne: Emma Kay Shinn – Master of Arts in Teaching.
JACKSON COUNTY
Amagon: Marisa Lynn Shaffer – Master of Arts in Teaching.
Newport: Grace Elizabeth Rogers – Bachelor of Arts in Global Entrepreneurship.
LAWRENCE COUNTY
Lynn: Brylee Elizabeth Doyle (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
Powhatan: Keeley Ryann Kopp (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education K-6.
Smithville: Molly Elizabeth Emison – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
Walnut Ridge: Mason Roger Andrews (cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts; Elaina Barton-Miles – Master of Arts in Teaching; Hannah Leigh Bullock – Master of Arts in Teaching; Joseph Allen Clayton – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; Ty Oakley Flippo – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management; Ralph Kenneth Lewis Jr – Associate of Arts; Logan Christopher Sain (cum laude) – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management; Kaylee Grace Wolfe – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management.
MISSISSIPPI COUNTY
Blytheville: Vancell Stanley Lucas III – Master of Arts in Teaching.
Joiner: Marissa Crawford (cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
Manila: Mary Kate Cole (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; Emma Kay Shinn – Master of Arts in Teaching.
POPE COUNTY
Russellville: Treasure Reign Jenni (cum laude) – Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministries; Paige Nicole Thomas (magna cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
PULASKI COUNTY
Little Rock: Tyler Maxwell Douglass Mann – Master of Arts in Teaching.
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Pocahontas: Jerry Glenn Baker – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management; Madison Breann Ballard (cum laude) – Bachelor of Arts in English; Joshua Nathaniel Johnson (cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Social Studies Education; Savannah Grace Todd (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education K-6.
SEBASTIAN COUNTY
Greenwood: Brittany Nichelle Dowdy – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts; Coleton Ross Payton – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management; Elizabeth Grace Woody – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management.
UNION COUNTY
Smackover: Jacob Walker Eubanks – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Prairie Grove: Davis Taylor Stephens – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
WHITE COUNTY
Bald Knob: Alyssa Lauren Burnett – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts; Madyson Carol Busselle (magna cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
Searcy: Luis Anthony Arman – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
Graduates from other states, listed by state and hometown, included:
ARIZONA
Phoenix: Timothy James Bedgood (summa cum laude, Coe Scholar) – Bachelor of Arts in Music & Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
ALABAMA
Birmingham: Noah Lane Burns – Master of Science in Education.
Pinson: Jacob Michael Brown – Master of Science in Education.
Sweet Water: Cody Blue Carden – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
COLORADO
Aurora: Brooke Olivia Scott – Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts.
Fountain: Chortney Gayle Durga – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
FLORIDA
Destin: Jimmy Ryan Singleton – Associate of Arts.
LOUISIANA
New Orleans: Danarria Thomas (cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
MICHIGAN
Clinton Township: Lydia Marie Cottrell – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
MISSISSIPPI
Hernando: Jer’Kaila Elaine Jones – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
Lake Cormorant: Justin Chas Bell – Master of Science in Education.
Magee: Evelyn Louise Bishop – Master of Arts in Teaching.
McCool: Marc Hayden Graves – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
Nesbit: Marisa Lynn Shaffer – Master of Arts in Teaching.
MISSOURI
Campbell: Skylar Andrew Morrison – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
Gideon: Faith Leighann Raymond (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts; Hope Renee Raymond (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
Kennett: Bodey Sparks Ellis – Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts.
Poplar Bluff: Cody J. Jones – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration;Breann Kayleigh Thresher – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management.
Steele: Brevin James Carlisle (cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Finance.
Warrensburg: Hannah Leigh Bullock – Master of Arts in Teaching.
West Plains: Kaylee Rayne Lambe – Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education.
NEBRASKA
Lincoln: Jackson Douglas Finder (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
NEW JERSEY
Freehold: Tyler Lomas Fraley – Master of Arts in Teaching.
PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia: Seanlajah Smith – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
TENNESSEE
Covington: Cortayza Flowers – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
Dyersburg: Rico Kevon Quinton – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts.
Memphis: Elizabeth Grace Detrick (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts; Rebecca Joy Fowler (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
Spring Hill: Micah Joseph Oltmanns – Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
TEXAS
Shelbyville: Tyler Warren Merriman – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management.
WBU graduates from other countries included:
BRAZIL
Bauru, São Paulo: Pedro Paulo Gomes Batista da Rocha – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Curitiba: Matheus Arins Farias – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Vitoria, Espirito Santo: Artur Dalfior Kataoka (summa cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
CHILE
Santiago de Chili: Carlos Matias Vial Aedo (cum laude) – Bachelor of Science in Marketing.
Santiago, Providencia: Ignacio Andres Velasquez Jansen – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
COLUMBIA
Floridablanca, Santander: Esteban Gonzalez – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
ENGLAND
Newton-le-willows, Merseyside: Harry Lee – Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts.
Nottingham: Kyeron B. Daws – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management.
SCOTLAND
Brechin: Dawson John Philip Sawyer – Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management.
SPAIN
Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Madrid: Javier Palomo Fernandez – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
