Published: May 07, 2008 03:29 pm            

UCO to honor 5 for high academic excellence at spring commencement ceremonies

EDMOND — Five University of Central Oklahoma students will serve as the Class Marshals for their respective colleges in recognition of academic excellence during UCO’s spring 2008 commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday at UCO’s Hamilton Field House.

The honored UCO students, who are all graduating with 4.0 grade-point averages, earned Class Marshal titles for achieving the highest academic records within their colleges while at UCO.

The 2008 UCO Class Marshals are Brianne Begitschke, Rene Deloria, Sachiko Komuro, Chad Medford and Ashlea Turpin.

Begitschke, a special education major with a concentration on mild/moderate disabilities, is a 2003 graduate of Jenks High School. She will serve as the Class Marshal for the College of Education and Professional Studies.

Begitschke is a member of the Kappa Delta Pi honor society and will utilize her new degree while working at a school in Macao, China, this summer.

She said she is excited about the different opportunities her degree will provide her and is interested in pursuing a career in areas such as early intervention services, inner-city schools, and working with people with autism.

Deloria, a history major, is Class Marshal for UCO’s College of Liberal Arts. She is a 1981 graduate of Lakewood High School in Lakewood, Colo. Deloria and her family now live in Moore.

She plans to continue her education by earning a master’s degree in history at UCO before pursuing adjunct teaching.

Having served as the 2007-08 president of UCO’s Rho Lambda Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, Deloria was the recipient of both the 2007-08 Phi Alpha Theta and 2008 Emeritus Scholarship awards.

Komuro, of Yokosuka, Japan, will represent the College of Arts, Media & Design as Class Marshal. She will receive a Masters of Fine Arts in theatre, concentrating on design and technology.

A three-time recipient of the International Honor Scholarship, Komuro said her time at UCO has been one of tremendous value, enriching her life with discovery and growth.

“UCO has taken me to other states and to national competitions. I’ve made lifelong friends and explored many other cultures. In my four years at UCO I have grown in knowledge, maturity and strength of character, and this is mostly due to the excellent staff and opportunities that are synonymous with their theatre program,” she said.

Class Marshal Medford, of Bridge Creek, is an operations management and analysis major, and will represent the College of Business Administration.

A member of the Alpha Chi and Delta Mu Delta honor societies, he was the recipient of the College of Business Administration Shedeck Scholarship and is a 2008 Milton Bast Award nominee.

Medford has plans to pursue both a master’s degree and commission with the Oklahoma National Guard, as well as continue his civilian career working for the Oklahoma Air Logistics Center.

“The University of Central Oklahoma is an excellent institution whose knowledgeable and helpful faculty have helped guide me on a path of education that has already started to open the doors to endless opportunities for me,” he said.

Turpin will represent UCO’s College of Mathematics and Science as Class Marshal. She is a biology major from Mustang, and is an active member of the Pre-Med Health Professionals and Biology Clubs, as well as the Alpha Chi National Honor Scholarship, Golden Key International and Gamma Beta Phi honor societies.

“My experience at UCO has been wonderful. The class sizes are just right and my professors are very personable and available when I need them. I have met so many new and interesting people, some of whom are now life long friends,” she said.

Turpin currently is in the process of applying to medical school and hopes to one day specialize in cardiology.

The five students will wear Class Marshal stoles during the spring commencement, signifying the highest degree of academic excellence.

First presented in the fall of 1994, the Class Marshal title for excellence has become a UCO tradition, recognizing the highest in academic achievement among graduates.

        

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