Spring 2017 Pre-Commencement Ceremonies

May 12, 2017

The UA College of Humanities welcomed family and friends to celebrate the accomplishments of our undergraduate and graduate students at the Spring 2017 Pre-Commencement Ceremonies on Thursday, May 11 and Friday, May 12 in the Grand Ballroom at the University of Arizona Student Union Memorial Center.

In addition to Dean Alain-Philippe Durand’s opening and closing remarks, Outstanding Senior Rachel Christensen, graduating with a double major in Spanish and Economics, delivered a speech.

The College of Humanities Faculty and Staff salute this talented group of graduates and wish them all the very best in their future endeavors!


Outstanding Graduate Assistant in Teaching

James Ford Howell

Outstanding Senior

Rachel Christensen

Prospective Master of Arts & Doctorate of Philosophy Candidates

  • Francis M. Abugbilla, M.A.  French
  • Pedram Aghaalikhani, M.A.  Russian
  • Katherine Anson, Ph.D.  Spanish
  • Ryan Matthew Bessett, Ph.D.  Spanish
  • Kristina Borisovna Boynova, M.A.  Russian
  • Tasha Marie Campbell, Ph.D.  Spanish
  • Agnes Judit Cser, Ph.D.  Transcultural German Studies
  • Stephen Czujko, M.A.  Classics
  • Sandra Descourtis, M.A.  French
  • James Estes, M.A.  French
  • Kyung L. Gagum, Ph.D.  Transcultural German Studies
  • Liliana C. Gonzalez, Ph.D.  Spanish
  • Barbara Greene, Ph.D.  East Asian Studies
  • Lola Guerra, M.A.  French
  • Elizabeth Gabrielle Harvey, M.A.  Classics
  • Ayana Hatsuda, M.A.  East Asian Studies
  • Travis Hill, M.A.  Classics
  • Dongchen Hou, Ph.D.  East Asian Studies
  • Nicholas Houlson, M.A.  East Asian Studies
  • James Ford Howell, Ph.D.  Transcultural German Studies
  • Hongyi Jia, Ph.D.  East Asian Studies
  • Joseph John Kern, Ph.D.  Spanish
  • Elizabeth Ann Keyser, M.A.  Classics
  • Sichon Koowuttayakorn, Ph.D.  Second Language Acquisition & Teaching
  • Izamar Laguna, M.A.  Spanish
  • Chengyuan Li, M.A.  East Asian Studies
  • Jianmei Li, M.A.  East Asian Studies
  • Chin-Yu Ginny Lu, M.A.  Classics
  • Diego Fernando Macias, Ph.D.  Second Language Acquisition  & Teaching
  • Maritza Maldonado, Ph.D.  Spanish
  • Rie Maruyama, Ph.D.  East Asian Studies
  • Judith Menzl, M.A.  German Studies
  • Maria Silvia Montenegro, Ph.D.  Spanish
  • Kelly Ann Moss, M.A.  Classics
  • Dustin Natte, M.A.  East Asian Studies
  • Atres Norwood, M.A.  German Studies
  • Aleksandra Borisovna Novikova, M.A.  Classics
  • Daylin Oakes, M.A.  Classics
  • Elyse Barbara Petit, Ph.D.  Second Language Acquisition & Teaching
  • Andre Luke Pettman, M.A.  French
  • Glen A. Piskula, Ph.D.  Second Language Acquisition & Teaching
  • Marta Ramirez Martinez, Ph.D.  Spanish
  • Clare Kathleen Rasmussen, M.A.  Classics
  • Catherine Schenck, M.A.  Classics
  • Benjamin James Schilaty, Ph.D.  Second Language Acquisition & Teaching
  • Hee Seung Suh, Ph.D.   East Asian Studies
  • Timothy Supplitt, M.A.  East Asian Studies
  • Kenneth James Valencich, M.A.  East Asian Studies
  • Yidi Wu, M.A.  Classics
  • Duo Xu, M.A.  Classics

Prospective Bachelor of Arts Candidates

  • Jasmine Pramoj Acfalle, German, Biochemistry 
  • Zarifah Agardy, Russian, Anthropology 
  • Kortney Shea Aguilar, Spanish
  • Neida Basheer Ahmad, Spanish, Linguistics, Psychology 
  • Gabriela Saidat Alejo, Spanish, Nutritional Sciences
  • Emma Adele Anderson, Russian
  • Kathryn Lin Anderson, Spanish
  • Robert Douglas Arbuco, Italian 
  • Aubrey L. Arrowood, Africana Studies, Care, Health & Society
  • Lana Michelle Baeumlisberger, German
  • Caitlin Marie Baker,  German
  • Samantha Stacey Balber, Religious Studies, History
  • Emilia Yessenya Barraza Perez, Spanish, Public Health 
  • Gilberto Barrera, Spanish
  • Anna Margaret Baumann, German, History
  • Jordon Betts, Anthropology (Classics minor) 
  • Abigail Grace Bezel, East Asian Studies
  • Jessica Nicole Border, Italian, Political Science
  • Kayli Breann Botiz Africana Studies
  • Javier Enrique Busanez, Spanish, Communication 
  • Cassandra Camacho, Spanish, Family Studies & Human Development 
  • Stephanie Cardenas, East Asian Studies
  • Lizeth Daniela Castellanos, Spanish, Law
  • Sicilia Cazares Montano, Spanish
  • Gisela Chapetti, Spanish
  • Abbigail Latrice Chaput, Russian 
  • Rachel Julia Christensen, Spanish, Economics 
  • Sachi Faye Cochran, East Asian Studies
  • Karina Summer Cruz, Spanish, Psychology
  • Denisse Andrea Daniel,  Spanish
  • Stacy Del Valle, Spanish
  • Natasha Rose Dare, East Asian Studies, Creative Writing 
  • Yasmin V. Diaz Mendias, Italian
  • Maritza Camila Dominguez, Spanish, Journalism 
  • Alexandra Mabel Ebanks, Spanish, Political Science
  • Molly Cullen Eisele, Religious Studies
  • Christine Ella Ellis, Classics
  • Sarah Elise Erickson, Russian, Linguistics 
  • Frida R. Escalante, Spanish, Neuroscience & Cognitive Science 
  • Maria Clara Escudero Canaz, Italian, Public Management & Policy
  • Carolina Espinoza, Spanish
  • Alma Alejandrina Estrella, Spanish, Linguistics 
  • Vanessa Fajardo, Religious Studies, History 
  • Joshua Michael Farley, Spanish
  • Stephen Fong, East Asian Studies, Political Science
  • Joshua Clark Fowler, French, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology 
  • Charles Alexander Fox, Africana Studies 
  • Angela Maria Fragoso, Spanish 
  • Taylor Louise Franklin, Italian, Global Studies
  • Marissa Kay Fuller, Classics, Creative Writing
  • Brittany Catherine Gaffney, East Asian Studies
  • Louis Edward Gallegos, East Asian Studies, Linguistics, Psychology
  • Maggie Lorraine Gauthier, French, Biomedical Engineering
  • Timothy J. Glassbrook, Russian
  • Jason Anthony Gomez, Spanish
  • Iliana Areli Gomez Brauer, Spanish, Speech, Language & Hearing Science
  • Jason Anthony Gomez, Spanish
  • Julissa Gonzvar, Spanish
  • Nicole Kristine Griffith, Classics
  • Genesis Mariel Grijalva, Spanish, Anthropology
  • Sophie Emmaline Griswold, Spanish, Nursing 
  • Xinyi Gu
  • Africana Studies, Linguistics
  • Gilberto Guayante, Spanish
  • Adam Stanley Gurczak, Italian, Music Performance
  • Sarah Elena Guzman, Spanish, Criminal Justice Studies 
  • Leylah Hadrovic, French
  • Aaliyah Adele Haggard, Africana Studies
  • Corey Alexander Hall, East Asian Studies
  • Ashley Nicole Harper, Religious Studies
  • Alondra Patrice Harris, East Asian Studies, Molecular & Cellular Biology
  • Katherine Grace Harris, French, Global Studies
  • Reid Taylor Hawkins, Spanish
  • Dana Maria Helfenbein, Spanish, Arabic, Middle Eastern & N African Studies
  • Ana Viviana Hernandez, Spanish, Linguistics
  • Maria Teresa Hidalgo, French
  • Kate Jewel Hines, Italian, Criminal Justice Studies 
  • Laura Lynn Hockenberger, Spanish, Physiology 
  • Joey Horowitz, Religious Studies, Political Science, 
  • Donte Jeter-hicks, East Asian Studies
  • Kenya Jimenez, Italian
  • Amina Keita, Global Studies, Public Health (French minor) 
  • Thomas Michael Kirschenbaum, German
  • Maya Firmbach Kraft, French, Global Studies
  • Kendra Leigh Lamberti, Italian, Psychology
  • Claire Helene Larkin, German, Political Science
  • Ana Lorena Landeros, Spanish
  • Steven Ronald Lawless, Russian
  • Bianca Negdali Ledezma, Spanish
  • Lauren Margaret Cahill Lees, Classics
  • Ada Betsua Licea, Spanish
  • Alexa Rae Link, French, Physiology
  • Rachel Jeanette Linville, Russian, Physiology
  • Hayley Marie Long, Spanish
  • Melanie Lucille Lopez Religious Studies
  • Miranda Christine Lopez Spanish, Political Science
  • Victor Daniel Lopez, Italian, Political Science 
  • Mary Kate R. Lusson, Religious Studies
  • Andrea Ashley Magyar, Spanish, Psychology 
  • Adam Rene Marquez, Spanish
  • Ian Daniel Martella, Italian, English
  • Alyssa Ann Martin
  • East Asian Studies, Linguistics
  • Patricia Martinez Fernandez
  • Spanish, Physiology 
  • Glenn Emerson Maxwell, French
  • Ryan Edward Mayberry, Spanish, Political Science
  • Andrea Teresa Maynard, German, Linguistics
  • Destiny Leticia McConahy, Spanish
  • Megan Elise McNaughton, Russian, Global Studies
  • Amanda Michaela Metropoulos,  Religious Studies
  • Jason Anthony Mijangos, Spanish, Criminal Justice Studies
  • Prithvi Mrinalini Mohan, Classics, Physiology
  • Jocelyn Mora, Spanish, Psychology 
  • Miroslaba Moreno, Spanish
  • Stavros Nectarius Moschonas Classics
  • Stephanie J. Navarro, Spanish, Chemistry 
  • Bailey Ann Newman, Spanish, Physiology
  • Javier Nido, Spanish
  • Courtney Abigail Niegocki, Russian, Political Science 
  • Nicholas Brian Noble, Religious Studies
  • Angel Arturo Ochoa, Spanish, Communication 
  • Diego Pacheco Silva, Spanish
  • Arsenio Erubey Paco-Beltran, Spanish
  • Hannah Rose Jane Parraga, Russian
  • Sarah-Kenya Patterson, French, Communication 
  • Savannah Alekzandria Pearson, Spanish, Molecular & Cellular Biology 
  • Ricardo Aron Pelagio, East Asian Studies, Linguistics
  • Romeo Penagos, Spanish
  • Evelyn Mildred Peralta, Spanish
  • Alexis Peralta Ortiz, Spanish
  • Jorgelina Plata, French, Spanish
  • Breanne Nicole Purcell, Religious Studies, Family Studies & Human Development
  • Valeria Quijada Montano, Spanish, Global Studies 
  • Carolina Padres Quiroga, Spanish
  • Michael Thomas Rasor French, History
  • Amanda Leigh Raymond, Italian
  • Joshua Edward Redpath East Asian Studies, Computer Science 
  • Vicente David Reyna, Spanish, Law 
  • Alison Mae Richardson, Spanish, Nutritional Sciences
  • Alexia Gail Riveros Russian
  • Petra Elena Robertson, Africana Studies, Creative Writing
  • David Jesus Rocha, Spanish
  • Joan Marie Rosado, Spanish, Special Education & Rehabilitation
  • Addy Rosado-mueller, Spanish, Psychology 
  • Jocelyn Ruiz, Spanish
  • Hagi Yajaira Ruiz Lopez, Spanish
  • Andrea Sanchez, Spanish
  • Pamela Sanchez, Spanish, Political Science 
  • Mary Christina Semon, Religious Studies, Psychology 
  • Justin Clayton Senner, German, Linguistics
  • Caroline Abdelaziz Shurrab, Religious Studies
  • Brenda Natalie Silva, Spanish
  • Ashley Kay Slay Spanish, Information Science & Arts 
  • Stephanie Lisette Soto, Spanish, Journalism
  • Lili Margit Steffen
  • German, Sociology
  • Madeline Hoff Stewart, Spanish, Psychology
  • Mayu Taylor, East Asian Studies
  • Ahjia Nikita Thorpe, Classics
  • Andrea Maria Tiutan, Spanish, Management Information Systems 
  • Dora Y Gomez Valencia, French, Physiology 
  • Michelle Andrea Valenti, French, Public Health 
  • Sergio Alberto Valera, Spanish
  • Garrett Mychal Veasey, Africana Studies, Systems Engineering
  • Julian Vega, Spanish
  • Angela Margot Warnes, Spanish
  • Precious Weah, Africana Studies, Care, Health & Society 
  • Clinton Michael Wester, East Asian Studies
  • Marisa Danielle Wigley, German, Business Management 
  • James Richard Wilcox, Classics, Anthropology 
  • Zachary Andrew Wilson, Russian
  • Patricia Ashley Wilson-Everett, French, Psychology, 
  • Yifei Zhang, East Asian Studies
  • Evelyn Zubia, Spanish