Commencement Ceremony

This list of graduates is accurate as possible but should not be regarded as the final. Graduates will receive diplomas by mail upon successful completion of their academic degrees. Graduates who have privacy restrictions on their records are not included in the list.

Ringing of the Bell 

Kathryn Paul, President, Associated Students of Fort Lewis College

Processional 

Fort Lewis College Drum Line, John O’Neal, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Music, Fort Lewis College

National Anthem 

Katelynn Bowie

Land Acknowledgment 

Michelle Luevano, Hozhoni Ambassador

Welcome 

Heather Shotton, Ph.D., President, Fort Lewis College 

Greetings 

• Janet Lopez, Ph.D., Chair, Board of Trustees  
• Kathryn Paul, President, Associated Students of Fort Lewis College
• David Blake, Ph.D., President, Faculty Senate

Graduation Remarks 

Sterlin Harjo, Director, Producer and Screenwriter

Recognition of Candidates 

• Steve Fenster, Ph.D., Dean, School of Arts & Sciences, Fort Lewis College
• Chiara Cannella, Ph.D., Interim Dean, School of Education, Fort Lewis College
• Heather Shotton, Ph.D., President, Fort Lewis College

Honor Song 

Sawmill Singers 

Board of Trustees 

• Christopher Adam Red
• Janet Lopez, Ph.D.
• Jill Hawley
• Jordan Dresser
• Julie Levy Duvall
• Mary Rubadeau
• Meredith Mapel
• Paul Major
• Stacey DeFore

Platform Party 

• Chiara Cannella, Ph.D., Interim Dean, School of Education
• David Blake, Ph.D., President, Faculty Senate
• Doug Ewing, Interim Dean, Student Engagement
• Heather Shotton, Ph.D., President
• Janet Lopez, Ph.D., Board of Trustees
• Jess Savage, VP, Enrollment Management
• Jill Hawley, Board of Trustees
• Jordan Dresser, Board of Trustees
• Kathryn Paul, President, Associated Students of Fort Lewis College
• Kendra Gallegos-Reichle, Interim VP, Diversity Affairs
• Lori Cook, VP, Institutional Advancement
• Liz Cartier, Ph.D., Dean, Katz School of Business
• Mario Martinez, Ph.D., VP, Academic Affairs & Provost
• Mary Rubadeau, Board of Trustees
• Michelle Luevano, Hozhoni Ambassador
• Pete McCormick, Ph.D., Associate Provost
• Steve Fenster, Ph.D., Dean, School of Arts & Sciences
• Steve Schwartz, VP, Finance & Administration
• Sterlin Harjo, Keynote Speaker
• Veronika Furst, Ph.D., Professor of Mathematics

The Provost’s Office is proud to honor the two students with the highest cumulative
GPA of this graduating class. These students are a testament to hard work and great
success in the classroom.

Bethany Haverly
Cellular & Molecular Biology, Music, Chemistry Minor
Summa Cum Laude

Bethany grew up in the mountains near Mancos, Colorado, where she was homeschooled by her parents, Steve and Angie Haverly. She is graduating with majors in Cellular & Molecular Biology and Music with a focus in violin. While at Fort Lewis College, Bethany has acted as a student officer and member of the Village Aid Project. Outside of school, she loves trail running, serving at her church, and work as a nursing assistant. Bethany is looking forward to marrying her fiancé and earning her nursing license after graduation.

Caleb Martin
Philosophy, Political Science, Honors Minor
Summa Cum Laude

Caleb is representing Edgewood, New Mexico, graduating with degrees in Philosophy, Political Science, and Honors. He is an aspiring educator and will be moving to Denver, Colorado, to pursue teaching and writing. He will cherish his time in Durango, as it taught him lessons that he will hold tight for the rest of his life. He has many people to thank, but he would like to recognize his dad, Chris Martin, mom, Eloisa Martin, and brother, Cody Martin. Thank you all!

The graduation gowns worn by Fort Lewis College bachelor’s degree candidates and faculty originate in the academic dress of the 12th and 13th centuries. In the late 19th century, colors for each academic discipline were standardized.

In 1895, an intercollegiate commission adopted the first code of academic dress that included the style and cut of the gowns, as well as prescribed colors. The gown for bachelor’s degree candidates features pointed sleeves and is designed to be worn closed. The doctoral gown has bell-shaped sleeves, a front facing made of velvet, and three bars of velvet across the sleeves. Facings and sleeve bars may be the color of the discipline in which the doctoral degree was obtained, but traditionally they are black. Hoods, which drape across the chest and down the back, are more complex in coloring and design. Generally, hoods worn by faculty who have attained doctoral degrees are trimmed in dark blue to represent their mastery of a discipline. Some institutions also include their school colors in the hood’s design, and others might include the colors of the academic discipline in which the degree was obtained.

• Agriculture — Maize 
• Arts, Letters, Humanities — White 
• Accountancy, Business — Drab 
• Economics — Copper 
• Education — Light Blue 
• Engineering — Orange 
• Exercise Science — Sage 
• Fine Arts — Brown 
• Journalism — Crimson 
• Law — Purple 
• Library Science — Lemon 
• Medicine — Green 
• Music — Pink 
• Oratory — Silver Gray 
• Pharmacy — Olive Green 
• Philosophy — Dark Blue 
• Political Science — Citron 
• Public Administration — Peacock Blue 
• Public Health — Salmon Pink 
• Science — Golden Yellow 
• Social Work — Citron 
• Theology — Scarlet 
• Theatre — Blue 

Fort Lewis College bachelor’s degree candidates wear mortarboards with the tassels hanging to the right before they receive their degrees. Graduates move the tassels to the left after recognition by the president.

Graduation Protocol 

The Fort Lewis College Commencement Ceremony is a solemn, celebratory occasion that recognizes and honors a major life passage for the institution’s graduates. As such, audience members are asked to observe the following: 

• Please turn off cell phones.
• Please stand in respect when the graduation processional begins.
• Please show respect for all graduates by staying through the entirety of the ceremony and not leaving after your graduate has been recognized.
• Please remain seated during the recession of faculty and graduates.
• Please note that an American Sign Language interpreter will be located to the left side of the stage.  

Graduation Memories 

facebook.com/fortlewis
#FLCClassOf2026 

Grad Images is the official photographer for Commencement. Photos will be available for purchase within 48–72 hours. Please visit gradimages.com for more information. 

Graduation Reception 

The President’s Office hosts a reception for graduates, their families and guests, and college faculty, staff, and administrators immediately following the ceremony at San Juan Dining Hall in the Student Union. Refreshments will be served. 

Ringing of the Bell 

Per tradition, the FLC community will once again hear the chimes of the legendary Skyhawk bell. This storied bell served many years on a steam locomotive of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad. The bell was gifted to Fort Lewis College by William M. White and the D&RGW on December 7, 1963. This year, the bell will ring 68 times, marking each year this special tradition has been honored. 

In the event of inclement weather that prevents us from holding the commencement ceremony outdoors, the ceremony will be moved indoors to Whalen Gymnasium. To ensure that all allocated tickets for students’ guests are honored, two separate ceremonies will be held. 

Both ceremonies will take place on Saturday, May 2. The first ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by the second ceremony at 12 p.m. Each ceremony will last approximately one hour. 

Students will be notified of the activation of the inclement weather plan and their assigned ceremony time on Wednesday, April 29. Graduates will be assigned a ceremony time based on their major.