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Spring 2025 Commencement

We Salute Our Spring 2025 Graduates

¶¶ÒõÊÓÆµâ€™s 179th Commencement Ceremony honors the achievements of 1,115 graduates, who represent 46 states and 35 countries.

Earning a degree is a significant accomplishment – and doing so while balancing family, work and other life commitments make this milestone even more meaningful. While the diploma certifies our graduates’ new-found knowledge and skills, it is also a testament to the abilities they relied on to reach the finish line – hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

We are proud to celebrate the successes of our Spring 2025 graduates. Congratulations!

¶¶ÒõÊÓÆµâ€™s Spring 2025 Commencement Ceremony will be streamed live below at 2 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, June 1, 2025, for those families and friends who wish to watch the ceremony from home. Join us as early as 1:45 p.m. for pre-event music and a welcome message.

Be sure to check back on Wednesday, June 4, for updates and more memorable moments from Franklin’s 179th Commencement, captured in photos!

Spring 2025 Commencement Video

Graduating Student Speaker
 

Kyle Webb

Kyle M. Webb is an accomplished IT services executive with more than 12 years of experience designing and managing innovative IT solutions for government, healthcare, manufacturing and nonprofit sectors. As director of IT services for the Knox County Commissioners, Kyle built a robust IT department, spearheaded large-scale system migrations, and implemented cutting-edge security and disaster recovery solutions. A strategic leader, Kyle excels in stakeholder collaboration, cross-functional team empowerment, and delivering transformative technology projects. Graduating today with his M.S. in Cybersecurity, he also holds a bachelor’s degree in information systems management from Shawnee State University. 

Outstanding Graduation Honorees

 

Dr. Patricia Upton

Dr. Patricia Upton is an enthusiastic and dedicated healthcare professional from Ohio. She has 15 years of experience in clinical care and healthcare administration. Tricia is passionate about health equity and ensuring people have every opportunity for maximum health attainment. She is eager to apply what she learned throughout her studies in the Doctor of Healthcare Administration program to improve the world her son grows up in and help every community she interacts with. Like her peers, Tricia is graduating from ¶¶ÒõÊÓÆµ with an enhanced skill set, ready to make a difference.

Erin O’Neill

Erin O’Neill is a dedicated leader with a career that spans higher education, nonprofits and journalism. A grants administrator at Washington State College of Ohio, Erin also serves on the Marietta (Ohio) city council, where she works to improve workforce development, city finances and strategic planning, and public services. A Graduate Student Scholarship recipient, she earned her M.S. in Marketing & Communication while balancing a career, a commitment to public service and, most importantly, raising her daughter as a single parent. Being a devoted mom to her child, who is now a student at Columbus College of Art & Design, remains her greatest achievement.  

Ashley Sampson

Ashley Sampson is an entrepreneur and leader dedicated to making a meaningful impact. She is the founder of Divine Light Cleaning Services, an Airbnb professional cleaning business, and works as a computer lab manager, overseeing Edgenuity, a program that helps students recover credits or earn initial credits toward graduation. Ashley maintained a 4.0 GPA while earning her A.A.S. Business Administration at ¶¶ÒõÊÓÆµ and plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree in human resources. Ashley’s ultimate goal is to lead, empower and drive positive change through a career in HR and administration.  

Bailey Award Winners

 

Dr. Anita Hunter

Dr. Anita Hunter has been teaching graduate-level nursing courses at Franklin since 2022. Anita worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner before moving into academia, where in addition to teaching, she began her journey into international nursing. For 22 years, she enlisted nursing students in significant efforts abroad including working with victims of The Troubles in Northern Ireland and establishing sustainable health programs in Mexico, the Caribbean and Africa. Anita’s career, which spans more than 50 years, also includes publishing extensively. Since retiring, she has enjoyed teaching online, as she loves working with students. Dr. Hunter holds a master’s in nursing from the University of Massachusetts, a pediatric nurse practitioner degree from Northeastern University and a doctorate from the University of Connecticut. 

Sara Rollo

Sara Rollo has been teaching undergraduate mathematics courses at Franklin since 2021. In addition to actively engaging students through discussion posts and weekly live meetings, Sara encourages her students and displays compassion, understanding and empathy. Additionally, Sara created two co-requisite remediation courses, presented at the Student Success Leadership Institute, and serves on the Ohio Public University and College Math Chairs and Leads Network. Sara continues to seek opportunities to support and promote student success. A graduate of the University of Akron with a master’s degree in applied mathematics, Sara is currently working toward a doctorate in organizational Leadership with a focus in higher education leadership.  

Doctoral Achievements: Dissertations & Scholarly Projects

Taking on a doctoral program is no easy task – as any doctoral student will tell you. This trimester, 24 determined Franklin doctoral students crossed a finish line that statistically only 2% of the world’s population ever will. Over the course of their studies, they advanced their knowledge, solved real world challenges and made significant contributions to their disciplines. It was our honor and privilege to support them.

Dissertations and scholarly projects showcase practical solutions to real-world challenges in business, healthcare, education, instructional design and nursing. 
 

Capture Your Cap Contest

Calling all Spring 2025 graduates!

Thank you to all who entered our #CaptureYourCap contest—congrats to Makenah L., our winner with over 150 votes!

Social Media Toolkit

Below, you will find our official Franklin-branded commencement social media toolkit. Please feel free to download a graphic and share your Franklin pride on your social media to commemorate this milestone! Be sure to tag us and hashtag: #DreamsComeTrueAtFranklinU!

Online Spirit Store

Searching for Franklin alumni gear to congratulate your favorite new grad? 

The online ¶¶ÒõÊÓÆµ Spirit Store offers a wide array of items to meet your needs. As an added benefit, you can feel good knowing that a portion of the purchase price for every item goes toward funding ¶¶ÒõÊÓÆµ scholarships.

¶¶ÒõÊÓÆµ honors Oyauma Garrison with the Alumni Award for Social Impact  

Oyauma Garrison is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) at Maryhaven, Inc., a nonprofit organization that helps individuals and families lead healthy lives free from addiction and mental health challenges by providing education, treatment and support.

Prior to Maryhaven, Oyauma served as the national president and CEO for A Kid Again, a nonprofit focused on providing hope, happiness and healing for families raising children battling a life-threatening condition. Under his leadership, the organization grew from one state to all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. within five years.  

A former insurance company executive with more than 20 years of combined experience at State Farm, Nationwide, Allstate and Jacobson, Oyauma has received numerous awards for leadership and community service. He received an honorary doctorate from Franklin in 2019. In 2021, he received Denison University’s highest alumni honor, an Alumni Citation. He delivered his first TED Talk on corporate social responsibility in 2016, and has been featured in several publications. Among his many recognitions is the U.S. Presidential 2014 Gold Standard Award for Service.  

Oyauma currently is a director (chair) on the board of Buckeye Mutual Insurance Company. Previously, he was the board chair for St. Vincent Family Centers, co-chaired the United Way Campaign Cabinet Corporate Development Committee and served a two-year term as co-chair of the United Way of Central Ohio Tocqueville Society.  

Oyauma earned his bachelor’s degree from Denison and his MBA from Franklin. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Oyauma is the proud father of four: Mya, Cameron, Carter and Ava.

#DreamsComeTrueAtFranklinU

Graduates, we want to celebrate you! Use the hashtag #DreamsComeTrueAtFranklinU on your Instagram post for a chance to be featured right here and be part of the celebration.

Past Commencement Information