Published Wednesday, December 4th, 2024
The ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 13 in Rice Auditorium.
Wayne State College will hold its winter commencement ceremony for graduate and undergraduate students at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, in Rice Auditorium. A total of 254 degrees will be conferred.
Students receiving their diplomas will include 190 undergraduates and 64 graduate students from the college’s Master of Science in Education, Master of Science in Organizational Management, Master of Business Administration, and Education Specialist programs.
The ceremony will be livestreamed.
Download the Winter 2024 Commencement Program (PDF)
(includes list of candidates for degree)
Speakers
Jesselyn Brannan-Peterson, Invocation Speaker
Jesselyn Brannan-Peterson of Savaneta, Aruba, will deliver the invocation. She is graduating with a bachelor’s degree with double majors in Networking and Cybersecurity and Programmer/Analyst. She is the daughter of Jessica and Kevin Peterson.
Brannan-Peterson was named to the Dean’s List, participated in the Honors Program, and was a member of the Upsilon Pi Epsilon International Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines.
She served as International Club vice president, a Welcome Week Ambassador, and was a member of the Student Activities Board.
Brannan-Peterson plans to continue working in Sioux Falls, S.D., after graduation with the goal of securing a tech job in Colorado in three years. She is married to Chelsey Brannan-Peterson.
Like many WSC students, Brannan-Peterson is a proud first-generation college student.
Autumn Bender, Commencement Address
Autumn Bender of Humphrey will deliver one of two commencement addresses. She is graduating with a bachelor’s degree with double majors in Drafting and Design and Construction Management. She is the daughter of Scott and Becky Bender of Humphrey.
Bender was a member of the Philomatheans President’s Honor Society, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, Epsilon Pi Tau Industrial Technology Honor Society, Theta Eta Sigma TRIO Scholars Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and was a Susan Buffett Scholar.
She was active with Student Senate, the Drafting and Design Club, Associated General Contractors, SkillsUSA, and TRIO.
After graduation, Bender will be the new draftsman at A&H Building and Supply in Humphrey, where she looks forward to helping clients bring their dreams to life and design their custom homes.
Bender’s sister, Yasmine Shabram, and brother-in-law, Isaiah Shabram, graduated from Wayne State in 2023 and plan to graduate with their WSC master’s degrees in 2025.
Kelsey Cooper, Commencement Address
Kelsey Cooper of Omaha will deliver one of two commencement addresses. She is graduating with a master of science in education degree with emphases on School Administration 7-12 and Special Education Supervision. She is the daughter of Clayton Moore and Linda George.
Cooper currently works as dean of students for Omaha Public Schools. She has plans to pursue a career as a middle school principal.
Cooper’s father-in-law, Richard Cooper, graduated from Wayne State in 1971.
Kelsey is married to Scott Cooper, with whom she has two children, Case and Lane.