CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Forty-eight student-athletes received their degrees from Southeast Missouri State University Saturday during spring commencement exercises at the Show Me Center.
Gary Downing, Southeast alumnus and chief executive officer of Insight Pharmaceuticals, delivered the commencement address. A total of 1,333 students -- 1,048 undergraduates, 283 graduate and specialist students, and two cooperative doctoral students -- received degrees.
In all, 199 student-athletes earned a 3.0 or better grade point average this year. Thirteen of Southeast's athletic teams boasted at least a 3.0 GPA, with gymnastics recording a department-best 3.84 mark.
Additionally, former football standout Eugene Amano was one of five alumni to receive Young Alumni Merit Awards in 2013. Amano received a bachelor's degree in general studies and a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with an emphasis of law enforcement, both from Southeast in 2006. Amano, who is entering his 10th year with the Tennessee Titans, played on the Southeast football team from 2000-2003.
Amano played every game during his college career at Southeast, starting every contest from midway through his freshman year through his senior campaign. He began his career at guard before transitioning to center as a junior. As a senior, Amano won the Rimington Award, given annually to the top center in college football at the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) level. He was also named First-Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association, The NFL Draft Report and Football Gazette, and was a two-time Second-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection.
Congratulations to the following Southeast student-athletes who received their degrees this spring:
Baseball
Trevor Kill, Psychology
Dylan Lynn, General Studies
Jesse Tierney, Finance
Anthony Zerrusen, Agribusiness
John Logan Zink, General Studies
Cross Country and Track & Field
Travon Beard, Child Care & Guidance
Shemeika Brewer, Health Management
Nikki Buchheit, Mathematics Education
Magan Edwards, Social Work
Brian Grote, Exercise Science
Angelica Larrier, General Studies
Tyler Mullen, Biomedical Sciences
Jill Schnurbusch, Dietetics
Nate Shipley, Sport Management
Jared Siemers, Health Management
Max Weiser, Physical Education
Football
Ola Alli, General Studies
Renard Celestin, General Studies
Brandon Gabbard, Criminal Justice
Drew Geldbach, Finance
Josh Jourdan, Criminal Justice
Aaron King, Physical Education
Philip Klaproth, Management
Quinn Perry, Family Studies
Matt Shannon, Marketing Management
Gymnastics
Emma Garrett, Dietetics
Margaret O'Neal, Biomedical Sciences
Men's Basketball
Waylon Jones, Criminal Justice
Marland Smith, Recreation
Corey Wilford, General Studies
Women's Basketball
Katie Norman, Communication Disorders
Bailie Roberts, Finance
Courtney Shiffer, Health Management
Soccer
Hayle Abbott, Sport Management
Ali Bauer, Health Management
Courtney Luehmann, Health Management
Taylor Thomas, Art
Sarah Uptmor, Marine Biology
Softball
Cheyenne Gipson, Technology Management
Evan Sallis, Health Management
Shelby Stein, International Business, Spanish
Spirit Squads
Kelley Oswald, Dietetics, Dance
Jessica Bueter, Hospitality Management
David Massey, Health Management
Allie Job, Dietetics
Volleyball
Brittney Kalinoski, Accounting, Finance
Karlee Lursen, Mass Communications
Samantha Lowman, Agribusiness
