Commencement Participants

Students among those earning the highest cumulative GPA are selected by committee for special academic awards that include a role in Commencement.

Richard W. Leatherman, Sr. and Ida May Leatherman Mace Bearer Award

Established in 2013, this award honors the memory of Richard W. Leatherman, Sr. and Ida May Leatherman and is given in recognition of academic excellence. The award recipient is given the honor of carrying the University Mace and leading the graduates in the Commencement processional.

  • 2023: Elisa de la Vega Ricardo
  • 2022: Dan Thigpen
  • 2021: Kenny Buchholz
  • 2020: Jerrod Hawkes
  • 2019: Travis Sparrow
  • 2018: Rebecca Hubbard
  • 2017: Samantha Eastlack
  • 2016: Jack Foster
  • 2015: Kelly Bryan
  • 2014: Brian E. Spitzer
  • 2013: Jane Meriwether Gilmore
  • 2012: Laura Taylor
  • 2011: Jerry Stire
  • 2010: Patrick Neal Jinks
  • 2009: Brian L. Taylor
  • 2008: Laura Boutroy Morris
  • 2007: Amy C. Hess
  • 2006: Stefanie A. Hutchison
  • 2005: Patricia Wood Fagan
  • 2004: Jonathan Payne DeShazo
  • 2003: Clinton Douglas Darby
  • 2002: Cynthia Marie Johnson
  • 2001: Jacqueline C. Mathews
  • 2000: Marina M. Taylor
  • 1999: Mary F. Hogan
  • 1998: Karen Gayle Smith-Will

Prior to 2013, Mace Bearer was not a named award and the Richard W. Leatherman, Sr. and Ida May Leatherman Book Award recognized excellence in the Human Resource Management program. In 2013, the award was revised to recognize School-wide academic excellence with the honor of bearing the University mace during Commencement exercises.

United States Flag Bearer

  • 2023: Rich Bottone
  • 2022: Brittany Woo
  • 2021: April Bittner
  • 2020: Kiana Bradford
  • 2019: Suzanne Herbst
  • 2018: Elizabeth Stagg
  • 2017: Jamie Beck
  • 2016: Nikki Rainey
  • 2015: Christopher Ferguson
  • 2014: Carmela M. Brenzie
  • 2013: John Jameson
  • 2012: Kathleen Grogan
  • 2011: Lucy Hamilton
  • 2010: Laura L. Marks, Heather L. George
  • 2009: Annette Williams Branch
  • 2008: Rosemary Rawlins
  • 2007: Mutahara Mobashar

University of Richmond Flag Bearer

  • 2023: José P. Hermosilla
  • 2022: Tonya Woodson
  • 2021: Anne Chapman
  • 2020: Tammy Alexander
  • 2019: Valerie Mooney
  • 2018: Sunni Brown
  • 2017: Rob Phillips
  • 2016: Sean Armstrong
  • 2015: Wayne Parker
  • 2014: Gregory B. Mays
  • 2013: Jonathan Brown
  • 2012: Emily Robinson-Endert
  • 2011: Sandra Davis
  • 2010: Lisa Hermann Davis
  • 2009: Kimberly Morgan Harley
  • 2008: Kimberlee Kay Randolph
  • 2007: Christine Judy Miller

School Banner Bearer

  • 2023: Ana Reilly
  • 2022: Ariyan Bakhti-Suroosh
  • 2021: Jeremy Tozier
  • 2020: Tiffany Humphrey
  • 2019: Thomas Dever
  • 2018: Sara Worley
  • 2017: Jennifer Osterman
  • 2016: Matthew Brock
  • 2015: Jaclyn McConnell
  • 2014: Emily W. Thompson
  • 2013: Jacqueline Bowen
  • 2012: Katherine Rothert
  • 2011: Marian Calabro
  • 2010: Meredith Roberts Grady
  • 2009: David Leslie Wade
  • 2008: Leila Marie Youmans
  • 2007: Kelly M. Bouton

Student Commencement Speaker

  • 2023: Winston Mugford
  • 2022: Kelly Lawler
  • 2021: Cooper Sved
  • 2020: Brian Krach
  • 2019: Griffin Trau, ’18
  • 2018: Kendyl Crawley Crawford
  • 2017: Lisa Cheney
  • 2016: Robert B. (Ben) Baldwin
  • 2015: Freddie Hornedo
  • 2014: Ryan J. O’Rourke
  • 2013: Mark H. Troemel
  • 2012: Martha Pittaway
  • 2011: Jerry Clemmer
  • 2010: Thomas C. Barth
  • 2009: Vincent C. West
  • 2008: Carolyn S. Kaufman
  • 2007: Dianne Foster St. John
  • 2006: James Morgan
  • 2005: Denise Walent
  • 2004: Susan Poveromo
  • 2003: Linda Topp Daniels
  • 2002: Khristian Molchan
  • 2001: Annette Ardler
  • 2000: James Meade
  • 1999: Anthony McLean
  • 1998: Karen Smith-Will
  • 1997: Martha Ford
  • 1996: Gilbert Logan
  • 1995: Rebecca Gibson

Commencement Speaker

Since 2002, special Commencement speakers are occassionally invited to address graduating students. Current tradition places focus on student, faculty and alumni speakers. The faculty speaker is the recipient of the Itzkowitz Family Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Award and the alumni speaker is the recipient of the Gibb Family Distinguished Alumni Award.

  • 2015: Dr. James L. Narduzzi, Dean
  • 2013: Dr. Ed Ayers, President
  • 2010: Jay Ipson
  • 2009: Colonel Kimberly S. Lettner, C'06
  • 2008: Dr. Mary G.F. Bitterman
  • 2007: Dr. June Aprille
  • 2006: Belle S. Wheelan
  • 2005: J. David Cryer
  • 2004: Richard Leatherman
  • 2003: Paul Galanti
  • 2001: Scott Parry
  • 2000: Lucinda Roy
  • 1999: Mary Sue Terry
  • 1998: Robert Jepson
  • 1997: Katharine Lee
  • 1996: Bruce Heilman
  • 1995: Robert Ukrop