Local Students Earn Degrees, Honors from Franklin College

Franklin College’s 2022 Commencement took place on Saturday, May 21, 2022, in Spurlock Center Gymnasium on the Franklin College campus. The event was also live-streamed on the college’s website. The top five majors of the graduating class were business, exercise science, biology, psychology, and history. The college conferred 172 undergraduate degrees and 31 graduate degrees.

Jamie P. Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, delivered the commencement address, and was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters during the ceremony.

The senior class speaker was Brynne E. Newland, a resident of Bloomington, who majored in elementary education and minored in Spanish and English as a new language. Newland plans to return to Bloomington to teach this fall.

Preceding commencement, on Friday, May 20, Rev. Troy Jackson, Ph.D., a 1991 alumnus of the college, gave the baccalaureate address and received an honorary doctorate of divinity degree from the college. Jackson is the co-founder of Undivided and the state strategies director for Faith in Action.

Graduates from Central Indiana include:

• Braydon Matthew Augustinovicz, of McCordsville, earned a Master of Science degree in athletic training. He is a 2021 alumnus of Franklin College.
• Austin Brayden Boyer, of Noblesville, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business (management).
• Nicholas James Burk, of Cicero, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology.
• Benjamin Wesley Burton, of Fishers, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry.
• Claire Elizabeth Castillo, of Fishers, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations.
• Matthew Richard Crandley, of Carmel, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business (management).
• Brooke Ann Haflich, of Noblesville, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education.
• Kaleb Matthew Johnson, of Noblesville, earned a Master of Science degree in physician assistant studies.
• Brittany Ann Spaulding, of Carmel, earned a Master of Science degree in physician assistant studies.
• Tanner Young Swindle, of Sheridan, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in exercise science.

Founded in 1834, Franklin College is a residential liberal arts and sciences institution located 20 minutes south of Indianapolis. Franklin offers a wide array of undergraduate majors as well as master’s degree programs in Physician Assistant Studies and Athletic Training. The unique curriculum merges classroom instruction with immersive experiences, research opportunities and study away programs.

Students participate in 21 NCAA Division III sports, esports, Greek life, musical and theatre productions and more than 40 student organizations. As the first college in Indiana to become coeducational with the admission of women, Franklin welcomes diversity of thought, belief and person into a community that values equity and inclusion. Franklin College maintains a voluntary association with the American Baptist Churches USA. For more information, visit www.FranklinCollege.edu.