UNC's Fall 2022 Commencement Ceremonies, Dec. 9-10
The University of Northern Colorado is hosting its fall commencement ceremonies on
Friday, Dec. 9 and Saturday, Dec. 10. Approximately 927 students will graduate this
fall with around 526 earning bachelor’s degrees and around 401 earning a master’s
specialist or doctoral degree.
December 1, 2022
Fall 2022 graduates shared their story with us about their time at UNC.
The University of Northern Colorado is hosting its fall 2022 commencement ceremonies on Friday, Dec. 9 and Saturday, Dec. 10. Approximately 927 students will graduate this semester with around 526 earning bachelor’s
degrees and around 401 earning a master’s, specialist or doctoral degree.
Events this year include a doctoral hooding ceremony on Friday followed by three separate
ceremonies on Saturday to celebrate our bachelor's, master's and specialist candidates.
Continue reading for ceremony details and meet our featured student speakers.
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony
The Graduate School is hosting a ceremony for doctoral candidates on Friday, Dec.
9, 7 p.m., in the Campus Commons Performance Hall.
Doctoral Student Speaker Daniel Edi Doctor of Philosophy Applied Statistics and Research Methods
Prior to enrolling at UNC, Daniel Edi earned a bachelor’s in Petroleum Engineering
with a minor in Mathematics from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a master’s
in Statistics from the University of New Mexico. While completing his doctoral program
in Applied Statistics and Research Methods, Edi served as a statistical and research
consultant at the university's Research Consulting Lab, an instructor for introduction
to statistical analysis, a proposal reviewer for the McNair Scholars Program and the
Graduate Student Association’s Faculty Research and Publications Board representative.
Following graduation, Edi will be joining an edtech company as a research scientist.
In the next five to seven years, he plans to start a research-based organization in
his home country, Ivory Coast, that will focus on academic assessments for K-12 students.
Edi and his wife have a son who will be one year old on Jan. 30, 2023.
Doctoral Student Speaker Leighann Brock Doctor of Nursing Practice Nursing: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Leighann Brock dedicated herself to the nursing profession in 2010, working her way
up from a certified nurse's aide to a candidate for the doctoral degree she will receive
this fall. Brock worked at the bedside as a registered nurse in critical care for
10 years. In 2020, she earned her master’s in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
from UNC, while also working as a graduate teaching assistant/instructor in the School
of Nursing. Brock is now working as an internal medicine nurse practitioner specializing
in geriatrics, which she will tell you is the greatest generation of all time. During
her studies, Brock felt called to improve patient outcomes by translating research
into practice. She looks forward to furthering her doctoral research on burnout prevention
in critical care nursing and assisting in the advocacy for mental health support and
wellness for healthcare workers. A Colorado native who grew up in Arvada, Brock resides
in northern Colorado with her college sweetheart, their 10-year-old daughter and their
Bachelor’s, Master’s, Specialists Ceremonies
There are three ceremonies for bachelor’s, master’s and specialist’s candidates on
Saturday, Dec. 10 in the Bank of Colorado Arena at the following times:
9 a.m. — College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
12:30 p.m. — College of Natural and Health Sciences and College of Performing and
3 p.m. — College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Kenneth W. Monfort College
Angela Walker has been in the education field for 25 years. She has had tremendous
success as a band director, ESL instructor, general music teacher (elementary and
middle grades), choir teacher, strings instructor, assistant principal, dean of students
and student success coordinator both in Georgia and in Colorado’s Douglas, Denver
Public Schools and Adams 14 school districts. Walker earned her principal’s license
and Master of Educational Leadership from Colorado State University in 2012, a Master
of Music Education through VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois and a
Bachelor of Fine Arts through Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. Walker
enjoys golfing, hiking, biking, fishing and kayaking in her spare time and is the
proud parent of the most talked-about dog in town, a black Pomeranian named Fifi.
Undergraduate Student Speaker Sarah Shaia Bachelor of Arts Psychology
Sarah Shaia is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in History.
She moved to Colorado in 2020 with her husband after having lived in several different
states throughout her life. A first-generation college student, Shaia’s academic path
started later than most but has enriched her life in ways she never expected. During
her undergraduate career at UNC, Shaia participated in several clubs, including Psi
Chi and the International Honor Society in Psychology, where she served as the fall
2022 president. Shaia also worked at UNC as an intern for the College of Education
and Behavioral Sciences Academic Advising Office and as an orientation leader for
New Student Orientation and New Student Days. After graduation, Shaia plans to pursue
a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs with the hopes of helping
students like herself navigate college life.
Colleges of Natural and Health Sciences and Performing and Visual Arts
Undergraduate student speaker Kaci Molnar Bachelor of Arts K-12 Art Education
Kaci Molnar grew up in Colorado with a love and passion for music, theatre and art.
She is graduating this fall with a Bachelor of Arts in K-12 Art Education, with a
minor in Psychology to pursue her love of education, instilling passion for the arts
in children and studying human behavior. Throughout her time at UNC, Molnar has had
the pleasure of working with many incredible people and participating in a unique
and caring community. She was a finalist for the Southard Award exhibition and had
the pleasure of displaying her work in many of the UNC galleries.
College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Kenneth W. Monfort College of Business
Graduate student speaker Barton Talkington Master of Business Administration Business Administration
Barton “Brooks” Talkington is from Flower Mound, Texas but has called Greeley home
since 2017. He is graduating this fall from the Monfort College of Business with an
MBA in Business Administration after earning a bachelor’s in Business Marketing. During
his time here, Talkington has competed for the UNC Bears football team playing defensive
end and serving as team captain for the 2022 season. He plans on returning to Texas
after graduation, in pursuit of a career following his interests in financial consulting
Undergraduate student speaker Karina Marquez Gandara Bachelor of Arts Criminology and Criminal Justice Bachelor of Science Business Administration
Karina Marquez Gandara is from Denver, more specifically the Westwood neighborhood.
She is earning two bachelor's degrees this fall, a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology
and Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an
emphasis in Management and a Human Resources Certification with a minor in Psychology.
Marquez Gandara is a first-generation Latina student and daughter of two Mexican immigrants.
She has a passion for helping and empowering her community. During her time at UNC,
Marquez Gandara held various leadership roles with Greek life and the Center for Human
Enrichment (CHE) program. Following graduation, she plans to enter the workforce and
UNC’s Fall 2022 Graduating Class
No. of students graduating: 927
No. of students earning a bachelor's degree: 526
No. who are first generation: 249 (47%)
No. of students earning graduate degrees:401 (334 master's, 13 specialists, 54 doctorates)
No. of graduating veterans
Most popular majors (by degree awarded):
Undergraduate: Psychology, Business Administration, Nursing, Elementary Education, Sport and Exercise
Graduate: Special Education, Business Administration, Educational Psychology, Sport and Exercise
Science, Educational Leadership
International countries represented: 13 (Bolivia, Canada, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Germany, India, Iraq, Jordan, Libia
Jamahiriya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom)
States represented: 46 (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia,
Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,
Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas,
Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming)
Colorado counties represented: 39 (Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Archuleta, Baca, Boulder, Broomfield, Cheyenne, Conejos,
Custer, Delta, Denver, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Elbert, Garfield, Grand, Jefferson,
Kit Carson, La Plata, Larimer, Logan, Mesa, Montrose, Morgan, Otero, Park, Phillips,
Pitkin, Prowers, Pueblo, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, Summit, Teller, Weld and Yuma)
Data regarding UNC's fall 2022 graduating class is tentative as of Nov. 18, 2022.
Degrees are conferred in January 2023.