March 2008 Graduation

Two hundred fifty three students received graduate degrees from AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management at the March 2008 graduation ceremony held at the Dayton Masonic Center . Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel, delivered the commencement address. In addition to those attending the ceremony, eight  students received degrees in absentia

 Four students were recognized for their exemplary performance during their graduate studies.    

 The Commandant’s Award for the most exceptional individual master’s thesis research was presented to Capt. Robert Johnson.  

The Mervin E. Gross Award for excellence in academic was presented to First Lt. Christina Rusnock.  

The Edwin E. Aldrin, Sr. Award for strong personal leadership while accomplishing AFIT’s education objectives in an outstanding manner was presented to Maj. Heather Gallup.  

The Secretary James G. Roche Award for exceptional academic as well as character, initiative, leadership and service by an enlisted member was presented to Master Sgt. Denzil Hellesen .  

The graduating class included three Navy officers, five Army officers, three Marine Corps officers, seven Air Force enlisted, and 15 civilians, along with 17 international students from the countries of Turkey , Bahrain , and the Republic of Korea . 

Included among the graduates were 7 recipients of the doctoral degree, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Maj. Kevin Cousin

Maj. James R. Dishaw

Maj. Mark A. Friend

Maj. Glen A. Kading

Maj. David Wesley Marsh

Maj. James D. Phillips

Maj. Shad A. Reed

Twenty six students recognized as Distinguished Graduates.  These, with their departments and degrees earned, were:

 DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS

Second Lt. Jesse David Peterson, M.S. 

 DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Maj. Andrew P. Hansen, M. S.

First Lt. Michael B. Kolbe, M. S.

Capt. Dorsey Carl Wilkin, M. S.

Capt. Nathaniel C. Liefer, M.S.E.E.

Capt. Michael B. Nielsen, M.S.E.E.

Capt. Samuel J. Stone, M.S.E.E.

Mr. William C. Suski II, M.S.E.E. 

DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING PHYSICS

Capt. Justin Benjamin Spring, M.S.

Capt. Kyle R. McAtee, M.S.E.E. 

DEPARTMENT OF OPERATIONAL SCIENCES

 Capt. Robert Joseph Johnson, M.S.

First Lt. Todd J. Paciencia, M.S.

Capt. Jeffrey Glen Holland, M.S (Logistics Management) 

DEPARTMENT OF SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

Maj. James S. Griffin, M.S. (Engineering Management)

Capt. Krista M. Hickman, M.S. (Engineering Management)

Maj. David Michael Nyikos, M.S. (Engineering Management)

Capt. Eric M. Ashe,  M.S, (Information Resource Management)

Capt. Nicholas W. Haan, M.S. (Information Resource Management)

Chief Master Sgt. Randy M. Harris, M.S. (Information Resource Management)

First Lt. Christina F. Rusnock, M.S. (Research and Development Management)

First Lt. Nathan Farrington Welty, M.S. S. E. 

DEPARTMENT OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS  

 First Lt. Mesut Gulmus (Turkey), M.S.

Capt. David M. Hall, M.S. A. E.

Capt. Steven William Speares, M.S. A. E.

Capt. Christopher Donald Geisel,  M.S.Astro E..

First Lt. Sakir Tirsi ( Turkey ),  M.S.Astro E..  

                                              For complete listing of graduates, visit the AFIT website at

                                             http://www.afit.edu/pa/News.cfm?vwk=249

                                                                       Extract from AFIT/PA, March 28, 2008