The University of South Carolina Union honored the achievements of its graduates during Commencement Exercises held Saturday, May 2.
Serving as commencement speaker was Josh Simpson, a speaker, strategic advisor, and Mayor of Reidville. Simpson made history as the youngest and first Black American elected to the position. A 2012 graduate of Union County High School and a 2016 graduate of Wofford College, Simpson was also a four-year Division I baseball letterman during his collegiate career.
In 2023, Simpson founded Kid On The Left, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting local communities through scholarships and sports camps. His leadership and service earned statewide recognition in 2024 when he was named one of South Carolina’s “12 Black Leaders to Know” by The Post and Courier. Simpson also served with the Union County Education Hall of Fame Committee and as Chair of the Executive Leadership Team for the Alzheimer’s Association South Carolina Chapter. He and his wife, Kelsey, are the parents of three children: Kai, Korie, and Kru.
During the ceremony, Tracy Stapleton was recognized as Distinguished Teacher of the Year for her excellence in instruction and student engagement. The 2026 Commencement Scholarship Award went to Chloe Clark, a pre-nursing major whose dedication to academics, leadership, and service distinguished her during her time at USC Union. A graduate of Paul M. Dorman High School, Clark completed the R.D. Anderson Certified Nursing Program while in high school, earning both her diploma and Certified Nursing Assistant certification.
Since enrolling at USC Union, Clark earned President’s List recognition while actively participating in Student Government Association, Bantam Blessings, and the Student Advisory Council. She also competed in the Miss USC Union Pageant, where she was selected as Miss Photogenic. Clark planned to continue her education through the USC Union/USC Aiken joint nursing program and hoped to pursue a career in Labor and Delivery nursing. In addition to her studies, she worked as a CNA with Elite Homecare, participated in the USC Union Federal Work-Study Program in the School of Nursing, and spent her spare time Door Dashing.
USC Union also recognized Hayden Williams as the recipient of the Kennedy Academic Award. This award was established by the late Mr. B.F. Kennedy and his wife, Myrna, to publicly honor and reward the USC Union graduate who demonstrates exceptional academic achievement by earning the highest GPA each year.
Williams, a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship recipient, consistently earned President’s List honors while balancing academics, employment, campus leadership, and athletics. He served in Student Government Association, represented USC Union at events across the state, and competed as a member of the USC Union Bass Fishing Team.
According to Bass Fishing Coach Cameron Coone, Williams represented USC Union with professionalism and pride both on and off the water, demonstrating leadership, accountability, sportsmanship, and integrity. Williams was also recently named USC Union Angler of the Year during the university’s annual awards banquet. After graduation, Williams planned to continue his education at USC Union through Palmetto College, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership while continuing his fishing career.
The Class of 2026 Graduates are as follows:
Associate in Arts
Landon Robert Bannister: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; High Honors
Carson L Bay: Associate in Arts
Joseph Henry Bontrager: Associate in Arts
Brett C Boone: Associate in Arts; High Honors
Gavin Douglas Brown: Associate in Arts
Skyler Ann Brown: Associate in Arts; High Honors
Javier Enrique Carles: Associate in Arts; Honors
Christopher Louis Chavous Jr.: Associate in Arts; High Honors
Kennedy Reese Coffer: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; Honors
Allie Belle Davis: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; High Honors
Ross Douglas Dochterman: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; High Honors
Makayla Summer Dos Santos: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; Honors
Bryson M Durham: Associate in Arts; Honors
Angela Dawn Edenfield: Associate in Arts; Honors
Ethan Dean Evatt: Associate in Arts; Honors
Loren Christine Finley: Associate in Arts
Eric Julien Födisch: Associate in Arts; Honors
Benfield Christopher Fowler: Associate in Arts; Highest Honors
Brian Charles Frank: Associate in Arts
Luke Vincent Garofalo: Associate in Arts
George Landon Gomes: Associate in Arts; Honors
Jaedon Urijah Goodwin: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science
Lara Charette Gory: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; Honors
Nathaniel Benedict Green: Associate in Arts
Kaitlyn Nicole Greene: Associate in Arts; Honors
Bryson Christopher Gurley: Associate in Arts
Brandon Yandel Hernandez-Cesmas: Associate in Arts; Honors
Bryson Shawn Holland: Associate in Arts
My’Ana Brychele Holmes: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; High Honors
Mayson Grace Horton: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; High Honors
Falijah Maurya Jackson: Associate in Arts
Joshua Lamar Jackson: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; High Honors
Gracelyn Jade Jones: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; Honors
Alexander David Kiniry: Associate in Arts; High Honors
Markus Jermaine Kirksey: Associate in Arts
Andrew Dean Latham: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; High Honors
Fagan Rose Laux: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; Honors
Cody R Lawson: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science
Emilyann Elizabeth Legrand: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science
Joshua Macdonald: Associate in Arts
Sara Katherine Marshall: Associate in Arts
Austin Michael McCall: Associate in Arts
Tyler Michael: Associate in Arts; High Honors
Logan Alexander Miyar: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science
Anthony Isaiah Moore: Associate in Arts
Brandi N Moore: Associate in Arts; Honors
Zane Divine Morton: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science
Rebecca Audrey Murphy: Associate in Arts
Robert Gary Thomas Murphy: Associate in Arts
Caitlynn Marie O’Shields: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science
Steve Lionel Ouattara: Associate in Arts
Fredrik Jack Payne: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; Highest Honors
Emma Pelletier: Associate in Arts; High Honors
Aubrey Claire Revis: Associate in Arts; Honors
Catherine Michelle Roby: Associate in Arts; Highest Honors
Juan Jose Rodas: Associate in Arts
Virginia Grace Root: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science
Carson Anna Rumsey: Associate in Arts
Corey M Scott: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; High Honors
Emma Leigh Scott: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science
Paige Marie Shelton: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; Honors
Brystol Keegan Shannon: Associate in Arts
Justin Alexander Skorupski: Associate in Arts; Honors
Mason Kole Small: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; High Honors
Kylie Elizabeth Starns: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; Highest Honors
Makiah L Stewart: Associate in Arts
Julia Malgorzata Szatkowska: Associate in Arts
David Kenneth Taylor: Associate in Arts
Gavin Lane Tessnear: Associate in Arts
Zaporia Jane’ Thompson: Associate in Arts
Gavin Crosby Underwood: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; Honors
Nataleigh Sue Wright: Associate in Arts; Associate in Science; Honors
Associate in Science
Gage R Akins: Associate in Science
Landon Richard Akins: Associate in Science; Honors
Steven Emory Allen: Associate in Science; High Honors
EmmaLea Grace Brown: Associate in Science; Honors
Peyton Thomas Burton: Associate in Science
Karlie Rose Chapman: Associate in Science; Honors
Karleigh Bre Cochran: Associate in Science
Carlisle Wade Coker: Associate in Science; High Honors
Allie Ann Cole: Associate in Science; High Honors
Camden Drake Crosby: Associate in Science
Gabriel Werner Dotterweich: Associate in Science
Kyla J Downs-Paprocki: Associate in Science; Highest Honors
Lillian Nicole Gonzalez: Associate in Science
Scarlett Jane Goudelock: Associate in Science
Faith Marie Hamrick: Associate in Science; High Honors
David Tyler Haney: Associate in Science; High Honors
June Marie Heitman: Associate in Science; High Honors
Matias Jaramillo: Associate in Science; Honors
Brooklyn Faye Jennings: Associate in Science; Honors
Jacqueline N Johnson: Associate in Science
Nathan Michael Koepke: Associate in Science
Fallon Elenor Laux: Associate in Science
JaRiyah Nieimma Lewis: Associate in Science; Honors
Reagan Blythe Minick: Associate in Science
Jamison Mack Parks: Associate in Science; Honors
Cason D’angelo Porter: Associate in Science
Allie Grace Price: Associate in Science; Highest Honors
Dillon James Pruett: Associate in Science; High Honors
Noah Sinclair Robinson: Associate in Science
Pedro Silva Rocha: Associate in Science
Tanner Michael Smith: Associate in Science
Landon Thomas Sumner: Associate in Science; Honors
Jarran Lee Tennant: Associate in Science
Amariah Ny’destiny Nicole Thompson: Associate in Science
Pablo Valverde: Associate in Science; High Honors
Adrian Christopher Williams: Associate in Science
Hayden Robert Williams: Associate in Science; Highest Honors
Channing Jeffrey Wood: Associate in Science
BS in Nursing
Helena Michelle Alexander: BS in Nursing
Jamarri Xzavion Booker: BS in Nursing
Hannah Madison Copeland: BS in Nursing
Taylor Taina Gregory: BS in Nursing
Jasma Tironda Hill: BS in Nursing
Haley Sierra Jackson: BS in Nursing
Maddyson Grace Manus: BS in Nursing
Katie Dianne Painter: BS in Nursing
Madison Stephenson: BS in Nursing
Palmetto College: Liberal Studies
Anthony JKwan Briggs: Liberal Studies
Dawson Bryce Carden: Liberal Studies
Noah Trent Walker Flood: Liberal Studies
Stephon Stiles Gilmore: Liberal Studies
Gonzie Tremayne Gray: Liberal Studies
Samantha Marie Ingle: Liberal Studies; Magna Cum Laude
Xiomara Ramirez-Bernal: Liberal Studies; Cum Laude
Kirstyn Olivia Reynolds: Liberal Studies; Cum Laude
Jeremy Donnell Robinson: Liberal Studies
Brittney Kiara Spencer: Liberal Studies
Caitlin Alexandra Webb: Liberal Studies; Magna Cum Laude
Palmetto College: Organizational Leadership
Conner Pearson Dunlap: Organizational Leadership
Shane Keith Goings: Organizational Leadership
Cole Rawlin Hunter: Organizational Leadership; Cum Laude
Chase Joseph Rogers: Organizational Leadership; Magna Cum Laude
Elizabeth Grace Williams: Organizational Leadership
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