The Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management recognized 178 graduates in their annual winter quarter commencement ceremony in March 2025.  AF contributed photo.

By Jaclyn Knapp, AFIT Institutional Advancement

The Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management recognized recent graduates in their annual winter quarter commencement ceremony in March 2025.

AFIT’s GSEM conferred 178 master’s degrees, and four doctorate degrees in science, technology, engineering and math fields.  An additional five doctoral students and five master’s students that graduated earlier in the academic year returned to participate in the ceremony.

The graduating class included 128 Air Force officers, 17 United States Space Force officers, one Marine Corps officer, 13 Army officers, three Air Force enlisted and 16 Department of Defense civilians.  International students included two graduates from the Israeli Air Force and one civilian graduate from the Federal Republic of Germany.

Distinguished Air Force guests in attendance included Lt. Gen. Andrea Tullos, Air University commander and president, Mr. Christopher Kemp, AU deputy director and Dr. Yolanda Williams, AU provost and chief academic officer from Maxwell AFB, Alabama.

The commencement’s guest speaker for the ceremony was Mr. Timothy Sakulich, executive director, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB (AF contributed photo).

Sakulich emphasized the unique heritage and history of Wright-Patterson AFB, located in Dayton, Ohio, the birthplace of aviation, and how it is “synonymous with innovation, a crucible of ingenuity that has shaped the very fabric of the nation’s defense,” said Sakulich.

“Each service [of the Air Force] brings unique expertise to the table and modern warfare demands unprecedented integration of that.  The relationships you have built here at AFIT, and the understanding you’ve gained of different perspectives, will be invaluable as you work together going forward as leaders to secure the nation,” said Sakulich.

When highlighting AFIT’s degree programs, Sakulich described how each unique discipline equipped graduates with the specific knowledge and expertise required for facing the various technological challenges, advancements and threats to our nation’s air, land, sea, space and cyberspace environments.  He encouraged graduates to apply their degrees to solving these problems.

“Thinking deeply is a crucial step towards solving the hardest problems.  Your challenge is that thinking is not enough; your challenge is to translate that advanced learning, that theoretical knowledge into practical solutions that deliver a decisive combat advantage to the Air Force and the Space Force,” said Sakulich.

Although this was a time for graduates to celebrate their achievements and hard work, Sakulich stressed that the real challenge was a call to action in the form of leadership.

“You have worked hard to get here, and you have been given a remarkable gift; the investment of time, resources and mentorship by [AFIT’s] esteemed faculty and many other mentors that have shaped you into leaders of consequence.

Your degree is only a milestone, and your education is part of a journey.  Your responsibility now is to pay that forward.  This requires the ability to inspire and motivate others, and to harness the collective intellect and innovation of your teams.

And you need to use that knowledge you’ve gained at AFIT to not only succeed in your careers, but to lift others up,” said Sakulich.

Dr. Walter Jones, Air Force Institute of Technology’s Chancellor, speaks to AFIT graduates at AFIT’s winter quarter 2025 commencement ceremony.  AF contributed photo.

The following students met all degree requirements and were approved for the designated degree (in bold):

Doctorate of Philosophy

Aeronautical Engineering

Mr. Jonathan Luke Hill

Astronautical Engineering

Maj. Emma Leigh Webb (US Space Force)

Computer Science

Mr. Kevin Thomas Decker

Electrical Engineering

Maj. Sean O’Neill

Mr. Michael John Smith

Nuclear Engineering

Capt. Preston Dicks

Maj. Molly A. Wakeling

Operations Research

Maj. Brian William Franklin Popick

Systems Engineering

Mrs. Nourhan Kamal Abouzahra

Master of Science Applied Mathematics

2nd Lt. William J. Brinkley

2nd Lt. Anders Romney Johnson*

Capt. Shelby Wilder Woodrum

1st Lt. Liam Alejandro Weinfurtner*

Capt. Thomas Nelson Whitney*

Master of Science Cyber Operations

2nd Lt. Matthew Douglas

Capt. Michael A Eddy

2nd Lt. Jacob B Garbrecht (US Space Force)

Capt. Jessica Diane McQuagge

Master Sgt. Joseph M. Payne

2nd Lt. Benjamin Thomas Pederson (US Space Force)

Master Sgt. Justin A. Smith

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

2nd Lt. Dillon Michael Falkinburg

2nd Lt. Cameron Guy Goodbar

2nd Lt. Melbourne Timothy Ketteridge

2nd Lt. James Edward Minteer

2nd Lt. Nathan Todd Morrow

Capt. Alissa Michelle Owens

1st Lt. Philip Haven Patterson

Capt. Joseph Benjamin Quiñones Ocasio (US Space Force)

1st Lt. Alexander James Watson

2nd Lt. Patrick D. Carattini (US Space Force)

Master of Science Computer Science

Capt. Samual M. Asher

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

Capt. Eric Khurshed Avari

Mr. Nicholas Andrew Perkins

Master of Science (Applied Physics)

Capt. Patricia Ashley Sablan Byrd

Capt. Benjamin Bryant Glenn

Capt. Zachary Thomas Johnson (US Space Force)

2nd Lt. Kara Lauren Kniezewski*

1st Lt. Madison Renee Moran

2nd Lt. Mikaela R Morris

Capt. William Randolph Smith

Capt. Francisco Armando Solorio

Capt. David S. Stiles (US Space Force)

Master of Science Atmospheric Science

2nd Lt. Julianna Sommer

Master of Science Materials Science

Capt. Benjamin P. Helman

Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering

Maj. Ariel Alcazar Alcaide (US Army)

Mr. Christopher Anthony Berry

Maj. Carson Hee Featherstone (US Army)

Maj. Daniel Scott Godlasky (US Army)*

Ms. Caroline M. Harrington

Capt. Steven Benjamin Hernandez

Mr. Anders M. Kinney II

Mr. Benjamin M. Knight

2nd Lt. Shepherd Henry Kruse

Capt. Steven J McNamara

Capt. Brian C. Morrow

Capt. Austin Powell

Maj. Aaron Michael Schares (US Army)

Maj. Daniel L. Strasser (US Army)

Maj. James D. Sullivan (US Army)

Ms. Anneka Kathryn Tichy

Capt. Ronnie Rera

Master of Science Data Science

2nd Lt. Mary Moriarty Bates

2nd Lt. Nico Diego De Ros*

2nd Lt. Maxwell A Deihl

2nd Lt. Joshua L. Edmonds

2nd Lt. Nathaniel William Garcia

2nd Lt. Ben Tyler Hepner

2nd Lt. Daniel Biji Joseph

Capt. Skyler G. Kepley (US Army)

Maj. Alexandria Grace Boswell Lai

Capt. Adam C. Levandowski

2nd Lt. Haley Bridgette Traub

Capt. Michael Alan Wegner (US Army)

Master of Science Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Ms. Dara Armstrong

2nd Lt. Gabriel F. Bartolomei

Capt. Kyle David Brubaker

Capt. Britton James Edwards

Technical Sgt. Nana Hene

Capt. Scott M. Wyman*

Master of Science Operations Research

2nd Lt. Daniel Alexander Barskiy

2nd Lt. Harmoni Jarel Blackstock

Captain Wyatt Francis Blatti

2nd Lt. Markus Alexander Case

2nd Lt. Joseph Andrew Fuentes

2nd Lt. Julia Hope Howe

Maj. Micah Allen Hurst (US Army)

2nd Lt. Zion Christopher Lawrence Johnson

2nd Lt.  Micah John Kartchner*

2nd Lt.  Vladimer Kellachow III

2nd Lt.  Jason Kaulanaopuuokalani Medeiros

Capt. Kara A. O’Neal

2nd Lt. Jared Orendorff

Maj. Stephen N. Peranteau (US Army)

Mr. Andrew Sheldon

2nd Lt. William Matthew Titus*

Maj. Dugan J. Turnbow (US Army)

Mr. Sidhanth Venkat

2nd Lt. Samantha Que-Anh Vi-Tang (US Space Force)

2nd Lt. Sydney Marie Wekamp

2nd Lt. Caden Warren Wilson

Maj. Jeffrey T. Wilson (US Army)

Maj. Erik James Wittendorf (US Army)

Master of Science Acquisition and Program Management

Capt. Anthony J. Bacani (US Space Force)

1st Lt. Philip Michael Bardes*

Capt. Naya J. Gillespie

Capt. Harvey Joseph Raine Hurst

1st Lt. Taylor Lawren Matarazzo (US Space Force)

Capt. Liam Nazario O’Neill

Capt. Anthony Rivera

Capt. Corey L. Rucker

Capt. Daniel A. Shea

2nd Lt. Damian Noe Soriano

Master of Engineering Applied Systems Engineering

Capt. Janelle Taylor Rogers (US Space Force)

Mr. Calvin T. Addison III

Mr. Aaron Trent Borden

Captain Jonathan Mark DeVries-Ignatchuk

Mr. Brian Ezell

Capt. Thomas Barre Foudy

Maj. John Walter Munro

Mr. Peter Ritter (German Ministry of Defense)

Master of Science (Cost Analysis)

Capt. Jason Aristizabal

Capt. Jordan A. Bosco

Capt. Stephen D. Chatterton*

1st Lt. Oluwasegun Ibikunle Faleye

1st Lt. Grayson Thomas Hall

1st Lt. Alexander Brooks Krawietz

2nd Lt. Joseph Zobler

Master of Science in Engineering Management

Capt. Houston Hoss Anderson

Capt. Zachary Edward Calderon

2nd Lt. Lance Everett Campbell

Capt. Jose Issac De La Serna

Capt. Ronald Diaz-Cataldo Ramos

Capt. Daniel A. Hendrix

2nd Lt. Sophia Camille Hirtle

2nd Lt. Julia A. Howard

Capt. Eric Edmund Keeler

Capt. Eric C. Klein

Capt. Mark William McVeigh

Capt. Justin David Morehead

Capt. Logan Michael Ogden

Capt. Cameron James Palmer

2nd Lt. Emily Suzanne Reeves

Capt. Jacob Glenn Roberts*

Capt. David Anthonie Rochester*

2nd Lt. Marcus Dirk Shadd

2nd Lt. Kobe Taylor Thompson

Capt. Justin M. Weber

Capt. Emily L. Worthy

2nd Lt. Madison R. Fanning

2nd Lt. Quinn G. Pelichoff

Capt. Garrett E. Stanley (US Marines)

Master of Science Systems Engineering

1st Lt. Sarah Leslie Cahill*

Mr. Jason David Coletta

1st Lt. Kevin G. Keth

Capt. Jake Hogan Kurzhals

Maj. Jonathan A. Sakulich (US Space Force)

Mr. Joshua P. Adkin

Maj. Josiah J. Franklin

Master of Science Aeronautical Engineering

Capt. Jacob Leo Ahles

1st Lt. Justin Evans

Capt. Matthew C. Fadden

Mr. Theodore Blake Guetig

Mr. Charles Lawrence Lampp

Maj. Roderick Andrew Mills*

Maj. Kyle Monsma

Capt. Kai Ozawa

2nd Lt. Tess Katherine Panchyshyn

Capt. Jay B. Patel

Mr. Christopher J. Rosenlund

2nd Lt. Nathaniel Jackson Stout

Capt. Benjamin A. Van Duyne

1st Lt. Conner A. Adams

Master of Science Astronautical Engineering

2nd Lt. Mathew Christopher Core (US Space Force)

2nd Lt. Annika J. Gilliam*

Capt. Thomas J. Kelly (US Space Force)

2nd Lt. Arturo Luna (US Space Force)

Capt. Mason Robert Mill (US Space Force)

1st Lt. Hunter D Rausch (US Space Force)

Master of Science Materials Science

2nd Lt. William Mockel*

Master of Science Space Systems

Mr. Ryan Joseph Conahan

*Distinguished graduate