Dr. Walter Jones, Director and Chancellor, Air Force Institute of Technology, introduced commencement ceremony guest speaker Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, Deputy Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, at AFIT’s commencement ceremony held Sept. 12 at the Dayton Masonic Center. (U.S. Air Force Photos by Daniel Peterson)

The Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management held their annual fall commencement ceremony Sept. 12 at the Dayton Masonic Center to celebrate 99 new graduates.

The Graduate School conferred 84 master’s degrees and 15 doctorate degrees in science, technology, engineering and math fields. Additionally, one doctoral student who graduated earlier in the academic year returned to participate in the ceremony.

The graduating class included 81 Air Force officers, 6 Space Force officers, 1 Naval officer, and 10 Department of Defense civilians. One international student from the Royal Saudi Air Force received a master’s degree in computer engineering.

The keynote speaker was Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, Deputy Commander, Air Force Materiel Command. She oversees activities across multiple centers, responsible for installation and mission support, discovery and development, test and evaluation, life cycle management services and sustainment of virtually every major Air Force weapon system, to include the entire scope of nuclear weapons sustainment.

Hurry expressed gratitude for the invitation to speak to AFIT’s newest graduates and emphasized the importance of the relationships built between students during their time at AFIT. “It is indeed an honor to be a part of this ceremony and to recognize all your hard work, all of your studying, all of the partnerships, all the teamwork, all the camaraderie that you learned right here at AFIT.” Hurry said. “That’s what is going to make our Air Force and Navy and Space Force and our civilian workforce so unbelievably strong.”

During her commencement speech, Hurry reminded graduates that the challenges they face today are very different from those she faced as an AFIT graduate 30 years ago. “We’re focused now on the great power competition…I’m going to challenge you to not just think, not come up with innovative ideas and do nothing with it—but to push the envelope. Make us stronger, make us faster, make us more agile,” Hurry said.

Hurry is an AFIT alum having earned a M.S degree in Logistics Management in 1994. Hurry came to AFIT as a graduate of the Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Pre-law and Legal Studies. Prior to her current role as Deputy Commander of Air Force Materiel Command, Hurry served as Director of Logistics, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

Hurry concluded her remarks by encouraging the graduates, “Challenge the status quo, drive change, learn how to think differently, drive innovation—but get results. We want our adversaries to take a look at what’s going on in the United States Department of Defense and say, ‘Maybe today’s not the day we mess with them’—that’s the goal.”

Located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, AFIT’s mission is to educate defense professionals to innovatively accomplish the deterrence and warfighting missions of the U.S. Air and Space Forces.

Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry, Deputy Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, at AFIT's fall commencement ceremony held Sept. 12 at the Dayton Masonic Center.

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

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING (ENG)

Master of Cyber Systems

Second Lieutenant Nathanael S. Bean
Second Lieutenant Isabella N. Gentile
Second Lieutenant Price D. Johnson
Second Lieutenant Homin Key
Second Lieutenant Ethan J. Schofield
Second Lieutenant Ryan N. Stiffler
Second Lieutenant Karli E. Wallace

Master of Science in Computer Engineering

First Lieutenant Turki M. Alamri (Royal Saudi Air Force)

Master of Science in Computer Science

First Lieutenant Ryan D. Winz

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

First Lieutenant Samuel J. Campbell (US Space Force)

DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING PHYSICS (ENP)

Master of Science in Applied Physics

Mr. Jordan C. Mindrup

Master of Science in Materials Science

Second Lieutenant Alexis A. Bishop
Mrs. Cayla C. Eckley

Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering

Mr. Benjamin M. Knight

Master of Science in Optical Sciences and Engineering

Mr. Mitchell A. Manzardo

Master of Science in Scientific and Technical Intelligence

Mr. Joshua M. Grubbs
Mr. Samuel J. Lemmon

DEPARTMENT OF OPERATIONAL SCIENCES (ENS)

Master of Operations Analysis

Second Lieutenant Garth L. Knutson
Second Lieutenant Corban C. Hodge
Second Lieutenant Marlene T. Lorber

Master of Operations Logistics

Second Lieutenant Wyatt D. Benge
Second Lieutenant Blake A. Carette
Second Lieutenant Blake P. Covin
Second Lieutenant Hayden G. Isenhart
Second Lieutenant John D. Krolick
Second Lieutenant Maya I. Thorson

DEPARTMENT OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT (ENV)

Master of Engineering in Applied Systems Engineering

Second Lieutenant Jennifer T. Bahna
First Lieutenant Paul R. Bean
Second Lieutenant Andrew J. Cabo
Second Lieutenant Avery M. Dollarhide
Captain Jacob S. Ehrenstrom
Second Lieutenant Shaun Freeman
Second Lieutenant Colleen M. Gayheart
Second Lieutenant Beck T. Grasser
Second Lieutenant Stephanie R. Gregersen
Second Lieutenant Julia B. Gundlach
Second Lieutenant Tommie J. Lamarche Granger
Second Lieutenant Matthew E. Lashua
Captain Erica M. Lawlor
Second Lieutenant Grant E. Leap
Second Lieutenant Kristof C. Lotivio
Mr. Joseph A. Neeld
Second Lieutenant Benjamin T. Nguyen
Captain Nicholas G. Orfitelli
Second Lieutenant Justin W. Parsons
Captain Matthew T. Rommel
Second Lieutenant Spenser R. Schwalm
Captain Ryan T. Schwarz (US Space Force)
Second Lieutenant Alexandre M. Some
Second Lieutenant Micah H. Treptau

Master of Science in Engineering Management

Major Eric D. Danko

Master of Science in Systems Engineering

Mr. Walter T. Scott II
Second Lieutenant Long Tran
Major Derek W. Zima

DEPARTMENT OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS (ENY)

Master of Engineering in Aeronautical Engineering

Second Lieutenant Motaz M. Ahmed
Second Lieutenant Trevor M. Anderson
Second Lieutenant Shelby G. Apodaca
Second Lieutenant Joshua T. Bates
Second Lieutenant Dylan S. Bumpus
Second Lieutenant Graeme B. Clougher
Second Lieutenant Jaden V. Clunie
Second Lieutenant Aidan C. Ellisor
Second Lieutenant Tate H. Fletcher
Second Lieutenant Aidan J. Gardiner
Second Lieutenant Suhas Jeevanand
Second Lieutenant Justin I. Jung
Second Lieutenant Joseph L. McCollum II
Second Lieutenant Jason D. Muff
Second Lieutenant Tomas F. Olivas
Second Lieutenant Austin M. Park
Second Lieutenant Adam J. Pelzman
Second Lieutenant Christian Presas
Ensign Dayton C. Sette (US Navy)
Second Lieutenant Jacob A. Stenslie
Second Lieutenant Woodrow V. Turbyfill

Master of Engineering in Space Systems

Second Lieutenant Connor A. Barberi
Second Lieutenant Connor M. Chase
Second Lieutenant Abigail M. Fletcher
Second Lieutenant Tristen G. Paller
Second Lieutenant Ethan S. Patel
Second Lieutenant Joseph L. Skotnicki
Second Lieutenant John R. Snider

Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering

Mr. Christopher E. Koellhoffer
Second Lieutenant Nicholas S. Reid

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Major Jeffrey L. Choate
Lieutenant Colonel Justin P. D’Agostino
Captain Jacob A. Dahlke
Captain Virbon B. Frial
Major Graig S. Ganitano
Lieutenant Colonel Carl Gotwald
Major Alex C. Hollenbeck
Colonel Frederic W. Lathrop
Captain Mark R. Mercier (US Space Force)
Captain Tyler J. Myers
Lieutenant Colonel Douglas B. Ruyle (US Space Force)
Major Joshua S. Sprang
Mr. J. Scott Thompson
Major Stephen K. Tullino (US Space Force)
Major Kullen W. Waggoner (US Space Force)
Lieutenant Colonel Kyle S. Wilkinson
Major Derek B. Worth (US Space Force)