The WVU College of Creative Arts and Media celebrated the graduation of more than 400 students from the schools of Art and Design, Music, Theatre and Dance and the Reed School of Media and Communications on May 16.
Dance Professor General Hambrick, who served as the Grand Marshall for the 2026 WVU College of Creative Arts and Media Commencement Ceremony, performed a pirouette before tapping the mace three times and placing it in the holder.
Associate Professor of Dance General MacArthur Hambrick, who is retiring after 13 years with the School of Theatre and Dance, served as the University Grand Marshal, carrying the mace and escorting the platform party of administrators, faculty and commencement speaker Ayana L. Young onto the stage.
Young, a Brooklyn native, former WVU Track and Field athlete, and dual Journalism and Communication Studies graduate, gave the commencement address. Young is the founder of The Young Group Public Relations, where she specializes in working with professional athletes, musicians and small minority-owned businesses. She has previously worked on accounts for renowned brands such as Hennessy, Belvedere, Latin Grammys, Xbox, BET and more. In 2011, she secured a position overseeing public relations for one of the most well-known American athletes, Deion Sanders, a role that Ayana held for seven years, serving as the lead publicist for Sanders and his entities.
Commencement speaker Ayana Young poses for a selfie with her dad prior to the 2026 WVU College of Creative Arts and Media Commencement Ceremony.
Young’s message for the 2026 graduates was to, “remember who you are,” have “main character” energy, always learn and seek out transferrable skills and be careful how you treat people.
“The value of who you are sits within who you are as a person – your values, your drive, and don’t forget your heart,” Young said during her commencement speech. “Walk into every room knowing you belong ... be a sponge, learn, keep learning, and when in doubt, learn some more. Get a mentor, learn from them and see how they move. Then be pliable, take those learnings and adjust them, shift them and make them work for you.”
Among the May 2026 CCAM graduates, several were recognized for outstanding achievements, including Emma Fleming, a Multidisciplinary Media Studies and English double major, who was one of eight students university-wide named to the 2026 Order of Augusta. This is WVU’s most prestigious honor for academic excellence, leadership and service, and it also recognizes superior scholarship, demonstrated leadership, and a record of community and public service.
Eight CCAM students were also recognized as WVU Foundation Outstanding Seniors for their contributions and achievements in scholarship, leadership and service. This year’s recipients are Kelsey Clodfelter, Technical Art History; Anna Goldizen, Journalism; Benjamin Lambert, Music Performance; Payton Ogden, Advertising and Public Relations; Kaelyn Pavlick, Advertising and Public Relations; Lauren Taylor, Advertising and Public Relations; Gabriella Sergent, Advertising and Public Relations; and Ashly Yost, Music Education.
In addition to these university-wide recognitions, the College of Creative Arts and Media awarded Top Scholar medallions to the bachelor’s degree students from each school who earned the highest overall grade point average. All of the May 2026 recipients earned a cumulative 4.0 GPA during their time at WVU.
Awardees from the Reed School include Mary Delaney, Journalism; Angelina McGuire, Advertising and Public Relations; Payton Ogden, Advertising and Public Relations; and Lauren Taylor, Advertising and Public Relations. Greta Hulterstrum, Performance Music, and Max Clark, Musical Theatre, were the sole recipients from the School of Music and from the School of Theatre and Dance, respectively. And there were four recipients from the School of Art and Design, including Madeline Moore, Art and Design; Katherine Skillings, Art Education; Sierra Bailes, Fashion Design and Merchandising; and Ena Walter, Interior Architecture.
The Reed School Top Scholars (L-R) Lauren Taylor, Payton Ogden, Angelina McGuire and Mary Delaney received their medallions during the school's annual Spring Honors Ceremony.
Prior to commencement, each school hosted an event to present senior awards.
During the Reed School’s Spring Honors Ceremony on May 1, students who demonstrated strong academics and exceptional leadership were recognized with Outstanding Senior awards. Students apply for this award and faculty vote to choose the winners. This year’s recipients are:
- Dax Bolton, Sports and Adventure Media
- Liana Brooks, Multidisciplinary Media Studies
- Cameron Caretti, Sports and Adventure Media
- Anna Goldizen, Journalism
- Faithlyn Graham, Journalism
- Hannah Heiskell, Journalism
- Maggie Hurst, Advertising and Public Relations
- Payton Ogden, Advertising and Public Relations
- Kaelyn Pavlick, Advertising and Public Relations
- Mary Roush, Advertising and Public Relations
- Maggie Sleeth, Advertising and Public Relations
- Lauren Taylor, Advertising and Public Relations
- Abigail Wandling, Integrated Marketing Communications
During the School of Music’s final Symphony Orchestra concert on April 30, Director Mike Vercelli presented Trixie Calissie, a Music Education major, with the Outstanding Graduating Student in Music award. He also recognized Tiara Simon, a senior Music and Psychology double major, with the Presser Foundation Undergraduate Scholar Award, which is designed to encourage and support the education of a music student who has achieved a high level of musical and academic excellence, demonstrated leadership and service, and who has contributed to an inclusive community.
The School of Theatre and Dance presented Molly Featherston, a senior Musical Theatre and Dance double major, with the Outstanding Senior award, which is given to a student who actively participates in service to the school across multiple concentrations. And during the final “Showcase of Dance” event on May 2, Liana Brooks, a double major in Dance and Multidisciplinary Media Studies, received the Outstanding Citizen award for her commitment, passion and contribution to dance at WVU.
During a special event the evening before graduation, the School of Art and Design recognized Kelsey Clodfelter, a Technical Art History major, with the Outstanding Graduating Senior award. Additionally, several graduating seniors in the Fashion Design and Merchandising program earned awards during this year’s fashion show on May 7. First Place for Most Cohesive Collection was awarded to Ella Renshaw and second place to Gavin Fragale. Renshaw had also earned the 2025 ITAA (International Textile and Apparel Association) Blanche Payne Scholarship in Fashion Design. The award for Best-in-Show Collection, the highest honor of the night, went to Sara Cyphers.