AFIT Celebrates Fall Commencement for 77 Graduates Published Oct. 17, 2023 By Katie Scott Air Force Institute of Technology WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management held a commencement ceremony Sept. 14 at the Dayton Masonic Center to celebrate 77 new graduates. Capt. Stephen Donnel receives his doctoral hood from his faculty advisor, Dr. Brian Lunday, during the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management commencement ceremony Sept. 14 at the Dayton Masonic Center. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Richard Oriez) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res The Graduate School conferred 54 master’s degrees and 23 doctorate degrees in science, technology, engineering and math fields. Additionally, three master’s students and two doctoral alumni who graduated earlier in the academic year returned to participate in the ceremony. The graduating class included 65 Air Force and Space Force officers and 11 civilians. One international student from Saudi Arabia received a master’s degree. Of particular note, were the seven females in the class who earned doctoral degrees – the most in one quarter at AFIT. The keynote speaker was Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton, military deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. She is responsible for research and development, test, production, product support and modernization of Air Force programs worth more than $60 billion annually. Shipton is an AFIT alum having earned a Master of Space Systems degree in 2005. “I know a little bit about what you, the graduates, have experienced to get here tonight,” Shipton said. “You should be extremely proud of your accomplishments.” Following her graduation from AFIT, Shipton’s follow-on assignment was as a program manager for a classified, cutting edge, counterspace technology demonstrator at Los Angeles Air Force Base. “It was the education that I gained at AFIT that prepared me for the challenges that I encountered on that program,” Shipton said. “For more than 100 years, it’s been the legacy of this fine Institution to take some of the greatest minds of our Department, and steep them in the latest research and learning so they can extend that excellence into our Force.” Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton, military deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics served as the guest speaker at the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management commencement ceremony Sept. 14 at the Dayton Masonic Center. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Richard Oriez) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Shipton emphasized to the graduates that the Department of Defense now confronts its most technologically capable and well-resourced foreign competitors in history. “In this time of strategic competition, we need leaders at all levels who have a deep expertise in emerging technologies and their application to military operations,” Shipton said. “As you move on to your next assignments, you will play a major role in carrying out the Secretary of the Air Force’s imperatives as you implement the potential of our technology and our ideas.” Lastly, Shipton charged the graduates to be known as a person of competence, character and intellectual humility. 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 Air Force and Space Force. The following students met all degree requirements and were approved for the designated degree (in bold): Doctorate of Philosophy Applied Mathematics Maj. David M. Arquette Ms. Christine E. Knott Capt. Jeremiah S. Lane Capt. Kristina O. Williams Applied Physics Maj. Madilynn E. Compean Capt. Billie V. Deluca Capt. Seth H. Garland Maj. Samantha R. Howard Capt. Adrian D. Scheppe Mr. Timothy True** Maj. Keith A. Wyman Astronautical Engineering Lt. Col. Rachel M. Derbis Maj. Robert B. Jones Maj. Jeremy J. Kaczmarek Maj. David F. Spendel Computer Science Maj. Sarah J. Bolton Logistics Lt. Col. Timothy E. Landucci Operations Research Capt. Jeremiah P. Bill Mr. Nathaniel M. Choo** Capt. Stephen D. Donnel Lt. Col. Joseph M. Liles IV Mr. Carson G. Long Capt. Matthew E. Scherer Maj. Ryan B. Walton Space Systems Lt. Col. Daniel S. Moomey Master of Cyber Systems 2nd Lt. Preston M. Albury 2nd Lt. Chase P. Brown 2nd Lt. Christopher Zu Rong Chwa 2nd Lt. Benjamin D. Miller 2nd Lt. Pareena M. Patel 2nd Lt. Agustin D. Sullivan 2nd Lt. Anthony J. Tolbert Master of Engineering (Aeronautics) 2nd Lt. Lauren D. Aquino 2nd Lt. Sean M. Bedwell 2nd Lt. Matthew N. Borrowman 2nd Lt. Ryan M. Dinndorf 2nd Lt. Peter J. Garlisi 2nd Lt. Ryan B. Johnston* 2nd Lt. Conrad E. Kramer 2nd Lt. James C. Pennington III 2nd Lt. Trevor D. Smiley 2nd Lt. Brandon J. Villejo 2nd Lt. Kyle F. Zarwanski Master of Engineering (Applied Systems Engineering) 2nd Lt. Rayomand M. Bam 2nd Lt. Evan D. Carmichael 2nd Lt. Sarah E. Deresky* Mr. Matthew T. Genelin Capt. Nathaniel P. Harms 2nd Lt. Zane R. Kam 2nd Lt. Abigail E. Loesch 2nd Lt. Michele A. Mason 2nd Lt. Thomas C. McCloskey Mr. Eni K. Ofong 2nd Lt. Maxwell N. Patterson 2nd Lt. Kyle D. Smith 2nd Lt. Nathaniel A. Steward Lt. Col. James C. Walliser Master of Engineering (Space Systems) 2nd Lt. Nathan J. Price Master of Operations Analysis 2nd Lt. Jack M. Calkins 2nd Lt. Kelly B. Dang 2nd Lt. Gabriel J. Garcia 2nd Lt. Jaime S. Gustitus 2nd Lt. Victoria S. Lambos 2nd Lt. David C. Kohler 2nd Lt. Jacob H. Pitman 2nd Lt. Joseph N. Wittig* Master of Science (Aeronautical Engineering) 2nd Lt. Henry R. Pyzdrowski 2nd Lt. Joshua M. Schmidt Master of Science (Electrical Engineering) Mr. Giancarlo C. Barreto** Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering Mr. Ryan M. Schwartzwalder Master of Science in Applied Mathematics Mr. Charles A. Woodrum Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering Mr. Morgan M. Hansen** 2nd Lt. Paul T. Kamp 2nd Lt. Wade A. Lawrie* Mr. Nicholas E. Richardson Mr. Brian J. Tondel Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Maj. Ahmad M. Almalki (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)* Master of Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management Mr. John M. Huntz Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering Mr. Braden Burt** Master of Science in Space Systems Mr. Austin N. Beyers 2nd Lt. Daniel Y. Cheng Mr. Kenneth W. Dungan *Distinguished Graduate ** Returned to walk