Luther College celebrates spring 2026 graduates

Luther College is proud to announce its spring 2026 graduates. They were honored at the Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 24.

At the ceremony, Gideon Armah-Amissah was awarded the Luther College Elizabeth A. and Paul G. Jenson Medal. That award is presented each year to an outstanding senior, selected by the graduating class, who best demonstrates the ideals of the college through service to students and the college community.

Conservation social scientist, environmental anthropologist and Luther College 2011 graduate David Hecht received the Young Alumni Award and delivered the Commencement address. The Young Alumni Award recognizes the outstanding achievement of Luther alumni who have graduated in the last 15 years. Watch a video featuring highlights from Commencement.

Of the spring 2026 graduating class, 110 students earned Latin honors across a variety of majors and 22% were double majors. Approximately 20% of the graduates were first-generation college students, 17% were international students and 6% were transfer students. Congratulations to these new alumni as they start the next chapter of their lives.

Below is a list of students, along with their majors, academic honors and hometowns, that participated in Commencement in May 2026.

Durah Kamil Mahdi Albadr, Basra, Iraq
Computer Science, Visual Communication

Jeremy Andera, Cresco, Iowa
Environmental Studies, cum laude

Gideon Armah-Amissah, Columbus, Georgia
Economics

Gad Max Armel, Douala, Cameroon
Data Science

Gabriel John Armstrong, Farmington, Minnesota
Data Science

Harrison Arnold, Marion, Iowa
Neuroscience, summa cum laude

Isaac Ayers, Missoula, Montana
History

Kylie Bakke, Urbandale, Iowa
Environmental Studies

Paige Barker, Manly, Iowa
Music Education

Allison Kathryn Beatty, Earlham, Iowa
Biology

Sonja Bell, Hudson, Wisconsin
Nursing, magna cum laude

Walker Atticus Bennett, Des Moines, Iowa
Data Science

Mike Benoit, Port Byron, Illinois
Biology, summa cum laude

Annika Benson, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Biology

Jersie Benson, Evansdale, Iowa
English, cum laude

Thea Bentley, Hudson, Wisconsin
Nordic Studies, Visual Communication

Josie Bergler, Utica, Minnesota
Theatre, cum laude

Nischal Bhandari, Kathmandu, Nepal
Computer Science

Matthew Binsfeld, Elk River, Minnesota
Biology, Chemistry

Sonja Bloeser, North Liberty, Iowa
Music

Apollo Blomberg, Plymouth, Minnesota
Art, Visual Communication, cum laude

Will Bockenstedt, Eagan, Minnesota
Exercise Science, Management

Kenneth Boddie, Oceanside, California
Social Work

CJ Boudreaux, Humble, Texas
Anthropology

Nagham Boulos, Beit-Sahur, Palestine
Psychology

James David Bradley, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Exercise Science

Geremiah Jamaari Adonis Brown, Vallejo, California
Management

Emilee Burcham-Scofield, Kingman, Arizona
Environmental Studies

Libby Faith Bygd, Boyceville, Wisconsin
Communication Studies, magna cum laude

Andrew Bradley Chamberlain, Decorah, Iowa
Law and Values, Nordic Studies, cum laude

L’Engle Joan Charis-Carlson, Iowa City, Iowa
Art, Visual Communication, summa cum laude

Abhay Chhabra, New Delhi, India
Data Science, Management, magna cum laude

Caleb Christiansen, Dubuque, Iowa
Biology

Nastya Cicala, Chisinau, Moldova
Chemistry, Mathematics, summa cum laude

Aaron Clark, Bellevue, Washington
Economics

Elizabeth Clement, Decorah, Iowa
Social Work, cum laude

William Coffey, La Crosse, Wisconsin
Nursing, cum laude

Jake John Collis, Lara, Australia
Management

Lauren Conner-Dieter, Madison, Wisconsin
Anthropology, magna cum laude

Lucy Corbin, Iowa City, Iowa
Anthropology, English, cum laude

Hannah Coy, Mahtomedi, Minnesota
Elementary Education, magna cum laude

Carina Crouse, Waukee, Iowa
English

Tollef Luke Currell, St. Paul, Minnesota
Theatre, summa cum laude

Paige Daleiden, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Elementary Education

Gianna Damiani, Mesa, Arizona
Nursing

Asher Morghan Darsee, Urbandale, Iowa
Art

Julia da Silva Moreno, Itajaí, Brazil
Engineering Science

Jose Eliano Da Silva Nanarica, Lautem, Timor-Leste
Economics, International Studies

Bella Dassow, Woodbury, Minnesota
Music, cum laude

Kaidance Davidson, Rochester, Minnesota
Elementary Education

Ian De Wall, Ames, Iowa
Data Science

Allison Dobbins, Littleton, Colorado
Chemistry, Spanish, cum laude

Maci A. Doty, Marengo, Iowa
International Studies, magna cum laude

Shae Downing, Sioux City, Iowa
Social Work, magna cum laude

Pimonwan Doycharoen, Phangnga, Thailand
Management

Darbi Dunning, Le Sueur, Minnesota
Visual Communication, magna cum laude

Sergey Dutt, Plain City, Ohio
Physics, magna cum laude

Liam Edberg, Iowa City, Iowa
Environmental Studies, cum laude

Annika Elco, Scottsdale, Arizona
Management

Cora Ellingworth, Waverly, Iowa
Elementary Education

Leah Elsner, Denver, Colorado
Neuroscience, Psychology

Madelyn Sue Elwood, Mason City, Iowa
Exercise Science

Tushig Erdenebulgan, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Computer Science

Elizabeth Nicole Ess, Waconia, Minnesota
Music Education, summa cum laude

Kylie Fenton, Harmony, Minnesota
Psychology

Azimjon Firuzov, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Data Science

Anna Floden, Mason City, Iowa
Music Education, magna cum laude

Levi Flora, Danbury, Texas
Management

Annika Karin Franzen, Decorah, Iowa
Communication Studies

João Fábio Franzen Meira Da Costa, Florianópolis, Brazil
International Studies, Management

Karl Fuhrman, Osseo, Minnesota
Management

Addison Marie Fyles, Castle Rock, Colorado
Exercise Science

Elleanna Gisvold, Northfield, Minnesota
History, cum laude

Bryce Glaspie, Houston, Texas
Management

Nick Gonzalez, Banquete, Texas
Management

Ellie Greseth, St. Paul, Minnesota
Sociology, summa cum laude

Katherine Griffin, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
English

Neil Grube, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Environmental Studies, summa cum laude

Banele Gumede, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Neuroscience

Zachary James Gwost, Little Falls, Minnesota
Communication Studies

Ethan Andre Hagen Espino, Taxco Guerrero, Mexico
Biology

Malaika Hale, Centennial, Colorado
Music Education, summa cum laude

Colin Halverson, Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Nursing

Evan Hansen, South St. Paul, Minnesota
Environmental Studies

Penelope Hansen, St. Paul, Minnesota
Anthropology, English, cum laude

Katherine Hardtke, Woodbury, Minnesota
Chemistry

Lilly Marie Hayden, Fulton, Illinois
Nursing, cum laude

Linnea Ester Pechacek Hedin, Hastings, Minnesota
Exercise Science, Psychology, summa cum laude

Ella Heiks, Appleton, Wisconsin
International Studies, Political Science, cum laude

Aaron Hernandez, Durham, California
Exercise Science, cum laude

Stevie Marie Herrera, Hancock, Iowa
Elementary Education

Margaret Anne Hickman, Solon, Iowa
Music Education

Anna Hielsberg, St. Paul, Minnesota
Management

Benjamin Hilgers, Madison, Wisconsin
Music

Harrison Matthew Hilyer, Sylacauga, Alabama
Exercise Science, cum laude

Sirianna Hokanson, St. Paul, Minnesota
Global Health, summa cum laude

Peter Hollingshead, Maple Grove, Minnesota
Accounting

Anna Holm, St. Paul, Minnesota
Nursing, cum laude

Elizabeth Husemann, Fairfax, Iowa
Neuroscience, magna cum laude

Lauren Ingram, Mantorville, Minnesota
Art, Psychology, cum laude

Diamond Jenkins, Chicago, Illinois
Social Work

Charles Jetton, Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
Anthropology

Ethan Johnson, Brooklyn, Wisconsin
Music Education, magna cum laude

Joseph Johnson, Maywood, Illinois
Music

Molly Johnson, Davenport, Iowa
Nursing, cum laude

Charles Julien, Greendale, Wisconsin
Communication Studies, Spanish, Visual Communication

Isaiah Kahl, Humboldt, Iowa
Biology, cum laude

Connor Kidd, Morton, Illinois
History

Garrett Kilgas, Brillion, Wisconsin
Communication Studies

Mary Kitundu, Des Moines, Iowa
International Studies

Sophie Klein, Edina, Minnesota
Music, Spanish, summa cum laude

Jenna Kleven, Albert Lea, Minnesota
Management, Music, magna cum laude

Mariah Klimesh, Eldora, Iowa
Psychology, Sociology, magna cum laude

Nolan Klocke, Hayfield, Minnesota
Management

Justina Joyce Kollie, Paynesville, Liberia
Political Science, Psychology

Eva Elizabeth Kraske, Rochester, Minnesota
Theatre

Naomi Grace Kravitz, Glenview, Illinois
Theatre

Arin Mackenzie Kyllo, Kenyon, Minnesota
Exercise Science

Joy Antonia Laker, Kampala, Uganda
Global Health

Jenna Kathleen Langen, La Crescent, Minnesota
Elementary Education, cum laude

Lauryn Claire Larson, Waukee, Iowa
Exercise Science

Parker Lau, Burlington, Iowa
Management

Kurt Lebakken, Edina, Minnesota
Computer Science

Lenny Lechner, Schwaigern, Germany
Management, cum laude

Andrew James Lee, Orono, Minnesota
Data Science

Emma Lee, Lewiston, Minnesota
Chemistry

Taylor Lehman, Ankeny, Iowa
Nursing, cum laude

Eli Lehmann, Oregon, Wisconsin
English, summa cum laude

Enzo Mitidieri, Campinas, Brazil
Economics, Management, summa cum laude

Aitor Lopez Barriga, Madrid, Spain
Data Science, Management

Enrique Lopez Barriga, Madrid, Spain
Mathematics, Physics, cum laude

Kyla Maatta, Farmington, Minnesota
Visual Communication, magna cum laude

Ethan Joseph Maldonado, Spillville, Iowa
Visual Communication

Lydia Marti, Highland, Illinois
Social Work, magna cum laude

Alison Morgan Martinez, Brighton, Colorado
Visual Communication

Peter McBride, St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Accounting, Management

Simon McDonald, Northfield, Minnesota
Engineering Science, magna cum laude

Clayton McDonough, Nora Springs, Iowa
Exercise Science

Evan McElroy, Iowa City, Iowa
Anthropology, History, cum laude

Malachi Jermiah McElroy, Atlanta, Georgia
Social Work

Niamh Mee, St. Paul, Minnesota
English, summa cum laude

Edie Meehan, Northfield, Minnesota
English, magna cum laude

Alex Meeter, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Economics, International Studies

Joseph Mehlhorn, Farmington, Minnesota
Visual Communication

Jacob James Michaelson, Iowa Falls, Iowa
Biology, cum laude

Elaine Jane Miller, Dumont, Iowa
Theatre

Sarah Miller, Nevada, Iowa
English

Mari Annika Mineck, Urbandale, Iowa
Biology, magna cum laude

Christian Dietrich Kretzmann Montover, Iowa City, Iowa
Anthropology, Religion, summa cum laude

Lindsey Moseley, Roseville, Minnesota
Computer Science, Visual Communication, summa cum laude

Dylan Joseph Muhlbauer, Decorah, Iowa
Accounting, Management, magna cum laude

Lionel Mujuni, Kampala, Uganda
Computer Science

Adelaide Munoz, St. Paul, Minnesota
Global Health

Cleanwell Mwalwanda, Mzuzu, Mzimba
Computer Science, Visual Communication

Tina Ngakeni, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Environmental Studies

Anh Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Art, magna cum laude

Bao Nguyen, Quang Tri, Vietnam
Environmental Studies, International Studies, cum laude

Huy Nguyen, Vinh City, Vietnam
Data Science, Mathematics

Kim Anh Thy Nguyen, Can Tho, Vietnam
Nursing, magna cum laude

Maren Nietz, Zumbrota, Minnesota
Visual Communication

Janik Niggli, Malans, Switzerland
Management

Daniel Nnodim, Imo, Nigeria
Computer Science, Economics

Evan Nordquist, Oceanside, California
Sociology

Kate Marie Oelfke, Austin, Minnesota
Nursing, magna cum laude

Elliot Olson, Wanamingo, Minnesota
Theatre, Visual Communication, cum laude

Sea Orme, Seattle, Washington
English, Nordic Studies, summa cum laude

Abigail Ostermann, Kimberly, Wisconsin
Exercise Science, summa cum laude

Magda Helena Patten, Waukee, Iowa
Psychology, magna cum laude

Mari Paulsen, Eagan, Minnesota
History, magna cum laude

Markus Pederson, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Exercise Science

Jeanette Pelletier, Northfield, Minnesota
Communication Studies

Randy Pereyra, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Communication Studies

Brooks Peterson, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Computer Science, Data Science, summa cum laude

Noah Pettit, Chico, California
Nursing

Kyle Pido, Rochester, Minnesota
Nursing, magna cum laude

Callie Pierce, Dodgeville, Wisconsin
Music Education, magna cum laude

Kyle Pluskwa, St. Charles, Illinois
Management

Grace Violet Priestly, Fort Myers, Florida
Psychology, Management

Rafaela Queiroga Tavares, São José dos Campos, Brazil
Economics

Elisabeth Queoff, Madison, Wisconsin
Communication Studies

Mohamed Mostafa Ragab, Mit Ghamr, Egypt
Data Science

Zoe Rahberg, St. Paul, Minnesota
Exercise Science

Tara Rajanesan, Dohnavur, India
German, Music, summa cum laude

Khadija Ramadan, Accra, Ghana
Biology

Amelia Ramirez, Phoenix, Arizona
Music, magna cum laude

Henrique Ramos, Campinas, Brazil
Exercise Science

Hailey Reckmann, Lake City, Minnesota
Nursing

Jacob Reister, Northfield, Minnesota
Economics, Religion

Lillian Christina Riedel, Shoreview, Minnesota
Law and Values, summa cum laude

Iris Ann Hansen Roddy, Kansas City, Missouri
Anthropology, Biology, summa cum laude

Kelsey Roskamp, Johnston, Iowa
Nursing, cum laude

Cassandra Rae Rounds, West Des Moines, Iowa
Elementary Education, magna cum laude

Charles Running, Prior Lake, Minnesota
Accounting

Matthew Sale, Huddersfield, England
Exercise Science

Kenedy Sandoval, Aurora, Colorado
Environmental Studies, International Studies, Political Science, cum laude

Teagan Schaefer, Williamsburg, Iowa
Elementary Education, magna cum laude

Samuel Scheffler, Lakeville, Minnesota
Nordic Studies, Political Science, summa cum laude

Hailey Schultz, Burbank, Illinois
Exercise Science, cum laude

William Walker Schuman, Lincoln, Nebraska
Biology

Lauran Schwake, Solon, Iowa
English, summa cum laude

Gavin Scurr, San Diego, California
Exercise Science

Korpo M. Selay, Lofa County, Liberia
Biology, Global Health, magna cum laude

Oluwakorede Oluwaferanmi Oluwademilade Shonibare, Abuja, Nigeria
Accounting, Management

Alexander Eugene Smith, Grinnell, Iowa
Management, cum laude

Benyapa Songnoo, Phuket, Thailand
Art

Lillian Spade, Eagan, Minnesota
Biology, Data Science, summa cum laude

Grace Stone, Osceola, Wisconsin
Law and Values, cum laude

Joshua Stratton, Joliet, Illinois
Accounting

Ben Strehlow, Weyauwega, Wisconsin
Exercise Science

Abigail Joyce Struble, Clinton, Iowa
Nursing, summa cum laude

Elliott Matthew Stuenkel, Waterloo, Iowa
Mathematics/Statistics, summa cum laude

Lydia Swarney, Ottumwa, Iowa
International Studies

Kael Warren Swarts, Newton, Iowa
History, cum laude

Anna Tauscher, Rochester, Minnesota
Economics, Political Science, summa cum laude

Macy Taylor, Albert Lea, Minnesota
History, Sociology

Hannah Tepley, Champlin, Minnesota
English

Amanda Jean Teske, De Pere, Wisconsin
Exercise Science, magna cum laude

Carter Thompson, Fairfield, Iowa
Exercise Science, summa cum laude

Logan Thompson, Chatfield, Minnesota
Biology

Ashlynn Thorsen, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Social Work, magna cum laude

Hayden Torgerson, Andover, Minnesota
Exercise Science

Karson Wess Trujillo, Delano, Minnesota
Biology, summa cum laude

Keilani Trujillo, Racine, Wisconsin
Psychology

Kieran Ulbee, St. Anthony Village, Minnesota
Engineering Science, cum laude

Madison Urfer, Mounds View, Minnesota
Exercise Science, cum laude

Fatih Urhan, Istanbul, Turkey
Data Science

Michael Van Meter, Delhi, Iowa
Music

Alex Van Surksum, Sheldon, Iowa
Music Education, magna cum laude

Anna Walters-Smith, Rochester, Minnesota
Nursing, summa cum laude

Mughees Warraich, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Computer Science, Data Science, cum laude

Julia Grace Weigle, St. Michael, Minnesota
Music Education, summa cum laude

Jack Welch, La Crescent, Minnesota
Management

Luciana Welsh-Biesel, Atlanta, Georgia
Biology

Annika Katherine Welter, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
History, cum laude

Will Whalen, Dawsonville, Georgia
Accounting

Brennan Wirth, Rosemount, Minnesota
Biology

Abigail Wood, New Albin, Iowa
Computer Science

Hugo Zadig, Stockholm, Sweden
Economics, magna cum laude

Leen Zaher, Saida, Lebanon
Social Work, cum laude

Resana Zayan, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Visual Communication, magna cum laude

Audrey Zielstra, Glenwood, Iowa
Anthropology, History, summa cum laude

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