Brigham Young University
David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies
Convocation
April 23, 2026 2:00 p.m.
Music Building Concert Hall
Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;
Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—
That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.
—Doctrine and Covenants 88:78–80
Program
University Representative Renata A. Forste International Vice President
Organist Sheri L. Peterson
Welcome V. Stanley Benfell Director of the Kennedy Center
Invocation Jacob Walker Bayles
Student Address Jessika Charisse Cole
Performance
BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble “Mo Li Hua”
Address to Graduates Renata A. Forste
Performance
BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble “Kupala”
Presentation of Diplomas Administration and Faculty Coordinators
Benediction Mirabella Rose Archibald Keogh
Convocation Program Notes
Sheri L. Peterson, a gifted professor at BYU, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Organ Performance. An experienced organist, teacher, and mentor, she has taught university-level music theory courses as well as group and private organ lessons. She has also presented at workshops, including the BYU Organ Workshop, and is beloved by her students for her enthusiasm and support. With more than 40 years of experience in church music, Sheri has performed with symphonies, choirs, and the Utah Baroque Ensemble and in Messiah productions, BYU devotionals, and numerous recitals and concerts.
Jacob Walker Bayles is graduating as the valedictorian in Asian Studies, with an emphasis in Japan Studies and a minor in Global Business and Literacy. During his Asia business study abroad, he traveled to six countries across Asia, applying his academic training in cultural and business environments while engaging directly with international companies. He has worked as an alumni relations coordinator for the BYU College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences, managing alumni communications and strengthening professional networks. In addition, Jacob has worked as a marketing and communications intern for the World Trade Association of Utah and served as a volunteer notetaker supporting students with disabilities. He has been an active member of the Global Business Student Association and was a finalist in the Wear with Purpose case competition hosted by the Whitmore Global Business Center. Passionate about cross-cultural connection, Jacob’s interests have been shaped by his experiences living in China and serving a mission in Japan. After graduation, he plans to pursue advanced Japanese language study, gain professional experience, and eventually earn an MBA.
Jessika Charisse Cole is graduating as the valedictorian in American Studies and has also completed a minor in Art. As a research collaborator with the Charles Redd Center for Western Studies, she authored eight published articles on Theodore Roosevelt through the Intermountain Histories project, combining her passion for public history with a commitment to making the American past accessible to broader audiences. She also served as a teaching assistant for American Studies Methodologies and Writing Practices. Additionally, Jessika worked as a social media marketing specialist for BYU Performing Arts Management and held leadership roles in the American Studies Student Council and BYUSA. She was an active participant in the Ballard Center and the Rollins Center’s Women in Entrepreneurship student association and served as a full-time missionary and community outreach volunteer in Fresno, California. Passionate about art in both physical and digital media, Jessika has been featured on the cover of the student journal Americana, received multiple scholarships for her work, displayed art across campus, and organized a themed art gala to engage students with the arts. After graduation, she plans to grow her business before pursuing a master’s degree in Public Administration.
The BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble, established in 1956, is celebrating their 69th year as a performing arts group. Renowned for their vibrant ethnic traditional dress and diverse dance selections, they have performed in more than 57 countries, including at the Olympic opening ceremonies in 1988 and 2002. Since 1964, they have gained international fame at prominent folk-dance festivals, representing American traditional dance heritage and promoting cultural appreciation, collaboration, and world peace. The ensemble’s artistic director is Jeanette Geslison.
China: “Mo Li Hua”
“Mo Li Hua,” meaning jasmine, is also a famous Chinese folk song. The flower, though not particularly beautiful, gives off a fragrance that gladdens the heart and refreshes the mind—symbolizing internal beauty and humility.
Choreography: Jiamin Huang
Music: “Mo Li Hua” (traditional); recorded by Beijing Angelic Choir
Ukraine: “Kupala”
The celebration of Ivana Kupala is a summer solstice pagan tradition where female dancers are ready to find a suitor. They dance Khorovod dances and couples will leap over the fires and bathe in the river. The young women traditionally floated the wreaths they made down the river while the young men waited downstream to retrieve the wreaths from the water to capture a woman’s interest.
Choreography: Tymothy Jaddock
Music: Traditional (Yevhen Dosenka Ivanovych)
Renata A. Forste completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Sociology at BYU and received her PhD from the University of Chicago. Renata was an assistant professor at Western Washington University for three years before joining the faculty at BYU in the Department of Sociology in 1995. She later served as an associate dean in the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences and as chair of the Department of Sociology. Renata’s research has focused on maternal and child health, particularly in Latin America, as well as patterns of family formation in the United States. She taught courses on data analysis, world populations, and global women’s studies. In the Kennedy Center she served as coordinator of Latin American Studies and was instrumental in bringing the Women’s Studies minor to the Kennedy Center as Global Women’s Studies. Renata served as associate international vice president and director of the Kennedy Center beginning in 2017. Most recently, she has served as the university’s international vice president. Renata is retiring this year, and she and her husband will be leaving for a mission to New Zealand this August.
Mirabella Rose Archibald Keogh is graduating as the valedictorian in Middle East Studies/Arabic. While at BYU, she and her husband, Alexander, cofounded the Peacemaker Project, an academic student association dedicated to building bridges of understanding among students. She developed her passion for peacemaking and human dignity through her experiences studying at the BYU Jerusalem Center and in Rabat, Morocco. In addition, Mirabella has been actively involved in a wide range of leadership and academic initiatives at BYU, including completing a double major in Public Health with an emphasis in Health Promotion. She served as editor-in-chief of Al-Buhuuth, the Middle East Studies undergraduate journal; was selected as a Wheatley Scholar; and participated in BYUSA, Model United Nations, and Model Arab League. Following graduation, Mirabella will spend two years working in England before applying to law school.
American Studies
BACHELOR OF ARTS
DECEMBER 2025
Megan Margaret Bailey
Jonathan Clark Parnes
Charles Andrew Stone
APRIL 2026
Corina Louise Flake
JUNE 2026
Jessika Charisse Cole*
Marley May Spencer
BACHELOR OF GENERAL STUDIES
APRIL 2026
Matthew G. Court
Ancient Near Eastern Studies
BACHELOR OF ARTS
DECEMBER 2025
Jaina Nicole Scott
APRIL 2026
Markham Jay Brown Jr.
Robert Gregory Flores
Jacob Wesley Hill
Emily Judith Jewkes
Colby Louise Sinclair
Jonathan Blair Vassar
AUGUST 2026
Emilee Jensen
Sarah Elizabeth Shelley
Annie Katherine Spach*
Asian Studies
BACHELOR OF ARTS
DECEMBER 2025
Scott Glenn Smith
APRIL 2026
Jacob Walker Bayles*
Andrew Clark Jones
Melina Angeline Sherman
Luke David Winters
Scholastic Recognition
Congratulations to our students who will earn the academic honors summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude at the culmination of their undergraduate degree. These recognitions will be posted to their official transcript.
University Honors
Students graduating with University Honors have completed several interdisciplinary general education courses, leadership development experiences, an interdisciplinary essay, and a thesis and have also defended their thesis in their major discipline.
Robert Gregory Flores
Major: Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Thesis: “Paul’s Porneia: A Lexical Study of Sexual Ethics and Communal Boundaries in the Pauline Corpus”
Claire Elizabeth Brimhall
Major: International Relations
Thesis: “God’s Will or Man’s? The Power of Religious Rhetoric in Shaping Wartime Domestic Policy Preferences”
Air Force ROTC
Laesgaw K'Chawtee Army ROTC
Scott Glenn Smith Taos B. Dye
