Major milestones made for many memorable moments as Columbia College celebrated Spring 2026 Commencement on Saturday, May 2, in the Southwell Complex.
More than 330 total graduates crossed the stage to earn their degrees from the Robert W. Plaster School of Business, School of Public Service and School of Arts & Sciences, culminating a weekend of graduation festivities.
The ceremonies helped the College eclipse 100,000 alumni in its 175th anniversary year.
“You are the living legacy of Columbia College’s 175 years and part of the moment that carried this institution beyond 100,000 alumni strong,” said President Dr. Toby Arquette, who presided over his first Commencement after starting his tenure in March. “But more importantly, you are the future of what this legacy becomes next.”
Military spouse turns motivation into milestone
Four years ago, Jennifer Nash ’26 watched from the crowd at Southwell as her husband, Master Sergeant Michael Nash ’22, addressed his graduating class at Commencement. Former First Lady Lee Russell Hon. ’25 leaned over and shared a motivational message.
“That could be you next,” Nash recalls being told by Russell, herself a military spouse.
It was a simple message, but one with profound implications.
As a result, “When I started at Columbia College, I set a goal not just to earn my degree, but to stand on this stage,” Nash said during her student address Saturday, to a room that included Russell and her husband, CC’s 18th President, Dr. David Russell Hon. ’25. “To prove that even the smallest seed of encouragement, planted at the right moment, can bloom into something that proves what happens when you choose to believe in yourself.”
Nash began her college journey 25 years ago, during a time in which she lightheartedly recalled there were no smartphones and most of her classmates had not yet been born.
Since then, her life has been shaped by deployments and moves around the world.
“That kind of uncertainty teaches you how to find strength within yourself – and it’s exactly why this college matters,” Nash said. “It’s built for people with real responsibilities, real challenges and real dreams.”
Michael Nash retired from the military this past year, and the family moved from Alaska to Massachusetts. That’s where Jennifer Nash completed her Bachelor of General Studies through the college’s Online Program.
The couple has two kids, one of whom will soon also graduate from college.
“It’s a full-circle moment for our family that makes this journey even more meaningful,” Jennifer said.
First-generation graduate revels in accomplishment
After starting at a Columbia College Global location and wrapping up her degree through the Online Program, Elnisha King-French ’26 lost track of how many times she visualized the occasion of receiving her diploma.
“Just last night I was in the car imagining this moment — walking across that stage, finally making it to something I’ve been waiting on for so long,” King-French said in her student address. “I looked calm. I looked happy. And then this morning came, and I woke up with the feeling of, ‘Yeah, this is real now.’”
King-French graduated with her Bachelor of Science with majors in Business Administration and Human Resource Management.
While certainly a moment she earned, she also recognized it as being bigger than herself.
“I’m the first in my family to earn a bachelor’s degree,” she said. “And as a woman of color, I understand that moments like this don’t just open doors for us. They open doors for the ones watching. The ones trying to figure out if this is possible for them.
“Whether we realize it or not, we’re showing them that it is.”
Growth doesn’t always look like progress, King-French told the Class of Spring 2026. Sometimes it looks like surviving, pausing or starting over.
“But it’s still growth,” she said. “And through everything … I’ve held onto one message: She Blossomed Anyway.”
Six standout students earn Presidential Awards
Each Commencement, special recognition is given to students earning a 4.0 grade-point average who have completed the entire course of study for their bachelor’s degree at Columbia College.
On Saturday, the College was pleased to recognize six students who earned the prestigious Presidential Award.
- Isabelle Cole ’26: Isabelle is from Columbia, Missouri, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science with majors in Business Administration and Marketing and a minor in Management. After graduation, she is moving to Kansas City to begin her career as a recruiter with Insite Global. While at CC, she was a member of the women’s soccer team and actively involved in the business school’s Center for Social Media & Alumni Communications and the American Marketing Association.
- Emma Prettyman ’26: Emma is from Louisburg, Kansas, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics and a minor in Management. She plans to continue at Columbia College in pursuit of a Master of Science in Business Analytics. While at CC, she has competed on the track & field team and participated in the Disc Golf Club.
- Elaina Dyke ’26: Elaina is from Hannibal, Missouri, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Art with a minor in Ceramics. She plans to work as a freelance artist, eventually establishing her own business. At CC, she participated in the Student Art Exhibition as well as the Pottery Sale each year.
- Kaylie Kempland ’26: Kaylie is from Wentzville, Missouri, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She will be working as a labor and delivery nurse at SSM DePaul Hospital in St. Louis. While at CC, she was involved in the Student Nurses Association and the Honors Program.
- Marci Lammers ’26: Marci is from Pilot Grove, Missouri, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She plans to pursue a career in photography and visual storytelling. While at CC, she was involved in Campus Activities Board, Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), and as a founder and member of The Blue Print student design agency.
- Bethany Spatafora ’26: Bethany is from Kingdom City, Missouri, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science with majors in Computer Science and Mathematics. She plans on working in software development. While at CC, she was a member of the Computer Science Club and Art Club.
Ivy Chain connects students for a lifetime
Graduates gathered Friday afternoon on Bass Commons for the Ivy Chain Ceremony, one of the oldest Commencement traditions in the country and the oldest at Columbia College.
The new alumni processed out of Missouri Hall and through historic Rogers Gate before forming a circle with ivy draped over their shoulders.
“Just as ivy grows as a vine and is intertwined, so are your lives with this institution and the students, faculty and staff whom you connected with at Columbia College,” Dr. Dave Roberts, Vice President for Student Experience and Dean of Students, told approximately 100 graduates who participated in the event.
Drew Higginbotham, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate, shares remarks just hours before joining 54 peers in the Nurses’ Pinning Ceremony on Friday evening.
Higginbotham was a fixture on campus within the suit of mascot Scooter the Cougar.
“Scooter remains a symbol for all of us,” Higginbotham said. “He is persistent, resilient and never afraid to form new, lasting connections. This to me is the Cougar mentality, and it comes down to three branches: courage, pride and resilience.”
Higginbotham surely spoke for the class when he expressed the surreal satisfaction of graduation.
“This is a moment we’ve all imagined and chased,” he said. “Now, it’s become reality.”
