Indiana University East’s Class of 2022 conferred 802 degrees during its Commencement Ceremony on May 13 at the Richmond High School Tiernan Center. The recording of the ceremony is available to watch online at https://broadcast.iu.edu/ or on IU East Facebook page.

As we continue to celebrate the Class of 2022, read about a few of this year’s graduates and their IU East experience, the impact they have made in the classroom or in their community, and their future plans.

School of Business and Economics

Silcott was big winner in finance, basketball
Garrett Silcott certainly has a great affinity for numbers.

Garrett Silcott

Two of his senior-year achievements – in finance and on the basketball court – prove that statement with an exclamation point.

The new graduate from Connersville, Indiana, was named the outstanding student in finance at the Honor Convocation on April 25.

Earlier in the Spring Semester, he finished his fourth Red Wolves season with totals of 1,156 points and 351 assists. Those are strong numbers – again – when considering the team missed about 25 games because of the pandemic.

“The night I scored my 1,000th point (December 21, 2021) and being named the outstanding student in finance were definitely a couple of my favorite highlights,” he admits about attending IU East. “A couple others would include winning the conference championship my sophomore year and reaching the Elite Eight my freshman year.”

He had numerous other highlights as a student and starting basketball guard, including being honored several times as a scholar athlete and as a league player.

Silcott is known by his coaches and instructors for always being inquisitive and prepared – and staying ahead on his academic work. He takes pride in those personal strengths.

“Being dedicated and disciplined, as well as being in great communication with professors, are all great attributes that will benefit your experience (and) success in the classroom,” he said. “Getting my work done early meant that I could focus my attention on other matters, which ultimately reduced my stress.”

Silcott made it a point to visit with faculty on a regular basis.

Despite the hours devoted to shining in basketball and in the School of Business and Economics, he also carved out time to have success in a lawnmowing business that he runs in his hometown.

“(That) is going great. I have slowed down this past year as I will be starting my new job at Union Savings and Loan,” he said.

He is considering working toward a master’s degree in the near future.

His busy college and business careers created the need to balance living arrangements depending on the season. “During the summertime, I would often commute, but during the school year I would often stay up here in Richmond,” he said. “This allowed me to focus on what needed to be done. I always found that campus duties are first and foremost, but I never spent all my time around them.”

IU East proved to be a perfect fit for him. “Besides it being cost-affordable and small in class sizes, it was close to home, which benefited my family and me for several reasons.”

Grenada native finds island of IU East friends
Basketball has provided an amazing journey for Jehu Lafeuillee.

Jehu Lafeuillee

His advancing skills took him from his home country of Grenada to the bigger island of Barbados for better opportunities at age 15. Then he went to Illinois to attend prep school and play at a community college.

He joined the Red Wolves after Coach Mark Hester liked what he saw on film. Lafeuillee didn’t disappoint: He was an all-conference forward for two seasons.

Now, Lafeuillee hopes the basketball journey doesn’t end soon. He works out several times a day to prepare for upcoming tryout camps that could land him a contract with a pro team overseas.

Yes, the 6-foot-8 forward is that good.

“I am glad I came here,” he said. “I fit in for sure.”

He also fit in for sure off the court with a solid B average while earning a degree in psychology with a minor in criminal justice.

He also fit in extremely well socially. “I never thought the college experience would be like this – the connections I built, the campus life. I met some special people, some good people,” Jehu said.

Among them is Tim Scales, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economics. “He is an amazing individual,” Scales said about Lafeuillee. “I could not ask for a better student and he didn’t need to be in a class with me for us to learn together.”

Jehu pointed out other personal connections. “Professor (Gregory) Dam and I had the same interests in learning about meditation,” Lafeuillee said.

He also befriended employees in the admissions office. “Sometimes, I’d go over to hang out in the office. A lot of relationships I built here are special.”

Jehu and Scales worked together on a project called TOOL BOSS. The concept was to have high school students bring in their favorite tools, write about them and consider how important they are in their lives. “We took pictures and will make a book. It’s something that’s important,” said Jehu, who finished the project this week as he also went around campus to say his good-byes.

Scales said they have created a familial bond.

“Jehu called me on the morning of his senior basketball game and asked me to escort him onto the center court to be recognized as a graduating senior. I was honored to be asked,” Scales said.

Jehu loved the close-knit atmosphere of IU East. “I came from a small school. That was something I was looking for.”

After his basketball career ends, Lafeuillee aims to return to Grenada. “I plan to go back home and start a program to get kids involved. It will be bigger than basketball, a mentorship program to help them see more opportunities,” he said.

School of Education

Graduate finds great friends at IU East during cancer fight

Ashley Toschlog-Pemberton’s path to a degree in elementary education was filled with some amazing occurrences and memories.

Ashley Toschlog-Pemberton

The native of Centerville found nurturing mentors and traveled to many states.

She found love with her husband, Trey Pemberton, a fellow runner in cross country and track.

She survived brain cancer.

And she discovered a loving, nurturing family of people at IU East: “The whole school wants you to succeed. They also care about you,” said Toschlog-Pemberton.

She originally chose IU East to stay near her father, to pursue a teaching degree and to run cross country and track.

She was inspired to become a teacher by “two amazing teachers, Carla Bryant and Chris Evrard, who really cared about their students. They wanted us to succeed in the classroom and in our own life,” said Toschlog-Pemberton. “I believe every student needs a teacher like that in their life. They need someone who is always rooting for them. Hopefully, I can be that teacher.”

The caring at IU East was in evidence after she was diagnosed with cancer in 2020. “Marcia Foster brought me cookies with a card that said, ‘Your friends at IU East are thinking about you.’ Students and coaches in the Athletic Department also reached out to her.

She said she will never forget some of her experiences: “I’ve been to so many places (Oregon, Michigan, Georgia, and South Carolina) and I have met some amazing people.”

Those include “amazing teachers and students with inspiring stories throughout my field experiences in the education program,” said Toschlog-Pemberton.

She gained confidence to be a good teacher by having good teachers at IU East. Those included Jane Lamb, Linda Morgason, and Amber Hall. “Without these women, I would not have been able to reach my goals. They push you to be the very best you can be in the classroom,” said Toschlog-Pemberton.

She cites some other great memories: her cross-country team placing second at conference, breaking the 5k record in cross country and track “and the third-graders I taught during student teaching.”

Of course, an unforgettable memory is meeting her husband. “He proposed on the IU East cross-country course,” Toschlog-Pemberton said.

Her immediate plans include starting a family and getting a teaching job in southern Indiana.

Education student’s winning service more than just playing tennis

The connection between IU East and Ian Dillman was fast.

Ian Dillman

It was love at first visit and the luster has never worn off.

It all started with tennis. Red Wolves coaches took an interest in him while he was finishing a highly successful career in high school.

He played skillfully in men’s tennis for four years, but also got involved in student government and many social clubs. He advocated for good causes and for good times, too.

During his first visit to campus as a tennis recruit, he got hooked on the feeling of a tight-knit community that was focused around a strong learning environment. “I fell in love and immediately knew this was the school for me,” Dillman said. “When I heard about the class sizes, it was the cherry on top.”

He’s been a member of the Student Government Association, the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, the Howl Crowd and the Animals and Earth Science Club.

He served as president of the College Democrats of Indiana at IU East and helped other students as a Supplemental Instruction Leader.

He advocated for LGBTQ+ and helped host the Climate March on campus during the fall semester.

Dillman was zeroed in already on his career direction when he was in high school. “I fell in love with social studies and decided that teaching the subject would be a great way to do what I love for the rest of my life,” he said.

At IU East, he learned “what teaching was really about. (It) made me even more excited to get into a classroom to start teaching.”

He is graduating with a degree in secondary education with concentrations in history and political science.

Dillman plans on moving back close to his hometown to be with family and friends, to find a job in teach and start new adventures.

His favorite learning experience was student teaching at Centerville High School. “This last year was by far the best year. I enjoyed it because I started my student teaching … and had the honor of teaching some of the brightest minds of our youth,” he said.

Dillman definitely would steer prospective students to IU East. The tight-knit campus and small class sizes are definitely attractive. So is the ability to have fun.

“The memory that will stick with me the most is the foam glow party (that) IU East held. It was a fun time with friends dancing and listening to music while foam was being sprayed all around. It was a bummer when COVID-19 hit earlier that next year and prevented our Campus Life staff from putting on more events for students,” Dillman said.

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Award-winning graphic designer strives for balance

It’s time to push the summer refresh button.

Lissa Thomas

It’s time for building confidence and starting to build a career in graphic design – and in education.

Those are the immediate directions of Lissa Thomas of Richmond, whose talent and tenacity as a graphic designer has earned her several honors at IU East.

“I want to take some time to save up money and explore my own hobbies this summer,” Thomas said. “Before I start substitute teaching and working toward a teaching license, I want to relax and take time to build my confidence.”

Thomas received her degree in fine arts with a concentration in graphic design this May.

She notes the fine arts program pushed for excellence. That was inspiring, but also exhausting.

“I think I have been able to succeed as a graphic designer because of the great instructors such as Carrie (Longley) and Liz (de Villiers) that critiqued and motivated my creative process,” Thomas said. “This program was quite difficult at times, but I feel like I’m a better designer because of that high expectation.”

She is available to do commission work for clients. Thomas aims to become certified as an elementary school art teacher. That way she can pass on her love of fine arts to children.

At IU East, the Richmond High School graduate was awarded the Allan B. McCrea Scholarship and the Logan Fine Arts Scholarship. In April, Thomas was named the Outstanding Student in Fine Arts for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“It has been an honor to earn these top scholarships and they helped motivate me when I doubted myself during my degree,” she said.

Thomas kept a busy pace while attending IU East, but also sought some space to inspire creativity. She currently works as a receptionist at Great Clips.

“I balanced my work and school schedule by making sure to set aside personal time for myself to refresh.”

She took many classes online and benefited by living in Richmond and being so close to the art studios on campus.

“It was the best option for me to stay around my family and loved ones (she is engaged) and get a great degree as well,” Thomas said.

Graduate expects online degree to meet busy lifestyle, finds skills to strengthen his career and his authentic voice through creative writing

Richie Schenck returned to IU East in 2020 as a non-traditional student to complete his Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies. He completed his degree as a full-time student while working at his full-time job as an executive for L’Oréal USA.

Outside of school, Schenck is a proud member and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community and is a volunteer for the Indy Pride Entertainment Committee. Schenck is also on the L’Oreal OUT@L’Oreal National Committee, which seeks to get involved in local pride communities across the country and expand product offerings to all members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

When choosing a college to complete his degree, Schenck explained that he always admired Indiana University. “I have worked alongside some outstanding people with degrees from Indiana University,” Schenck said. “So, when I made the decision to complete my degree, I knew exactly where I wanted to be. And Indiana University East in particular offered the online environment that best suited my busy lifestyle, as I was already in a very demanding retail career role.”

Schenck chose to major in communication studies, noting that the major was versatile and provided him with a variety of useful skills such as graphic design, digital writing, advertising, and exploring various research methods.

“My degree program gave me such a vast canvas to paint on that I could not imagine having gone a different direction,” Schenck said. “…I found my course work has already helped me in my current job to better express myself.”

Even as an online student, Schenck sees IU East as a community. “I always felt like I could have real conversations with my peers and my teachers,” Schenck said. “And being able to have relationships like that—built through the screen of a laptop or tablet—is quite honestly a very marketable skill in a world that has moved to a virtual workplace … over these past few years.”

Schenck recalled one particular instance where his creative writing instructor, Melissa Blankenship, senior lecturer in English, inspired him to write about his own life experiences. Her encouragement led him to write his creative nonfiction piece, “In the Land of Drag,” a story about his experiences around the drag community. Schenck’s piece was well received and was published in the 2022 edition of IU East’s literary magazine, Tributaries.

“The reception I received from this actually shocked me. And it has made me realize that my best work comes when I am authentically speaking in my voice,” Schenck said.

Schenck recently had the opportunity to read an excerpt from his piece at the Tributaries release party.

“In many ways, I feel like that was my send off from IU East. I was able to share a skill I had sharpened with a community of peers and faculty that I will forever be grateful for,” he said.

Schenck’s first published piece has also inspired him to continue writing, and he is currently working on a memoir about exploring his identity, coming out as a gay man, and his interactions with the LGBTQIA+ community.

“…I have spent a lot of time recently reflecting on trauma from my youth that made me feel my identity as a gay man made me ‘other’ or that it was wrong. And it made me feel I had an empty void I could not fill without the acceptance of people in my life who did not agree with who I truly was. It has taken many years to understand that my identity is not something to be ashamed of. Quite the contrary, who I choose to love or date is just one aspect of who I am. And the LGBTQIA+ community has given me the freedom to explore and discover my identity, and to realize that the void I thought was there in me was really not something I needed filled by others’ acceptance, but by loving myself fully.”

After graduating, Schenck will continue his executive position at L’Oréal USA, with aspirations of incorporating his love for visual and written communication as he advances through his career.

School of Natural Science and Mathematics

Dedication to studies, lab work earns graduate first job in medical field

Just after her high school graduation, Erin Bell felt her calling was to work in the medical field.

Erin Bell

“(I) felt that a degree in biochemistry would best suit any career path I chose within the medical field,” Bell explained.

Bell is a now a graduate of the Class of 2022, earning her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. During Bell’s time at IU East, faculty in the IU East School of Natural Science and Mathematics describe her as an exceptional student.

Excelling inside and out of the classroom, Bell received honors such as the Chancellor’s Award during this year’s Honors Convocation. She served in leadership roles such as the vice president of the local chapter of the Tri Beta National Honors Society, Secretary of the Pre-Professionals Club, and since her transfer to IU East, has been a main member of the laboratory staff since her sophomore year.

“I chose IU East because it is a close, tight-knit community,” Bell said. “I have been able to develop valuable, life-long friendships. Through my position on the laboratory staff, I have been able to grow closer to faculty, staff, and laboratory staff members.”

Bell’s hard work and academic aptitude as an undergraduate opened the door to many opportunities, educational experiences and connections that will aid her as she pursues her future academic and professional goals.

“The courses that are needed in order to obtain a biochemistry degree have more than prepared me to reach my future goals,” Bell said. “The courses have given me in-depth knowledge on many subjects that will be necessary for a position in the healthcare field.”

Three experiences stood out to Bell including her research on fruit flies with Associate Professor of Chemistry, Hitesh Kathuria; her participation as a student speaker at the Spirit of Philanthropy Luncheon; and her participation as the student representative on the review team for the School of Natural Science and Mathematics (NSM).

Respectively, Bell said each experience was a benefit to her education—teaching her invaluable research techniques, providing her with connections to faculty and friends of the university, and gave her knowledge about NSM “and its efforts to constantly improve the educational experiences of all students.”

Bell has accepted a position at Reid Health as a laboratory technical assistant, giving her patient care experience as she pursues her master’s degree in physician assistant studies.

Busy math student used second chance to Zoom to success

Richard McHone has a propensity for juggling important roles and for resilience.

Richard McHone

Appropriately, those attributes led him to be heavily involved and successful as a second-chance student at IU East.

He served in the Student Government Association and as president of the Math Club.

He participated in the Honors Program and was a 2021 Summer Research Scholar.

He presented a paper on probability theory at the Mathematics Association of America after doing research with Nayeong Kong, assistant professor of mathematics.

Those are fine achievements for any student, but especially for someone who started 2020 on academic probation – and who also will be visiting Richmond for only the second time when he receives his diploma.

McHone lives in Waco, Kentucky, where he also balances roles as a father of three, as a full-time math teacher in a middle school and as a part-time Realtor.

His first two attempts at college – Eastern Kentucky and IU East’s online program – didn’t work out.

But McHone still knew that IU East had the online pedigree he needed.

“It was one of the first universities that popped up,” he said about looking for a well-acclaimed math degree program. “It worked out perfectly for me. It was one of the best decisions I ever made to apply at IU East. I’d 110% suggest that others should come here.”

Staying involved and upbeat is just part of his DNA. “I try to be outgoing, someone people like to be around,” McHone said. “I stay involved as much as possible. That’s important.”

He has achieved several important things:
– He’s the first in his family to earn a college degree.
– He was a SGA pioneer. “I was the first that wasn’t on campus,” he said about participating by Zoom. “I kind of opened the door to be able to do something like that.”
– He completed two original pieces of math research at IU East.

The 27-year-old now will pursue a master’s through Northern Alabama, with an ultimate goal of teaching at the college level.

He will always be grateful for how welcoming IU East was to him as an online student.

“Every professor and advisor I encountered, it was almost like you were sitting in their office,” McHone said. “I feel more connected to this school than the one I was at (in person).”

School of Nursing and Health Sciences

Humble graduate earns outstanding nursing honors

Baltazar Larano is humbled by what has happened in his life in the last decade.

Balthazar Larano

He became a U.S. citizen and now is a new graduate from IU East after moving to Richmond from the Philippines.

And to top it off, he was named the Outstanding Bachelor of Science in Nursing Student.

“That was icing on the cake,” he said. “I didn’t expect that. All I did was give all that what was expected of me.”

Modesty aside, Larano gave a lot more than expected in proving that he has the qualities to excel in the nursing field.

He is eager to learn and is excellence-driven.

He’s a problem-solver who carries a positive demeanor. He’s helpful and humorous.

There are more character attributes, say faculty in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, but you get the picture. He readily deserved the honor he was given on April 21.

Larano aims to pursue a master’s at IUPUI with the long-term intent of becoming a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.

His college experience included internships with the Richmond State Hospital and at Atrium Medical Center, and a community nursing trip to the Appalachia community in Wise, Virginia. He eventually would like to be employed at Richmond State Hospital.

His clinical internships helped seal his career choice. “It helped me realize and ignite my passion about mental health. And I really want to advocate to remove the stigma attached to people with this illness.”

He has to work for a year as a B.S.N. before he can start graduate work.

He has been working as a CNA at Friends Fellowship and also helping a family member to manage rental houses.
College degrees are not new to Larano. He holds a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from the University of the Philippines and has worked for a decade in the medical health field.

He and his wife, Farah, met in the Philippines. She works for the City of Richmond.

Larano chose to attend IU East because it was close and had the degree program he was seeking. He quickly felt at home. “That was probably the best choice I ever made. It has been a fun and special experience,” he said. “I had never enjoyed school before.”

He admits one of the toughest parts was interacting with students that are half of his age (41).
“It was harder to fit in, a big cultural difference,” Larano said. “I just had to have an open mind, be friendly. That’s what helped me out.”

Larano said another highlight of his time at IU East was visiting the Appalachians on a trip with other School of Nursing and Health Sciences students. “That was so nice,” he said. “We worked on community nursing. That was really memorable. It was a great and memorable experience, learning how health disparities affect the people and the community.”

His nursing degree opens more doors for him to specialize in the mental health field. He worked as a public health officer in his homeland, “so I decided to pursue a career as a nurse because caring for the people comes naturally to me.”

He will always fondly remember his time at IU East. “They were really helpful, all of them,” he said about the staff and instructors. “Everybody wants to help you out to be successful.”

Larano is quick to recommend his alma mater. “What stands out for me at IU East is the genuine desire of the school to help their students achieve their dream job and have a successful career.”

Nursing graduate driven by heart, compassion

Ashlyn Hubbard leads with her heart when it comes to her reason for going into nursing.

Ashlyn Hubbard

She is passionate about helping people heal.

She also has a strong desire to study the workings of the heart. “I think (it) is the most fascinating organ,” said the new graduate.

Appropriately, she has accepted a job as a registered nurse in the cardiovascular intensive care unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

A simple, compassionate thought helps drive her.

“I want to be one of the reasons (a patient’s) time in the hospital is not as bad as it could be,” Hubbard said.

Besides the ability to follow her passions in nursing, there were other reasons she chose to attend IU East.

– She liked the variety of choices for her nursing career. “There is so much room for growth and many areas you can go into.”

– She wanted to follow in her sister Brooklyn’s footsteps as a Red Wolves tennis player.

– She liked the short commute from her hometown of Camden, Ohio.

– She liked the small class sizes that allowed closer relationships with students and instructors.

She discovered a lot of friends along the journey to her degree. “During times where I thought I couldn’t do it, I had the encouragement and support of my friends and professors,” she said. “I have also enjoyed learning about myself and what I am capable of, which is a lot more than I realized. Nursing school has challenged (me) in the best ways possible.”

Some of those challenges came in clinical experiences that ranged from working on surgery floors at Reid Hospital to an extended-care facility and from the psych unit at Richmond State Hospital to a pulmonary unit at Miami Valley Hospital. As a senior, she participated in a group project that researched depression in young adults.

“Mental health is something that is not discussed enough as it is frowned upon to have those types of ‘problems,’” Hubbard said. “We were able to develop a plan to help those gain the resources they need in order to be happy and live a good life.”

Hubbard played tennis for three and a half seasons, but stopped to focus on her studies and pursue a job. She maintained a busy work life, too. She worked part-time during the school year and full-time during the summer. “I have worked two years in a primary care doctor’s office and one year in an acute urgent care setting,” Hubbard said. “Both of these have greatly helped to develop my nursing skills.”

Hubbard will relocate to northern Kentucky because of her new role.

“I am super excited for this chapter in my life,” Hubbard said.

Her future goals include starting work in a couple of years toward a master’s degree in nursing and then possibly a doctorate. She hopes to qualify as a nurse practitioner specializing in acute care (master’s) or as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (doctorate).

School of Social Work

Holbrook finished a dream at IU East

Overcoming the odds isn’t new to Hallie Holbrook.

Hallie Holbrook

That’s just the makeup of a top college athlete. It’s the same for an advocate for the disabled.

Holbrook of Middletown, Ohio, returned for one final “dream” match as a volleyball player after suffering a major knee injury early in the season.

She had a great match. “The support of my coaches and teammates was unreal. They did everything they could to get me the ball,” Holbrook said.

She played a different position than usual. “I played right side (hitter) that day, which is where I started my career … at 14. It was quite odd that I ended up finishing my career where it started.”

The ending was very symbolic, because she first attended an IU East match when she was 8.

She had a large group of friends and family in attendance to cheer her on that night.

Holbrook has overcome obstacles before. Big ones. She was labeled as learning disabled in elementary school. “Everyone has obstacles in life and you can’t compare them, but I think overcoming my learning disability has to be on the top of my list,” she said.

Holbrook was put on an individual education plan (IEP) starting in the third grade. “It was hard growing up ‘different,’ it was hard leaving the class because I had test anxiety. It was even harder listening to the teachers talk about us together like we weren’t humans,” she said. “I quickly learned how to advocate for myself and others. I stood up to the ones who would overlook us and group us together like we didn’t matter.”

She brought that thinking to her journey toward her Bachelor of Social Work degree. She is already enrolled in an accelerated master’s program at University of Kentucky. “I am very excited to take my education to the next level,” she said.

There is more going on than others can see with athletics and education. It takes work in all areas of life.

“One of the biggest lessons I learned was time management,” Holbrook said. “Between traveling for matches, practices, weights, and therapy there was little time for me. Though I learned quickly that there was time for me, I had to make time.”

She had accepted she probably would never play again after injuring her knee early in the season. “I felt in my heart that something was really wrong, and I was done. I was at peace with my (athletic) career. I set a goal of playing volleyball at IU East and I accomplished that.”

She had surgery in December after not being able to walk for a month. She will forever appreciate the efforts her coaches and trainer Halley Crum made in helping her during her career and in overcoming her knee injury.

Holbrook said social work is a great field, pointing out graduates “can work in a hospital, school, jail, mental health facility, nursing home (and more).”

She had her eyes on IU East for a long time. Her grandmother worked IU East and her mother earned a business degree from here. “You could say it just runs in the family,” Holbrook said.