Nevada area students graduate from William Woods University

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Earning master of education degrees were Jenifer Michelle Gast, Kimberly A. Ray and John William Smith, all of Nevada. Ray is the daughter of Arthur Boak and JoAnn Ray of Hartville, Mo., and the granddaughter of Beverly Ray. She is a teacher in the Nevada R- 5 School District, Nevada, Mo., and previously taught at Belen Middle School, Belen, N. M.

A 2004 Graduate of Misssouri Southern State University, Smith is employed by the Nevada R- 5 School District as a third grade teacher at Truman Elementary. William Woods University graduated nearly 600 students in May, setting a record for a single commencement and for combined graduates the past 12 months. A total of 591 students received diplomas. With ceremonies in August and December, the combined number of WWU graduates since last May is 1,401. WWU held two commencement ceremonies -- one for graduate education students May 4, and one for graduate business students and all undergraduates May 5.