Benedictine College 2025 Commencement Honors Students and Women Leaders
Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, graduated its largest class in history on May 17. At the same time, the school honored four women with honorary degrees: keynote speaker, Sister Deirdre “Dede” Byrne of the Little Workers of the Sacred Heart and three women who helped topple Roe v. Wade: Denise Burke, Kellie Fiedorek and Erin Hawley (Click here for “College Honors 4 Women — in 4 Vocations — Who Stood Up for Life”).
“These are brave women who have accomplished a lot for our nation and the most defenseless among us, the unborn,” said President Stephen D. Minnis. “But the featured guests at our commencement will be our students. These are the leaders of tomorrow who will Transform Culture in America … in significant ways that will surprise us.”
Grads hear Sister Deirdre Byrne’s “Spiritual Post-Graduate Survival Guide”
More than 500 seniors received their diplomas on Saturday, May 17, 2025, during the annual Commencement ceremony at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Those at the undergraduate ceremony heard an inspiring motivational speech from Sister Deirdre Byrne, POSC, a Roman Catholic religious sister, missionary, surgeon and retired U.S. Army colonel, who was the event’s keynote speaker.
Sister Dede, as she is known, spoke of God’s plan for everyone and how it can be revealed in different ways. She even provided the graduates with what she called ‘Sister Dede’s Spiritual Post-Graduate Survival Guide,’ which included the following seven steps:
“To find the plan in your life you MUST:
- Go to Church. God gives you 168 hours in a week. He asks for one back.
- Travel. The world is a wonderful place. You learn more about yourself when you learn more about others.
- Tithe your talents. Give back to those who were not as blessed to receive the two greatest gifts offered at Benedictine College. Your education and your faith.
- Obtain Spiritual Lasic Surgery … that is the ability to see as Christ sees. Confession and the Eucharist keep those spiritual lenses clean and is our shield and armor to fight against temptation.
- Stay well read on issues important to you and your faith but always read and learn with a discerning heart. Not only put Christ in the center of your lives, your friendships and relationship, but keep Him there.
- If you are searching for Mr. or Mrs. Right, work on first becoming Mr. or Ms. Right.
- Lastly, call your mother! Remember you not only have parents that love you, but you are spiritual children of our Blessed Mother, so invite her, too, to be with you daily.”
“So, although you are leaving your ‘Catholic Home’ of Benedictine College on a new and exciting chapter of your life, make St. Benedict proud of you to be a son or daughter of this outstanding college. Don’t just live. Live God’s plan,” concluded Sister Deirdre.
(See the video of her complete speech online.)
(See all the videos and photo galleries from the 2025 Commencement.)
L-R Sister Dierdre Byrne, Denise Burke, Erin Hawley (Molly Tynan, pictured, accepted in her absence), and Kellie Fiedorek, were awarded honorary degrees from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, May 17.
Sister Deirdre received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Benedictine. Three staff members of the Alliance Defending Freedom, Denise Burke, Kellie Fiedorek and Erin Hawley, also received honorary degrees during the ceremony. The three recipients, often called “the women who brought down Roe vs. Wade, were involved in various ways with the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case in Mississippi that eventually went to the Supreme Court and resulted in the overturning of the Roe decision.
“It is thanks to the work of these three women, from crafting the original Mississippi law to working on the strategic response and court cases, to litigating it from the state courts to appellate courts and to the Supreme Court, that made the overturning of Roe vs. Wade possible,” said Benedictine College President Stephen D. Minnis in the introduction.
“I think it is safe to say that without these three women; abortion would still rule America and millions of tiny voices would never be heard. We owe them a great debt of gratitude, and these Honorary Degrees are merely a symbol of our deep appreciation for their love of life and the law.”
Dr. Kimberly Shankman, Provost and Dean of the College, directed the annual exercise, which began with a prayer from Sister Esther Fangman OSB, Prioress at Mount St. Scholastica Monastery, one of the founding institutions of Benedictine College.
There were five Valedictorians for the Class of 2025: Luke Aschenbrenner, a Computer Science major from Hiawatha, Iowa; Avery Britten, an Exercise Science and General Health Care major from Amarillo, Texas; Kourtney Koc, an Elementary Education major from Prairie Village, Kansas; Jeffrey Schremmer, an Economics and Politics & Government major from Pittsburg, Kansas; and Abigayle Tucker, an Education and Theology major from The Woodlands, Texas.
President of Benedictine College Stephen D. Minnis announced the annual Fran Jabara Leadership Award winners. The award indicates the high level of ability the recipients have displayed as well as the respect with which their peers and teachers view them. This year, the Jabara Leadership Awards went to Maggie Halpin, a Psychology and Theology major from Leawood, Kansas, and Jeff Schremmer, an Economics and Political Science major from Pittsburg, Kansas.
President Minnis also recognized the students who were considering or had already chosen religious life. Jonathan Conner, Benjamin Houlihan, Matthew Muff and Lee Williams are discerning the priesthood. Niki Wood is entering into a period of pre-aspirancy with the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Healing Love order. Sister Joy Le and Sister Kateri Toler are members of the Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln. Sister Peter Marie Tran is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Martyr St. George, and Sister Mary Chiara Middendorf is a member of the School Sisters of Christ the King.
Although not commissioned during Benedictine’s Commencement ceremony, President Minnis recognized U.S. Army Cadets Margaux Gelbach, Ashlyn Hayes, Rayna Jasper, Shane Koehr, Itxel Martin-Huesca, Wendy Pflug and William Rosson; U.S. Marine Corps Cadets Kenneth Howard, Mac Postel and Damien Wilhelm; and U.S. Air Force Cadets Ryan Gainer and Braden Petree. They will be commissioned as 2nd Lieutenants in their respective branches in separate ceremonies later this summer. President Minnis also recognized other military personnel, veterans and first responders in the audience.
The ceremony concluded with one of the graduates, Olivia Wildanger, a Music Education major, singing the Benedictine College Alma Mater, O Lord of Ev’ry Blessing, followed by the Benediction from Abbot James Albers, OSB, of St. Benedict’s Abbey.
The day before Commencement featured the traditional photo of graduates around the Benedictine “B” in front of the Haverty Center. That was followed by the March of Light, a procession up the Raven Walk, through the Grotto and into the Abbey Church for Baccalaureate Mass. The Most Reverend Joseph Naumann, Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas, was the principal celebrant in his final Mass with the students before his retirement.
