Wingate graduates implored to take risks and believe in themselves

By Chuck Gordon

Growing up in inner-city Miami, Rashard Johnson had few successful role models to look up to. Fortunately, he said during Wingate's fall commencement exercises on Saturday, his educator mother instilled in him the confidence to become a successful executive.

"You can do anything you want to do," she told him. "You've got to be willing to make the sacrifice. As long as you put your mind to it, don't let anyone tell you what you can't do."

Johnson would go on to become a longtime healthcare executive, having served as south market president for Atrium Health and, since October, president of Atrium Health Navicent in Georgia. His commencement address and story served as an inspiring sendoff for graduates on a day in which Wingate conferred 317 degrees: 163 undergraduate degrees and 154 graduate degrees. Of the graduate diplomas awarded, 109 were in the health sciences, led by master of physician assistant studies (58) and doctor of physical therapy (36). The most popular undergraduate degrees awarded were biology (19), management and educational studies (15 each), exercise science (14) and psychology (13).

Johnson, who serves the University as a trustee, said that over many years of studying highly successful people, he's learned that they typically seize the moment, have faith in themselves and are relentless, have a spirit of service, and have a sense of humility about them. People doubted him along the way, he said, but he remained relentless.

"You have to take risks," he said. "You have to look in the mirror and believe that you have what it takes, and, quite frankly, being a graduate of Wingate University, I know you have what it takes."

Among the health science students receiving degrees in Cuddy Arena on Saturday were a baker's dozen who made up the inaugural cohort in the doctor of medical science program. The program, which is open only to graduates of Wingate's physician assistant studies program, consists of 22 credit hours taken over three semesters, entirely online and asynchronous. The DMSc is designed to help P.A.s move into leadership roles or become P.A. instructors, so students take courses in public health, business, education and research.

The course's flexibility was great for Alden Clark '23 (MPAS), who has worked as a physician assistant for an OB/GYN in her native Hendersonville, N.C., since graduating in December 2023. At the end of this month she'll move to Washington, D.C., to take a job as a P.A. at Georgetown University Hospital. She said the doctors she interviewed with at Georgetown were eager to hear more about her pending DMSc degree.

"They had a lot of questions about that," she says. "I think it really does look great on the resume. It kind of gave me a leg up in that way, which was nice."

Clark hopes to one day both go into leadership at a hospital and to go into academia, possibly as a preceptor, or clinical instructor. "Education is really important to me," she says. "I had amazing preceptors, and I'm looking to give back in that way."

Kathryn Bourgeois was also part of an inaugural cohort: the first students in the Physical Therapy Early Assurance Program, which guarantees students acceptance into Wingate's doctor of physical therapy program, as long as they meet certain criteria.

Recovery from an ACL tear in eighth grade piqued Bourgeois's interest in physical therapy, and she was excited to hear that one of the schools recruiting her to play soccer, Wingate, offered a clear pathway into PT. Even though she stopped playing soccer for Wingate after her freshman year, she remained at Wingate and will now start in the PT program in January.

"I wanted to do my undergrad and my doctorate at the same school, and Wingate had that," says Bourgeois, an exercise science major who grew up in Rhode Island. "Since I come from a small state, I liked the strong sense of community Wingate has to offer. I think it was the right size for me to learn academically, how you have smaller classrooms and are able to connect with your professors, but still get that full college experience."

After PT school, Bourgeois hopes to practice physical therapy that focuses on the elderly. "They're the ones who help us grow," she says. "They raise us. I think it's important for them to maintain independence as they get older."

Nathan Kintu also received valuable instruction during his time at Wingate. Kintu, who was awarded a bachelor of science in biology, did a Reeves Summer Research project with biology professor Dr. Acchia Albury this summer, examining programmed cell death in crickets.

"I got a lot of research experience," he says. "I learned how to preserve samples in liquid nitrogen. I learned a lot dissecting these tiny crickets. I learned how to determine male from female, their muscle degradation, the range in which their muscles degrade. I think that was a valuable experience for me and provided a good research background for my resume going into graduate school."

Kintu, a native of Uganda who graduated cum laude (grade-point average over 3.5), is waiting to hear back from several graduate schools. He hopes to ultimately work in molecular biology.

In a brief address to students, Dr. Rhett Brown, Wingate's president, implored graduates to put their passion and knowledge to good use.

"I encourage you to lean on your Wingate experience and the guidance of your mentors to find a life and a career where your great passions meet the world's great needs," he said, "where you find joy in sharing what you know and working hard and learning every day and in giving all that you can. That's what it means to be a difference-maker, and it certainly speaks to our University's motto: Faith, Knowledge, Service."

• During commencement, nine undergraduates were presented with the H.K. Helms Award, recognizing their having achieved the highest academic average:
• Jill Aldridge, organizational communication and management degree, Wingate.
• Kristen Baucom, exercise science, Monroe.
• Abigail Benton, elementary education, Matthews.
• Courtney Brewer, educational studies, Monroe.
• Rebekah Minton, biology, Lexington, N.C.
• Isabella Mitchell, human services, Charlotte.
• Savannah Phillips, English, Kershaw, S.C.
• Nadia Tucker, organizational communication and management, Marion.
• Maya Van Heyst, communication, Tampa, Fla.

The Department of Physical Therapy gave out several awards at commencement:

• Matthew Hammaker and Danielle Toman: Academic Excellence.
• Madeline Pinson: Clinical Excellence.
• Sarah Western: Service Excellence.
• Kierra Thomas: Advocacy and Professional Outreach.
• Morgan Funderburk: Stokes Leadership.

Four members of the Honors College graduated on Saturday:

• Imani Ballou, mathematics, Upper Marlboro, Md.
• Hannah Achilles, sport management, Rocky Mount.
• Genesis Vera Raga, management, Indian Trail.
• Oskar Enseling, psychology, Germany.

Counting May's larger commencement ceremony, Wingate conferred more than 750 degrees this year.

Dec. 13, 2025