(Special to The Leader) —Dade Phelan, State Representative for Texas House District 21, gave the commencement address at the Lamar State College – Orange 2015 Summer Commencement on August 14 at the Lutcher Theater in Orange.

Born in Beaumont, Texas, Phelan is a 1994 graduate of Kelly High School and received his bachelor’s degree in Government and Business from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998. Mr. Phelan is a former legislative staff member to State Representative Mark Stiles, U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey and State Senator Tommy Williams.

Since 2006, Phelan has been a commercial real estate developer. His 4^th generation firm owns and operates over 2.5 million square feet of retail, industrial and office property in Texas and Arkansas.

Mr. Phelan is two time Governor appointee to and former president of the Lower Neches Valley Authority. He recently served as a board member to Southeast Texas CASA, Golden Triangle Coastal Conservation Association, The Jefferson Theater Society, Saint Anne Catholic Church and as board secretary of Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas.

In his first session representing House District 21, Phelan was named to the powerful Appropriations Committee as well as the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and the Elections Committee. Capitol Inside Magazine recently honored him as one of the 84th Session’s Freshman Superlatives.

His wife, Kim, is a solo practitioner attorney and together they have four boys, Ford, Mack, Hank and Luke.

Three graduates of Lamar State College-Orange graduated with the designation of summa cum laude, with “highest honors.” Summa cum laude designation includes those students with grade point averages of 3.8 to 4.0. The students with this designation were Nicole Marie Hope-Smith, Vidor; Leslie Paul Areceneaux, Orange; and Bonnie Louise Whittle, Kountze.

Magna cum laude, or “high honors” designation, is awarded to graduates who earn GPAs of 3.65 to 3.79. The nine students receiving this recognition were Kathryn Elizabeth Petry, Jacob Andrew McShan, Ryan Allen Burns, all of Orange; Rhonda Lynn Thompson, Lumberton; Brianna Christine Gintz, Sulphur, LA; Tonie Pauline Miller, Winnie; Telisa Anne McAbee, Bridge City; Annette Maureen Batiste, Beaumont and Dana Marie Copeland, Vidor.

Two students graduated cum laude, or with “honors” designation, with GPAs of 3.50 to 3.64. The students with this honor were Ashley Rae Irion, Nederland and Amy Alyssa Lyons, Orange.

Please join us in congratulating all of our graduates on their academic accomplishments. Graduates are listed below according to hometown and degree earned:

Associate of Arts Degree:

Bridge City: Shayla Leigh Stankus, teaching 1

Orange: Victoria Elizabeth Romano Aaron and Shelbi Nichole Wiggins Smith, teaching 1; Tonie Pauline Picard, teaching 2.

Associate of Science Degree:

Orange: Heather Marie Lloyd, business; Phillip Aaron Pollock, criminal justice; Constance Renee’ Forward, liberal arts; John Bernard Blanda, James Q. Ingram, and Ashley Faye Turner, natural science.

Silsbee: Michele L. Overstreet, criminal justice; Britney Elaine Hoffpauir Judalet, sociology.

Associate of Applied Science Degree:

Nederland: Dana Marie Copeland, information technology support specialist.

Orange: Leslie Paul Arceneaux, Timothy Wade Burch, Ryan Allen Burns, Hunter C. Duhon, William Kyle Ellis, and Jacob Andrew McShan, process operating technology.

Certificate of Completion:

Beaumont: Annette Maureen Wright Batiste, dental assisting; Candy Sue Johnson, Daqueshia Shaunektria Ledet, Kristin Faye Montgomery, and Sheena Lollette Wingate, vocational nursing

Bridge City: Richard Paul Nelson, safety, health & environment; Courtney Rae Jones, Telisa Anne McAbee, Kelsey Denee Roy, and Cristina Maribel Sanchez, vocational nursing.

Buna: Lori Ann Bean Boyd, Katie Lee Dutton,and Kaylee Danielle Ratcliff, dental assisting; Jessica Michelle Judy and Colt Garrett Kirkendall, vocational nursing.

Denver, CO: Jasmin Sha’Asia White, vocational nursing.

DeQuincy, LA: Jamie Len Owens Tyler, vocational nursing.

Groves: Noemi Berenice Perez, dental assisting.

Iowa, LA: Jennifer L. Shidla, vocational nursing.

Kinder, LA: Bwana Deshawn May, vocational nursing.

Kirbyville: Rosa G. Briz and Brandon Lee Rodriguez, dental assisting.

Kountze: Bonnie L.K. Gentry Whittle, vocational nursing.

Lake Charles, LA: Tammy Sherelle Gardiner, Jessica LeAnn Kilgore, Sharlene Lavine-Williams, and Laura Michelle Tucker, vocational nursing.

Lumberton: Alexandra Nicole Kocot Cleveland, Katie Leigh Decker, Kristin Michelle Hall, Jessica Marie Peitz Humphrey, Emily R. Mitchell, Rhonda Lynn Thompson, vocational nursing.

Mauriceville: Whitnee Mechelle Collins, dental assisting.

Merryville, LA: LeAnn Mashelle Cooper Griffin, vocational nursing.

Nederland: Dana Marie Copeland, cisco network specialist, IT support specialist -hardware, IT support specialist-software; Audra L. Haggard Dixon, dental assisting; Ashley Rae Fuller Irion and Crystal Gayle Morvent, vocational nursing.

Orange: Phillip Aaron Pollock, criminal justice corrections; Davia Lee Asevedo, Larecia Janae Brown, Sirena Ann Jack, Amie Alyssa Lyons, Melissa Michelle Monson, Kathryn Elizabeth Petry, and Shelbey Wiggins, dental assisting; Leslie Paul Arceneaux, Timothy Wade Burch, Ryan Allen Burns, William Kyle Ellis, and Jacob Andrew McShan, process technology; Candice Marie Dixon Anderson, Abygail Elaine Avery, Justin Wayne Bradley, Ashley Latrice Brown, Lauren Argo Campbell, Lacy Joy Carver, Joseph Lee Chwaliszewski, Steve-Ann Moore Daigle, La’Tisha ReNee’ Dandridge, Tommie Lyn James Daniel, Ashley Morgan Davis, Nancy Delafuente, Samuel David Early, Constance Renee’ Forward, Lindsey Brooke Thompson Garrett, Destiny Marie Garza, Caitlin Elise Gideon, Sylenna Yvonne Langston, Shuntreal Dazhanique Roberts, Tisha K. Stephens and Connie Renee Hughes Wooley, vocational nursing.

Port Arthur: Ruby Alexander Nuñez and Elisa Maria Robledo, dental assisting; Stephanie Denise Gray, Selina Angeles Gunner, and Janel Demetria Zeno, vocational nursing.

Rose City: Briseida Gutierrez, general studies.

Silsbee: Jessica Shontell Coleman, Tonya Irene Neil Gibbins, and Hazel Mae Jenkins, vocational nursing.

Sour Lake: Joy Marie Filer, vocational nursing.

Starks, LA: Jessica Anne Berry, vocational nursing.

Sulphur, LA: Brianna Christine Gintz, dental assisting; Courtney Benoit Israel, Shalena Marie Milton, and Abby Elizabeth Wilburn, vocational nursing.

Vidor: Leah Wade Copeland and Cryslynn Michelle Young, dental assisting; Olivia Raye Bobbitt, Andrea R. Cruz, Chelsea Alexandra Powell, Aimee Elizabeth Carmona Simmons, April Lynn Smith, Nicole Marie Baker Smith, Ginger Ann Swearingen, and Randi Nicole Tinkle, vocational nursing.

Vinton, LA: Macee Elizabeth Ann Simon Smith, dental assisting.

Winnie: Sarah Marie Miller, vocational nursing.

Institutional Awards:

Orange: Angel Nicole Cross, Michael Gene Manshack, Jr., and Cory Allen Rogers, emergency medical tech-basic.