SALT LAKE CITY – Westminster University held its 151st commencement ceremony on May 9, 2026, and welcomed 184 undergraduate students and 129 graduate students to the 20,000+ strong Westminster alumni community. This year’s graduating class includes students from 26 U.S. states and 20 countries, ranging in age from 20 to 67.
Amber Petterle, this year’s graduate commencement speaker, completed her degree in the Master of Science in Nursing–Family Nurse Practitioner program. Amber spoke of how she had always dreamed of becoming a medical professional when she unexpectedly became pregnant. Even though she was filled with uncertainty, she pursued both her master’s degree and motherhood and encouraged other graduates to pursue opportunities presented to them.
“If you are standing at a crossroads today filled with fear, anxiety, or uncertainty about the next application, the next job, or the next big risk, my unsolicited advice is this: Do it anyway. Chase the dream even when it doesn’t make sense. Even when the timing is inconvenient. Even when life does not pause to accommodate you,” Amber said.
The undergraduate commencement speaker was Lauren Morgenthaler, who completed a Bachelor of Science in computer science with a minor in mathematics. Lauren started school at a different university but transferred to Westminster and found a community she deeply connected with. In her commencement speech, she compared people to nodes on a graph, and the interpersonal connections between people to edges between these nodes. She encouraged graduates to maintain their connections with their peers and professors from Westminster.
“Westminster connected us, expanded our worldviews, and shaped us into the graduates we are today. Even though our time here has come and gone, once you join a network, you never truly leave it. Your frequency may change, but the connections remain. So stay close to the friends you made here and the professors who challenged you. These edges are part of your structure now. You carry Westminster with you wherever you go from here,” Lauren said.
Graduate Speaker: Amber Petterle
Amber Petterle is a wife, mother, and friend. Before Westminster, she gained five years of diverse nursing experience in dialysis, medical-surgical, and pediatric care. She is graduating from the Family Nurse Practitioner–Master of Science in Nursing program. She has navigated this master's program while becoming a new mother and is an advocate for perseverance and excellence in academics.
Undergraduate Speaker: Lauren Morgenthaler
Lauren Morgenthaler is graduating from Westminster with a major in computer science and a minor in mathematics. On campus, she worked in the tutoring center providing peer assistance in subjects like Calculus, Intro to Computer Science and Modern Statistics. She has represented Westminster in the broader tech community through hackathons and partnering with organizations such as NIWC to promote STEM education. Off campus, she works as a data engineer at a startup and coaches a competitive ski team.
Faculty Awards
Manford A. And June Shaw Faculty Publication Prize
- Meghan Durham Wall
- Anne Gibson
- Jessica Johnston
Adjunct Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award
- Michelle Alba
Student Awards
Graduate Student Awards
The Outstanding Master of Public Health Student Award
- Elise Kretschmar
The Outstanding Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner Student Award
- Laura Asturias
- Jesse Hernandez
The Emily Ott Memorial Award for Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Alessandra Lanza-Case
The Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants Outstanding Student Award
- Baylee White
The Jean Dyer Pursuit of Excellence Award for the Doctorate of Nursing Practice-Nurse Anesthesia Program
- Mackenzie Shelton
The Outstanding Master of Arts in Community & Organizational Leadership Student Award
- Cami Sheridan
The Outstanding Master of Education Student Award
- Hilary Hermansen
The Outstanding Master of Arts in Teaching Student Award
- Liz Adkinson
Undergraduate Student Awards
Trustee’s Character Award, Westminster University Board of Trustees
- Evan Bradbury Spaniol
President’s Leadership Award
- Sophie A. Mackay
Neisen R. Bank Memorial Award
- Rocio Campuzano De La Luz
View the profile for the class of 2026, and read more about Westminster’s commencement ceremony.
Amber Petterle
Lauren Morgenthaler
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