Hastings College honors 140th graduating class – Melissa Kay Hines of Lamar receives degree in Criminology

HASTINGS, Neb. – Hastings College held its 140th Commencement on Saturday, May 9, 2026, awarding degrees to 190 undergraduates and seven Master of Arts in Teaching graduates. Graduates represented 21 states and nine countries.

The student speaker was graduating senior Bri Narick, an English major from Bellevue, Nebraska.

Graduation honors are awarded to those students with outstanding academic records in their undergraduate work. Degrees with distinction are awarded as follows: Summa Cum Laude, overall GPA of 3.97 or higher; Magna Cum Laude, overall GPA of 3.94 or higher; and Cum Laude, overall GPA of 3.85 or higher.

Students who graduated with High Distinction in their major(s) earned a 3.85-4.0 grade point average, while students awarded Distinction earned at least a 3.7 grade point average in their major(s)

Lamar, Colorado

Melissa Kay Hines, Bachelors in Criminology

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