May 14, 2026
Appalachian School of Law Celebrates the Class of 2026 at Commencement Ceremony
The Appalachian School of Law proudly celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2026 during its Commencement Ceremony held Saturday at Riverview Elementary/Middle School. Family members, friends, faculty, alumni, and community supporters gathered to honor the achievements of ASL’s newest graduates as they officially received their Juris Doctor degrees.
The ceremony opened with a prelude by pianist Amy Presley and the Academic Processional led by the Appalachian Highlanders Pipes & Drums. Pastor Jody Breeding of Vansant Baptist Church delivered the invocation.
Opening remarks were provided by Colonel David J. Western, USAF, Ret., President and Dean of ASL. During the ceremony, awards were presented by Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law Thomas R. Scott, Jr. and Adjunct Professor of Law Pebbles Burgess, Esq.
The commencement address was delivered by Matthew L. Harvey, a 2004 graduate of ASL and current United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia. Harvey was appointed by President Donald J. Trump in 2025 and confirmed by the United States Senate. During his remarks, he reflected on public service, perseverance, and the importance of using a legal education to positively impact communities.
The Class of 2026 was represented by co-valedictorians MacKenzie Eva-Rose Haley and Sana Fadah, who each delivered addresses to their classmates.
Candidates for degrees were presented and hooded by Chief Academic Officer Laura Wilson and Associate Professor of Law Dawn Figueiras before degrees were officially conferred by Dean Western.
Chief Justice Cleo E. Powell led graduates in “Remembering Your Oath,” while Matthew Felty, President of the ASL Alumni Association and a member of the Class of 2007, delivered the Challenge to the Graduates.
Following the ceremony, graduates, families, faculty, and guests returned to the ASL campus for a celebratory gathering.
Honors Program Graduates
ASL also recognized the Honors Program Graduates of the Class of 2026:
- Sana Fadah
- MacKenzie Eva-Rose Haley
- Abigail Walker Lawrence
- Julia Marie Lott-Khan
- Lindsey Kathryn Musick
- Brandon Ricky Phillips
- Olivia Ann Woosley
Class of 2026 Graduates
Candidates for the Juris Doctor Degree
- Elaina Shea Amy — North Carolina State University
- Cinthya Brito Gomez — Florida International University
- Kayleigh Linda Clark — Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Katherine Climaco Benitez + — Lipscomb University
- Carla Cook + — Potomac State College
- Curtis Howard Darnell III — Averett University
- Angela Diaz — The Catholic University of America
- Allainah Easterling — Western Governors University
- Sana Fadah ▲ — Old Dominion University
- Gregory Troy Gasque II — Coker University
- Robert Glenn Greene III — Roanoke College
- MacKenzie Eva-Rose Haley ▲ — Virginia Military Institute
- James Riley Harklerode IV — North Carolina State University
- Nicandro A. Iannacone III — University of South Carolina
- Indira Hamit Kalbaj + — John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Carol Lynn Mullins Keene ▲ — Clinch Valley College
- Canaan Key — Longwood University
- Julia Meriwether LaGrone +▲ — Lees-McRae College
- Abigail Walker Lawrence * — University of Lynchburg
- Alanna Lawson — University of North Carolina Pembroke
- Julia Marie Lott-Khan — Kutztown University
- Roberto Jose Mejia — Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Benjamin J. Meyerson — University of Denver
- Christele Mushagasha + — Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Lindsey Kathryn Musick — Radford University
- Bryce William McClellan Pearson — University of Tennessee-Knoxville
- Christian Jake Pewett — University of Tennessee-Knoxville
- Ricky Phillips — West Virginia State University
- Joseph Lewis Pullen, Jr. + — Randolph-Macon College
- Joshua David Ramsey — Milligan College
- Grayson Thomas Rockwell + — University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Aakrista Rupakheti — University of Mary Washington
- Laura Christine Schein +, ▲, § — Sweet Briar College
- Christopher Thomas Sharpe II — University of Tennessee-Knoxville
- Adran Ray Smith — University of Virginia’s College at Wise
- Arnando Ahle Smith — Purdue University
- Cameron Joseph Stamper — West Virginia University
- Cole Stiltner * — Old Dominion University
- Cody Neal Tackett — University of Pikeville
- Hailey Ann Thomas — Bradley University
- Joseph Hunter Trull — California State University Chico
- Iyana Vhané *, + — University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- Brooklynn Grace Whitaker ▲, § — Bluefield University
- Jacob Nicholas Wilkerson — Eastern Kentucky University
- Raneka Williams — Southern New Hampshire University
- Olivia Ann Woosley — East Tennessee State University
Certificate Designations
* Candidate for Natural Resources Law Certificate
>+ Candidate for Criminal Law and Litigation Certificate
▲ Candidate for Civil Litigation Certificate
§ Candidate for Family Law Certificate
