Sixteen students from Austin were among the 1,600 who graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato during fall commencement exercises on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012.

The students, along with their degrees, from Austin were: Samantha Barthels, MA urban and regional studies; Denise Benson, BS social studies general; Heather Bruggeman, BS Nursing; Andrew Dennison, BS cognitive science; Heidi Doe, BS nursing; Mary Donnelly, BS nursing; Vanessa Hamlin, BS nursing; Coty Hemann, BS accounting; Coty Hemann, BS finance; Cassandra Leathers, BS elementary education, cum laude; Andy Nelson, BS physical education (non-teaching); Jessica Neumann, BS nursing, magna cum laude; Katelyn Reed, BS human biology; Amanda Tweet, BS rec, parks and leisure services; Zachary Wehner, BS sport management; Nathan Wilson, BS physical education (teaching), cum laude.

From Adams were Zachary Felten, BS physical education (non-teaching), summa cum laude and Winston Smith, BS sport management; from Brownsdale, Alana Berge, BS nursing; from Grand Meadow, Ashley Kiefer, MSW social work; from Lyle, Jennifer Murphy, BS nursing; from Racine, Abby Holst, BA mass communications, magna cum laude.