For the first time in 18 years, all Samford University May graduates received their diplomas on campus during two weekends of spring commencement activity May 6 and May 16–17. Since 1990, spring ceremonies for all Samford academic units except Cumberland School of Law had been held in downtown Birmingham.
But this May, 845 graduates received degrees in six different commencement ceremonies on campus.
During morning ceremonies May 17 in Samford’s Pete Hanna Center, Samford English professor Roderick Davis encouraged graduates to ask the right questions as they enter their post-university years.
He also noted that the best inquiries usually come from having enough personal involvement in a matter to know what is important to learn.
"In other words, it helps to have learned something about the subject already. What are the important questions to ask?" he said during commencement for Samford’s Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies and School of the Arts.
Davis, a 1958 graduate of Howard College (now Samford) and holder of the school’s 2008 George Macon Memorial Award for teaching excellence, spoke to about 400 graduates and 4,000 others, including 38 members of his own class.
The class of 1958 returned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its graduation, the first on Samford’s Lakeshore Drive campus after its 1957 move from East Lake. The group marched with graduates and faculty in the academic procession.
Class members received 50-year diplomas from Samford President Andrew Westmoreland at a May 16 dinner.
Five 2008 graduates received the university’s top awards during the weekend.
Winners of the President’s Cup award for the highest grade-point average were Deborah Ann Norris, of Lake Placid, Fla., who graduated in December; Elizabeth Ann Rice, of Tupelo, Miss.; and John Andrew Wesley, of Texarkana, Texas. The three tied for the honor.
Kristen Suzanne O’Dillon, of Hanceville, received the Velma Wright Irons Award as the graduating senior with the second highest average.
Mary Katherine Nunnally, of Marble Falls, Texas, received the John C. Pittman Spirit Award as the senior who has demonstrated exceptional Christian character in student life.
Ceremonies were held in Wright Center concert hall May 16 for graduates of the McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business and Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing. Cumberland graduates received diplomas the afternoon of May 17 at the Wright Center concert hall. Beeson Divinity School held commencement May 6 at Andrew Gerow Hodges Chapel.
At baccalaureate May 16, Beeson divinity professor Fisher Humphreys urged seniors to live by the five virtues that the apostle Paul used to describe Jesus’ way of life.
Humphreys based his remarks on Colossians 3:12 in which Paul advises to "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
"Wouldn’t you like to have a friend who is compassionate when you suffer, who is kind when you make mistakes, who has respect for you and for the Lord, who never attempts to control you and who never becomes impatient with you or gives up on your relationship?" asked Humphreys.
"That is, of course, a description of Jesus. And that is the kind of person each of us is called by God to become," said Humphreys, who retired this year after 40 years in theological education, the last 18 at Beeson.
The baccalaureate invocation was offered by Daniel Aragon, whose daughter, Jill Aragon, was in the graduating class.
Daniel Aragon, a former Sandinista soldier who became a Christian 11 years ago, is now pastor of a Baptist church in Cedro Galen, Nicaragua, and director of Christian schools in that country. Jill Aragon provided translation for his invocation, prayed in his native Spanish.
This year’s retiring faculty members were introduced at various commencement ceremonies. In addition to Humphreys, they are Marlene Rikard, history; Jerry Batson, divinity; and Rebecca Clapp, law library. (SU)
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