Samford University, Birmingham, graduated a total of 835 during commencement activities May 22. The Southern Baptist school also conferred an honorary doctor of laws degree on Neal Berte, retiring president of Birmingham-Southern College.
Berte, who has led the Birmingham liberal arts college for 28 years, was cited for his leadership at the school as well as his community efforts by Samford President Thomas Corts.
Commencement speaker John Agresto, senior adviser for Higher Education and Scientific Research to the Coalition Provisional Authority, told graduates the future of democracy in Iraq is dependent on a broadened approach to education.
“Education will play a vital role in whether Iraq can grow as a democracy,” said Agresto.
“A key question is whether the Iraqi education system can become more ‘liberal and liberating’ and less narrowly focused,” he said.
Agresto, former president of St. John’s College in Santa Fe, N.M., has been in Iraq since August helping to reconstruct the higher education system in the aftermath of war.
His role includes putting Iraq’s 70 universities and technical colleges in touch with American universities for assistance.
Agresto spoke during graduation exercises at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex Arena.
Valedictorian Jessica Nicole Parker of Hoover received the President’s Cup, and Salutatorian Donald Earl Baker of Jasper received the Velma Wright Irons Award.
Tommie Ann Fridy of Sebree, Ky., and Amanda Rae Hambrick of Georgetown, Ky., were named inaugural recipients of the John C. Pittman Spirit Award.
The new award for campus leadership recognizes Pittman’s 50 years of service on the Samford board of trustees.
The commencement exercise was the last in Donald Wilson’s career because he retired at the end of May.
Wilson was in charge of Samford’s Air Force ROTC detachment for four years before beginning a 25-year tenure on the history faculty.
Former Alabama Governor Albert Brewer, distinguished professor of law at Samford’s Cumberland Law School, also retires this year after 17 years on the faculty.
Later in the day, U.S. Representative Artur Davis spoke during graduation for the Cumberland School of Law seniors in Samford’s Wright Center.
During the baccalaureate services May 21, Joel Gregory of Joel Gregory Ministries in Fort Worth, Texas, urged the graduates to “do something tangible for hope, and do it now. Whether it’s choosing a graduate school or planting a tree, do something that identifies you as a person of hope,” he said.
The best thing, Gregory said, is to be a part of building the Kingdom of God.
“It was here before you, and will be here after you.”
Graduates included Janet Smith, who with her husband, David, is a missionary in Thailand with the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention.
After arriving in Alabama on stateside assignment last May, the mother of three enrolled in Samford’s master in education fifth year nontraditional program.
In May, she and her family returned for four more years in Bangkok, where David is an IMB business manager/treasurer.
“My degree has better prepared me to teach in any situation,” said Smith, who is often called on to lead English seminars for government officials and teach conversational English at the Baptist Student Center in Bangkok.
“It will help me in my ministry, because I teach in so many different settings,” Smith said. (SU)
Share with others: