Samford University seniors were urged by J. Claude Bennett, a 1954 Samford graduate, to consider past and future turning points in their lives during commencement exercises Dec. 16.
Some 298 seniors received degrees during the event at Samford’s Wright Center.
Bennett, president and chief operating officer of BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, had careers as a biological scientist, a clinical teacher and university administrator.
He served as chairman and professor of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) department of medicine as well as UAB president for three years.
“Each of those careers had its own special set of challenges, problems and personal rewards,” said Bennett, acknowledging the impact of his Howard College professors on his career decisions.
He left the graduates with five points to ponder as they begin the next stage of their lives:
-Be lucky enough to have loving, caring parents. “There’s always something good to be said for genetics and proper parental training,” he said.
-Obtain a quality education and be a lifelong learner. “Samford looks forward to having you around forever.”
-Be open to new directions. Look for happy surprises.
-Be lucky enough to have a loving spouse and learn to balance job and family.
-Demonstrate a genuine concern for others. “It’s really the only way to change the world for the better,” said Bennett.
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