Judson College graduates challenged to set goals high; honorary degrees conferred

A capacity crowd jammed Judson College’s Alumnae Auditorium in Marion June 23 for the college’s 169th annual commencement.

Judson President David Potts noted that the class of ’07 had distinguished itself in and out of the classroom.
“This class began their studies the same year we inaugurated our faith-based service learning emphasis, and they’ve reached out to the Black Belt and to the world,” he said. “The recent report we compiled on the mission projects of the last three years was an inch thick.”

Commencement speaker N. Jan Davis, a former astronaut, challenged the students to set “great” goals in life.
Life goals must be hard to attain in order to be worthwhile but the benefits are “out of this world,” she said. “We will stumble and fall along the way, but we must get back up. We cannot do this alone, and we have family, friends and faith to help us in life.

“I took a job in industry when I finished college,” she said. “But I really wanted to work in the space program. … I was turned down twice but accepted on my third application.”

Davis worked in technical support for shuttle payloads and in communications with shuttle crews before becoming an astronaut herself. She completed 445 Earth orbits in three  1990s shuttle missions.
“Be the best you can be, set goals and pray for God’s wisdom,” said Davis, who received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Judson during graduation exercises.

Potts also conferred an honorary doctor of divinity degree on Henry Cox, immediate past president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention and a Judson trustee. Cox retired in 2006 after 25 years of service as pastor of First Baptist Church, Bay Minette.

Potts also recognized honor graduates and faculty.
Calah Odom of Delta received the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, Shacovah Evans of Phenix City received the J.C. Faulkner Award and Jennifer Jones of Russellville received the Bible Award.  
Regina Kanne of Silverhill, Nicole Last of Moulton and Samantha Niederriter of Millbrook shared the Scholarship Award.

Winnie Cobbs, professor of modern foreign language, and Eloise Whisenhunt, assistant professor of English, shared the Lula and Alton Holley Award for Excellence in Classroom Teaching.  (JC)