Collins awarded honorary doctorate at Lipscomb commencement
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| Lipscomb University President Steve Flatt (left) presents Willard Collins the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. |
Collins, 88, was presented the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Lipscomb President Stephen F. Flatt, who formerly served in several leadership positions during the Collins administration.
"No single person has meant more to Lipscomb than Willard Collins. He has symbolized the spirit of Christian education and has been admired by students and alumni for more than 50 years," Flatt said.
Collins, who served as president at Lipscomb from 1977 until 1986, hired Flatt as director of admissions following his graduation the same year Collins took office. Collins later elevated Flatt to leadership positions in the university's business office and advancement division.
"Personally, brother Collins has been a mentor and a dear friend," Flatt said. "He encouraged me, as he has countless others, in every step of my professional and spiritual walk. I can think of no other person more worthy of this recognition and honor from Lipscomb University than Willard Collins," Flatt said.
Collins came to Lipscomb, then a junior college, from his hometown of Lewisburg, Tenn., in 1934, graduating in 1936. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Vanderbilt in 1938 and 1939 respectively and received honorary doctorates from Harding and Pepperdine. Collins joined the Lipscomb staff in 1944 as associate director of the Lipscomb Expansion Program. He became vice president in 1946 under President A.C. Pullias, and ascended to the presidency in 1977 following Pullias' resignation.
He was appointed chancellor following his retirement from the presidency in 1986 and was appointed president emeritus in 1989.
Five faculty members were also honored during the ceremony. Dr. Alan Bradshaw, Dr. Kimberly Reed and Dr. Carroll Wells were chosen by the senior class and tenured faculty as "Outstanding Teachers." The honor includes a $1,000 stipend.
Bradshaw is assistant professor of physics, Reed is associate professor in English and foreign languages and director of the Study Abroad Program, and Wells is professor of mathematics.
Dr. Marcia Stewart, associate professor of education, was awarded the John William Baker Summer Fellowship Award, a $5,000 stipend presented annually to honor excellence in the classroom and to support academic research. The award is funded by Dr. Alton and Mary Baker of Birmingham.
Kathy Bates, assistant professor in family and consumer sciences, was awarded the David Laine Memorial Travel Fund. This competitive award of $5,000, also funded by the Bakers, is designed to support travel costs for faculty summer research.
Bates will travel to England with the Costume Society of America to study historic costumes and sites.
More than 330 students participated in the 4 p.m. exercise, which featured former Tenn. Gov. Winfield Dunn as commencement speaker.