Commencement exercises recognize 182 graduates

Kim Chaudoin | 

A sunny, warm December morning was the setting for Lipscomb University’s fall commencement exercises Saturday, during which 182 students received degrees. President Randy Lowry conferred 41 graduate degrees and 141 undergraduate degrees.

During his charge to the graduates, Lowry encouraged students to “let your life speak.”

“Beyond the jobs and promotions, there will be a life that speaks in a number of ways. There must be a convergence between what you do and who you are,” said Lowry.

He encouraged students to “listen.”

“Parker Palmer wrote that before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen to what your life wants to do with you. Live a life of significance. Also, you need to have a sense of willingness to be courageous. In those changes you’re listening and when you’re listening you hear your life speak. As you leave this campus I challenge you to bring together what you’ve accomplished and learned with who you were created to be. Let your life speak,” he said.

Candice McQueen, assistant professor and chair of the education department, offered a charge to the students on behalf of the faculty.

“I have a simple charge for you. Think, plan and then, do. Don’t jump into doing until you do the thinking and planning. Your real success as a doer in your profession, in your family, in your church takes daily forethought and meditation. As graduates, you are builders. You have the foundation and now you want to ‘do.’ If you will take the time to think, plan and then, do you will be the builder you came to Lipscomb University to become,” she said.

During commencement exercises, two students were honored for graduating with a 4.0 grade point average. Honor graduates for the December 2006 graduating class are William Ryan Mitchell, a biology major from Andalusia, Ala., and Leigh Meredith Powell, a general studies/interdisciplinary teaching major from Old Hickory, Tenn.