Lipscomb University celebrates spring commencement with activities May 3-5
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
Watch Saturday commencement ceremonies here.
The Lipscomb community is celebrating the official end of the 2017-18 academic year with a series of celebrations and events to mark the occasion Thursday through Saturday, May 3-5.
Among the highlights are:
Thursday, May 3 activities
Thursday, May 3 begins the celebration of the end of the academic year. At 4:30 p.m. Lipscomb’s College of Professional Studies will host its first-ever Coaching and Global Leader pinning ceremony to honor its first classes in both of these programs for the Master of Professional Studies degree and certificate program which are both completely online. Author Louis Upkins will be the featured speaker at the ceremony which will take place in the Ezell Center.
“Our graduates are a very talented group of mid-career professional, many in upper levels of management who are receiving their pins. We are very proud of them,” said Nina Morel, dean of the College of Professional Studies.
Lipscomb’s Office of Veterans Services is hosting a graduation dinner for veterans who are receiving their degrees on Saturday. The special dinner will take place in the Faculty Club 1891 on campus.
Friday, May 4 activities
Friday, May 4, is filled with ceremonies and activities leading up to Saturday’s conferring of degrees. Various college awards luncheons and dinners as well as the traditional nursing pinning ceremony are among the afternoon’s activities.
At 3 p.m. on Friday, eight students who are part of Lipscomb’s IDEAL (Igniting the Dream of Education and Access) program, will receive their certificates in career exploration studies. The students are the fourth IDEAL program cohort to earn these certificates. The ceremony will take place in Stowe Hall, located in Swang Business Center. Alison Gauld, of the Tennessee Department of Education, will give a charge to the students.
IDEAL is a two-year certificate program that provides education and workplace training to students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. It is housed in the College of Education and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Launched in January 2014, the IDEAL program includes academic and skill-building classes, exercise sessions, daily internships, leisure time and a daily study period.
A baccalaureate service for graduating undergraduate students will be held at 4:30 p.m. Friday in Collins Alumni Auditorium. Following the service, a reception will be held in Bison Square.
Saturday, May 5 activities
The Lipscomb community will gather Saturday, May 5, to celebrate the official end of the 2017-18 academic year and significant milestones in the educational journeys of more than 840 undergraduate and graduate students.
In the ceremonies, the university will award 887 degrees — 520 undergraduate degrees and 367 graduate and doctoral degrees, which includes May and August graduates.
Festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. in Allen Arena with the doctoral and graduate commencement. Charles Frasier, professor of accounting in the College of Business, will give the professional charge. Lipscomb President L. Randolph Lowry will also address the graduates.
Undergraduate degrees will be conferred at a commencement beginning at 3 p.m. in Allen Arena. Lowry will give a charge to the graduates as well as Casey Alexander, head coach of the Lipscomb men’s basketball team, which made its first appearance in the NCAA tournament, who will deliver the professional charge. During the ceremony, Lipscomb will be awarding its first contemporary music degree.
A reception honoring all graduates will take place from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in the Student Activities Center located adjacent to Allen Arena. Families and friends of the graduates are invited to attend the reception.
Both ceremonies may be watched live online at live.lipscomb.edu.
Schedule of activities:
Thursday, May 3
4:30 p.m. — Master of Professional Studies pinning ceremony, Ezell 363
6 p.m. — Veterans’ graduation dinner, Faculty Club 1891
Friday, May 4
8:30 a.m. — Undergraduate Provost's Breakfast, Bison Café
9 a.m. — College of Pharmacy recognition ceremony and reception, Collins Alumni Auditorium
10 a.m. — Undergraduate rehearsal, Allen Arena
11 a.m. — College of Business undergraduate luncheon, Shamblin Theatre
Noon — School of Nursing pinning ceremony, Collins Alumni Auditorium
3 p.m. — IDEAL graduation and reception, Stowe Hall
4:30 p.m. — Undergraduate baccalaureate worship service, Collins Alumni Auditorium. A reception will follow in Bison Square.
5:30 p.m. — College of Business master’s graduate celebration, Ezell 301/363
6 p.m. — Law, justice and society graduation dinner, Faculty Club 1891
6:30 p.m. — Biology graduation dinner, Shamblin Theatre
Saturday, May 5
7 a.m. – Pharmacy dean’s breakfast, Thomas J. McMeen Music Center
8 a.m. — Graduate commencement rehearsal, Allen Arena
10:30 a.m. — Graduate commencement ceremony, Allen Arena (doors open at 9:30 a.m.)
12:30-2:30 p.m. — Reception for all graduates, Student Activities Center
1 p.m. — College of Bible & Ministry graduate blessing, Swang Chapel, Ezell Center
3 p.m. — Undergraduate commencement ceremony, Allen Arena (doors open at 1:30 p.m.)
For more information about graduation events call 615.966.6083 or click here.