Spring commencement marks all-time record with more than 900 participants
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
Watch commencement ceremonies live May 7 at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
On Saturday, May 7, Lipscomb University will mark another milestone with the largest number of students participating in a spring commencement in the history of the institution with 908 participants, which includes May and August graduates. This is nearly 200 more students more than participated in last year’s spring commencement.
Lipscomb is expected to award 561 undergraduate degrees and 424 graduate degrees. Including December 2015 commencement, Lipscomb University is expecting to award 1,540 degrees for the 2015-16 academic year — the most in university history for a single academic year.
Festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. in Allen Arena with the doctoral and graduate commencement. Lindsay Dillingham, assistant professor of marketing 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 Carrie Abood, assistant professor of education, who will deliver the faculty charge.
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.
Friday activities
Friday, May 6, is filled with ceremonies and activities leading up to Saturday’s conferring of degrees. Various college awards luncheons and 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 at Lipscomb) program for students with developmental and intellectual disabilities will receive their certificates in career exploration studies. The students are the second IDEAL program cohort to earn these certificates. The first cohort completed the program in December. The ceremony will take place in Stowe Hall, located in Swang Business Center. Candice McQueen, Tennessee commissioner of education and former dean of Lipscomb’s College of Education, will give a charge to the students.
IDEAL is a two-year certificate program, housed in the College of Education and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, designed to encourage and support students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to experience college as their peers do. 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.
For more information about graduation events call 615.966.6083 or click here.