Birmingham-Southern College 2019 commencement recap

For Immediate Release
May. 25, 2019

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Birmingham-Southern College’s spring commencement ceremony celebrated 340 members of the Class of 2019 on Friday, May 24 in Bill Battle Coliseum. These newest BSC alumni are dispersing around the world to take on new challenges, from graduate and professional school to business opportunities to teaching and nonprofit work.

The featured speaker was Michael Flowers, BSC professor of theatre and former CASE/Carnegie Alabama Professor of the Year, who talked to the Class of 2019 about remembering the people who helped them to work hard, to stay humble, and to be kind to one another.

“You have pictures on your phone and in your minds and hearts of these people,” Flowers said. “Let them be your guides into the adventures that lie ahead. They’ve helped get you this far.”

He imparted significant lessons for each:

There is real value in doing your job. There is real value in being there for other people as you do your job. So work hard.
If you want to make a difference in the world and lead a life of significance, remind yourself regularly that you don’t know everything. … Our world is thirsting for a huge gulp of humility.
We’re surrounded by meanness, hatred, and bigotry of all kinds. Sometimes it feels like we’re drowning in it all. You can change that. It’s your responsibility to change that. We must take the time to be kind, and in doing so, show the world that love and kindness is the only way.

“Just take a moment and look around this place and at these people, he continued. “You’re not the same person you were when you stepped foot on campus for New Student Orientation four years ago. You know more about yourself and the world than you likely ever imagined possible. And what a gift that is. Now, you must choose what to do with that gift. Wherever life leads you, whichever path you choose to follow, I hope you’ll be surrounded by people who work hard, who are humble, and who are kind.”

Commencement also featured performances by the BSC Concert Choir and BSC Provost Dr. Bradley Caskey’s presentation of honorary degrees to three outstanding individuals: Edward L. Hardin, Jr. ’62, Birmingham attorney, retired executive-vice president and general counsel of CaremarkRx, Inc., of counsel with the law firm of Burr & Forman LLP, and BSC trustee; Dr. Sena Jeter Naslund ’64, author, professor, 2005-06 Kentucky Poet Laureate, and 2004 BSC Distinguished Alumni Award winner; and Frank Stitt III, James Beard Award-winning restaurateur. (see full bios).

At the ceremony, Caskey named Dr. Megan Gibbons, professor of biology, as Outstanding Educator of the Year. Caskey credited Gibbons many years of service, dedication, and leadership to the college; qualified and exceptional teaching; support for emerging leaders at BSC; scholarly endeavors; and mentorship to students. “She is the perfect example of close student-teacher relationships that Birmingham-Southern strives for,” he noted. “She sets the bar high for students, yet has an open door for them at the same time.” Gibbons, who has been teaching at the college since 2001, will serve as commencement speaker in 2020.

Other platform participants included BSC President Daniel B. Coleman, BSC Board of Trustees Chair Denson N. Franklin III ’85, BSC Chaplain Rev. Julie Blackwelder Holly ’01, BSC Joseph Hugh Thomas Professor of Music Dr. Lester Seigel ’79, and Attorney David Fawal ’86.

The commencement ceremony was the final event of a weekend that celebrated the achievements of the graduating class. Other events included a Capping ceremony for graduating seniors and the annual Baccalaureate service, both on Thursday.