Commencement Exercises Scheduled for Saturday, May 13, at 1:30 p.m.
WILSON, N.C. — May 8, 2017 — Endia Beal, assistant professor of art and director of the Diggs Gallery at Winston-Salem State University, will be the featured speaker at the 115th annual commencement exercises of Barton College scheduled for Saturday, May 13, on center campus at 1:30 p.m. Wilson Gymnasium is the rain site. Dr. Douglas N. Searcy will preside over his second commencement program as president of Barton College. Dr. Gary Daynes, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will present the 2017 Class of 277 undergraduate and graduate students.
Participating in this year’s commencement ceremony will be students who completed their baccalaureate degree requirements in December 2016 and May 2017, as well as undergraduate candidates who expect to fulfill requirements over the summer. Also participating will be graduates of the Master of Science in Nursing degree, Master of School Administration degree, and Master of Education in Elementary Education degree programs.
The three highest honors presented to Barton students: the Coggins Cup, the Hilley Cup, and the Hemby Leadership Cup, will be awarded. The Coggins Cup is presented annually to the student voted best all-around by the Barton faculty and staff. The Hilley Cup is presented annually to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative grade point average. The Hemby Leadership Cup is presented to the graduating senior, who in the estimation of the college community (including students, faculty and staff) has demonstrated outstanding leadership throughout a career at Barton College.
The Lincoln Financial Excellence in Teaching Fund Faculty Member of the Year awards will also be presented. The awards, given annually to two faculty members, include a cash stipend for international study.
Tracy O’Shields Mitchell, class of 1998, president of the Barton College Alumni Association and its Alumni Board, will bring greetings to graduating seniors on behalf of the Alumni Association.
The Commencement festivities will begin with a morning reception for graduating seniors and their parents on Saturday, May 13, from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., hosted by Dr. and Mrs. Douglas N. Searcy at the Barton-Graves House. Reservations are required for the reception.
Barton’s Commencement Day program will continue with the baccalaureate service on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. in Howard Chapel. The Reverend Jamie C. Eubanks, chaplain of the college, will officiate at the service, and the Reverend Beth Burton-Williams, class of 1985, pastor of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Smithfield, will deliver the baccalaureate sermon.
Earlier in the week, the Hooding Ceremony for the Master of School Administration and Master of Education in Elementary Education graduates in the School of Education will be held on Thursday, May 11, at 7 p.m. in The Sam and Marjorie Ragan Writing Center. Kelsey High will bring remarks on behalf of the M.Ed. graduates and David Lott will bring remarks on behalf of the M.S.A. graduates.
The Pinning Ceremony for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates and the Hooding Ceremony for the Master of Science in Nursing graduates in the School of Nursing will be held on Friday, May 12, at 7 p.m. in Howard Chapel. The featured speaker at the ceremony will be Linda Hofler, Ph.D., R.N., senior vice president – nurse executive at Vidant Medical Center. The student speaker will be Brandi Hutaff Gardner, senior nursing class president.
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