CLEVELAND, Tenn. – For the first time in several years, Lee University students enjoyed an outdoor graduation ceremony Saturday.
Mark Williams, assistant general overseer of the Church of God, gave the commencement address after receiving an honorary doctorate of divinity from university President Charles Paul Conn.
“What a day this is!” Dr. Williams told the 362 graduates. “A day of celebration, a day of commemoration and … a day that truly testifies to friends and foes alike that the days of miracles are not over.”
After singing the children’s song “The Wise Man Built His House Upon The Rock,” Dr. Williams encouraged graduates to work on their foundation before the “rains come tumbling down.”
Professors Kevin Brown, Virginia Horton and Patricia McClung were presented with faculty awards for excellence in scholarship, teaching and advising, respectively.
Graduate awards were presented to Tyler Franklin, Lydia Nascimento and Andrew Macuarrie during the university’s commissioning service on Friday evening.
“You are the product of our dreams, our work, and all of our hopes for the future,” Dr. Conn said.
Graduates Jordan Halsey, Chad James, Christian Williams, Trent Catchpole, Jill Singerman and Cale Westbrook were selected to share their Lee University experiences with families and fellow graduates.
Cleveland native Brooke Ray said she was excited to have finally received her degree.
“It’s been a long day coming,” she said. “I never thought it was actually going to get here.”