One hundred forty-six Bluefield College seniors accepted diplomas, Saturday, May 5, during the school’s 96th Annual Spring Commencement, which featured two speeches from distinguished graduates and a keynote address from The Honorable Ben Chafin, a Virginia state senator representing District 38, who also received an Honorary Doctorate degree.
In his Commencement address, Senator Chafin, a native of Russell County who was born and raised in southwest Virginia, spoke to the graduates about self-reflection. He applauded their choice for higher education in Bluefield College, a faith-based institution that he said places a significant value on giving serious thought to one’s character, motives and actions.
“Faith-based colleges,” he said, “make it possible for some of the most isolated areas in our nation, the most underserved districts in our country, and the most undereducated groups of young people to break out of poverty and shine as an example to their families, friends and communities.”
A practicing attorney in Lebanon, Virginia, Senator Chafin also encouraged the graduates to “give back.” Giving back, he said, doesn’t require large sums of money. Sometimes, he added, it can be as simple as listening to someone who needs answers or positive reinforcement, and we all have that ability, he said.
“Each of you likely attended Bluefield College because of a desire to better yourself financially, professionally and spiritually. Being young and very busy, you may not have given much consideration as to what else you could achieve,” said Senator Chafin. “But there will come a time when the urgency of making ends meet and increasing your future prospects and achieving success are largely behind you, and the thoughts of giving back will start to seep into your life and your consciousness. As you celebrate this day and enter into your next phase of life, try not to forget to give back. From mentoring a child to working with the elderly, you can always make a difference. That’s the lesson I hope you’ll take from my remarks. Your future and the future of your school depends on you giving back.”
And for his tireless efforts in giving back to southwest Virginia and for the ways in which he supports the mission and goals of Bluefield College, the college presented an Honorary Doctor of Law degree to Senator Chafin.
“This Honorary Doctorate degree provides us the opportunity to express our appreciation to Senator Chafin for the ways in which he has contributed to the Commonwealth of Virginia and in particular to southwest Virginia,” said BC president Dr. David Olive. In addition to his influence in politics and law, Senator Chafin is the owner and operator of a cow-calf cattle operation with several farms in Russell County. He is also chair of the Board of Directors of The First Bank and Trust Company, a leading community bank with branches throughout Virginia and Tennessee.”
The college also presented two Algernon Sydney Sullivan Service Awards: one to an outstanding graduating senior and one to an alumna and community leader. Established by the New York Southern Society in 1925 in memory of Algernon Sullivan, a southerner who became a prominent lawyer, businessman and philanthropist in New York in the late nineteenth century, the awards seek to perpetuate the excellence of character and humanitarian service of Sullivan by recognizing and honoring such qualities in others.
Ellen Johnson, a psychology, criminal justice and forensic science triple major from Little River, South Carolina, received the graduating senior Sullivan Award. An Honors Program graduate and a member Alpha Delta sorority and the Lady Rams volleyball team, she was recognized for her “exemplary character,” “humility,” and “consistent habit of putting others before herself.”
Connie Mayberry Saunders, a tireless community servant, received the community Sullivan Award for her “selflessness,” “exemplary character,” and “constant desire to help others, particularly those less fortunate.” She is the director of Women in Search of Empowerment (WISE), president of the Advisory Council for BC’s New Opportunity School for Women, and president of Saunders Staffing in Bluefield.
Johnson and her classmate Shawn Howell also shared student addresses as part of the Commencement program: Johnson as a representative of traditional graduates and Howell as a graduate student representing online scholars. Johnson encouraged her fellow graduates to learn to “laugh at yourself” and “make the most of each stage of life.” Using a wave analogy from a devotion she recently read, she also challenged her classmates to allow God to continue to transform them.
“There are three ways you can react to a wave,” said Johnson. “You can run, you can stand against it, or you can fall into it. For those of you who have ever tried to swim away from a crashing wave, you know how unlikely it is that you’ll beat it. Instead, it’s likely to catch up with you and take you under. Similarly, standing against a wave as it crashes does not offer much success, either. Yet, there is a sense of peace and excitement that encompasses you as you allow a wave to carry you with it. You can take this analogy and apply it to life, too. When situations arise, you can run away in fear, you can boil up with pride, or you can surrender and allow yourself to take the form of Christ. As the signs hung on the light posts on campus say, ‘be transformed; transform your world.’ Continue to allow God to work through you so that you can be that change to minister to others.”
Howell, who earned a bachelor’s degree in church music from BC in 2012 before returning online to earn his master’s in education, congratulated his fellow graduates and encouraged them to relish the moment.
“We are celebrating our graduation day. Take a moment and let that sink in,” said Howell. “All those long weekends of studying, the time we spent on homework instead of spending it with friends and family, and all the other sacrifices we made are over. We have made it, and let me tell you, it was worth it. Your degree is something no one can ever take away. No matter where we go in life or what we do, we’ll always know we rose to the challenge and overcame.”
The 96th Annual Spring Commencement also included scripture reading by Dr. Bob Boozer, retiring professor of psychology; special music from BC’s select voice ensemble Variations, directed by Dr. John Moir, assistant professor of music; the singing of hymns and the BC alma mater, led by Dr. Charles Priest, associate professor of music; the graduates’ induction into the BC Alumni Association, led by Alumni Council president Brandon Caldwell; greetings from the BC Board of Trustees, offered by trustee Sid Lanier; and remarks from President David Olive, who like Johnson spoke to the graduates about being a “transformational leader.”
“Today, a new chapter in your life’s story begins,” said Dr. Olive. “Our hope is that you have been prepared for more than just success in your career, but that you also have been prepared for a meaningful life – one grounded in faith, adaptable to the changing global environment, and given to the caring for and serving of others. I pray that you leave here with a sense of calling to vocation that will direct your life with a purpose. Much has been entrusted to you and much is expected of you.”
Candidates for graduation were presented by Dr. Marshall Flowers, vice president for academic affairs, and Rebecca McCoy-Reese, president of the faculty, and Dr. Olive completed the conferring of degrees. Spring 2018 candidates for graduation included:
Kayla Anderson, Austinville, Virginia
Lauren Anderson, Lynch Station, Virginia
Laura Arrington, Barren Springs, Virginia
Megan Arrington, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Alexis Austin, Yorktown, Virginia
Abigail Bartlett, Appleton, Maine
Joshua Beckett, Bluefield, West Virginia
Tina Berkley, Meherrin, Virginia
Virginia Bird, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Michael Bonanno, Tazewell, Virginia
Noah Botley, Linconville, Maine
Richard Botley, Lincolnville, Maine
Christopher Brennan, Orange, Virginia
Trayvond Brooks, Waco, Texas
Ashley Broughman, Roanoke, Virginia
Emily Butcher, Tazewell, Virginia
Lisa Calfee, Pulaski, Virginia
Allison Campbell, Madison Heights, Virginia
Savannah Carabin, King George, Virginia
Victoria Chapman, Fullerton, California
Jacquelyn Chick, Roanoke, Virginia
David Cizmadia, Ocala, Florida
Weldon Claiborne, Mechanicsville, Virginia
Brian Clemons, Covington, Virginia
Caitlyn Clontz, Concord, North Carolina
Stephen Collier, Tazewell, Virginia
Katie Collins, Christiansburg, Virginia
Elva Cox, Chesterfield, Virginia
Amanda Crews, Callands, Virginia
Andrea Dales, Grundy , Virginia
Lea Dalton, Cana, Virginia
João Delgado, Riachos, Portugal
Kena Denton, Chesapeake, Virginia
Emma Donohoe, Dublin, Ireland
Tatiana Dronsick, Wytheville, Virginia
Joshua Dye, Swords Creek, Virginia
Erick English, Rock Hill, South Carolina
Matthew Epperson, Newport News, Virginia
Ernest Farrar, Crewe, Virginia
Victoria Ferguson, Salisbury, Maryland
Kyle Findlay, Reading, England
Taylor Flick, Suffolk, Virginia
Derek French, Bland County, Virginia
Gerald Gardner, Fishersville, Virginia
Adrianne Goodlet, Richmond, Virginia
Lauren Gourley, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Kierra Gray, Caret, Virginia
Alexander Haas, San Diego, California
Johnteasha Haines, Triangle, Virginia
Eryn Haley, Suffolk, Virgina
Nicole Hamby, Stafford, Virginia
Robert Hamilton, St. Augustine, Florida
Robert Hamilton, St. Augustine, Florida
MarQuell Hart, Suffolk, Virginia
Autumn Hash, Tazewell, Virginia
Kendall Haynes, Carcoll County
Freddy Herrera, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Allison Higgins, Roanoke, Virginia
Imani Hill, Chesapeake, Virginia
Samantha Hill, Stuart, Virginia
Michael Hinkley, Shawsville, Virginia
Priscilla Holliday, Pulaski, Virginia
Brittni Holman, Oregonia, Ohio
Shawn Howell, Bluefield, Virginia
Shekinah Huggins, Newport News, Virginia
Adeline Hurley, Glade Springs, Virginia
Mikaela Hurst, Fort Worth, Texas
Aaron Ingram, Tazewell, Virginia
Tyra Jackson, Bluefield, West Virginia
Madyson Jarrell, Lawrence, Indiana
Donna Jennings, Brookneal, Virginia
Christopher Johnson, Tazewell, Virginia
Ellen Johnson, Little River, South Carolina
Rosa Johnson, Petersburg, Virginia
Marva Jones, South Hill, Virginia
Sharnice Judson, Woodbridge, Virginia
Don Keene, Tazewell, Virginia
Laura Kincer, Tazewell, Virginia
Christopher King, Christiansburg, Virginia
Ona King, Richlands, Virginia
Sharon Kinser, Tazewell, Virginia
Tammy Kinser, Bluefield, Virginia
Hannah Klopp, Culpeper, Virginia
April Lavelle, Christiansburg, Virginia
Sherica Law, Martinsville, Virginia
Molly Lawson, Blacksburg, Virginia
Lynsey Leagan, Galax, Virginia
Leonardo Leite, Macapa, Brazil
Stephanie Lomans, Chilhowie, Virginia
Kendall Lunsford, Lebanon, Virginia
Zachary Luttrell, Richlands, Virginia
Tonia Martinez, Richlands, Virginia
Kaytlin McCoy, Salem, Virginia
Andrew McFee, Christiansburg, Virginia
Chad McKnight, Culpeper, Virginia
Hunter Melvin, Tazewell, Virginia
Melissa Minnick, Salem, Virginia
Alexandra Mocarski, Scottsdale, Arizona
Megan Moore, Tazewell, Virginia
Aisha Muhammad, Meherrin, Virginia
Matthew Mullins, Tazewell, Virginia
Stanthony Nelms, Atlanta, Georgia
Temeka Nelson, Richmond, Virginia
Caleb Newman, Medford, Oregon
Summer Nolen, Cana, Virginia
Nicholas Norris, Raleigh, North Carolina
Megan Norton, Halltown, West Virginia
Michael Oaks, Nicholasville, Kentucky
Courtney Oxford, Tazewell, Virginia
Angela Paris, Richlands, Virginia
Tracey Parker, Smithfield, Virginia
Cameron Pearson, Winchester, Tennessee
Hayley Penley, Wytheville, Virginia
Kaitlyn Pennington, Marion, Virginia
Iman Peoples, Pulaski, Virginia
Virginia Pepe, Stafford, Virginia
Kathleen Phillips, Richlands, Virginia
Amanda Poston, Rural Retreat, Virginia
Loretta Powers, Dublin, Virginia
Hannah Preservati, Princeton, West Virginia
Jenae Price, Barboursville, Virginia
Sarah Price, Swords Creek, Virginia
Mallory Ratcliff, Axton, Virginia
Olivia Ray, Swords Creek, Virginia
Keion Robinson, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Morgan Sawyers, Huntington, West Virginia
John Sharpe, Tazewell, Virginia
Kaitlyn Shaver, Alderson, West Virginia
Sharon Shelburne, Radford, Virginia
James Shelton, Richlands, Virginia
Renae Sizemore, Galax, Virginia
Nora Skiba, Alexandria, Virginia
Joseph Smith, Placerville, California
Whitney Sprinkel, Roanoke, Virginia
Danielle Sprouse, Richmond, Virginia
Ashley Starkey, Madison, West Virginia
Andy Stata, Blue Ridge, Virginia
Hannah Strength, Big Stone Gap, Virginia
Dustin Sumner, Galax, Virginia
Brandy Tabor, Dublin, Virginia
Tyres Tatum, Mayodan, North Carolina
Olivia Thompson, Bluefield, Virginia
Karlene Tuininga, Orillia, Ontario, Canada
Meaghan Vaughan, Roanoke, Virginia
Robert Womble, Richmond, Virginia
Ricardo Yanez, La Ceiba, Honduras.
Robert Yesbeck, Richmond, Virginia.