TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama awarded some 2,467 degrees at spring commencement ceremonies held Friday, May 16, in Coleman Coliseum on the Tuscaloosa campus.
Internationally renowned flutist and conductor Ransom Wilson gave the commencement address at UA’s two University-wide commencement ceremonies held at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. Wilson, an Artist Member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, is professor of flute at Yale University. He has recorded 30 albums as both flutist and conductor and was nominated three times for the “Grammy” award.
Wilson received an honorary doctorate of human letters from UA. Two notable Alabamians also received awards at the 9 a.m. ceremony. Wayne Flynt, Distinguished University Professor at Auburn University and an expert on Southern history, politics and religion, received the Hugo Black Award, UA’s top award, in recognition of his distinguished service to the people of Alabama and the nation. H. Pettus Randall III, who served as chair of Randall Publishing before his death in 2002, was the posthumous recipient of the Julia and Henry Tutwiler Distinguished Service Award.
David Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, was the speaker for the UA Law School graduation ceremony held Friday at 5 p.m. Bronner holds both a law degree and a doctorate degree from the University and served as assistant dean of the UA Law School from 1972-73.
With this graduating class, UA has awarded more than 185,000 degrees since its founding in 1831 as the state’s first public university. UA holds commencement ceremonies three times a year.
The following students from the Florence area were listed as candidates to receive degrees:
JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE
FLORENCE — Shane Padgett Morris
MOULTON — Joshua Byron White
MASTER’S DEGREE
ATHENS — Karen M. Clem, Martha Susan Fry, Anna Shero, Dallas Shea Smith
FLORENCE — Ana Carolina Behel, Kimberly Lovelace Mann, Daniel Trent Miles, James Clayton Rikard, Gregory Alexander Robinson, Stephanie Gail Smith, Andrew W. Stanfield
KILLEN — Robin Leigh Hughes
MOULTON — Vickey A. Lundy
MUSCLE SHOALS — John Brian Jones Jr.
ROGERSVILLE — Tracy Nichole Graves
RUSSELLVILLE — Molly Ann Bates
SHEFFIELD — Mitzi Lana Ladner
TOWN CREEK — April Lavette Jones
TUSCUMBIA — Kevin Gilbert Cook, Mary Misner
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
ATHENS — Amy Elizabeth Anderson, Frederick Ladd Burgreen, Melissa Susan Disher, Michael Barrett Dorne’, Lisa Lee Dunn, Somer Nicole George, Laura Paige Hudson, Brandy Leigh Reece, Christy Leigh Rogers, Telitha Elaine Sparks, Chandra Lynn Styer, Leslie Ann Taylor, James Wright Woodroof V
CHEROKEE — Joshua Adam Burcham
ELKMONT — Heavenie Page Rose
FLORENCE — Jordan Thomas Glass, Su Jin Head, David Kirby Howard Jr., Adam Keith McDaniel, Tamara L. Moody, Adam Selig Muhlendorf, Stephen A. Phillips, Lydia Marie Seabol, Jill Elizabeth Sealy, Christy Leigh Sharp, Jonathan Wade Snider, Julie Ann Yates
LEXINGTON — Anthony Dwain Bradley
MOULTON — Joseph Hunter Williams
MT HOPE — Autumn Lea Smith
MUSCLE SHOALS — Amanda Diane Blackburn, Michael Gabe Bonfield, Nathaniel Blake Jones, Britney Suzette Letson, Anton Lamar Young
PHIL CAMPBELL — Emily Suzanne Bishop, Candice Michelle Ergle
RED BAY — Leah Catherine Lindsey
ROGERSVILLE — Victor Roessel Dura, John Aubrey Howard, Kelli Brooke Thomas
RUSSELLVILLE — Mary Emily Habig, Christy Deann Lane, Brian Ashley Pounders, James Keith Sumerel
SHEFFIELD — William Thomas Hallman, Maleah Beth Young
TOWN CREEK — Kellye Suzanne Roberts
TUSCUMBIA — Megan Jessica Holt, Mary Anna Hudson, Daniel Freddy Mitchell, Luke Jared Retherford