Media Advisory: UA’s Spring Commencement Exercises

UA’s Spring Commencement Exercises

Friday, May 4: 6 p.m.

Saturday, May 5: 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

MEDIA CONTACTS

David Miller, 205/348-0825, dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu
Deidre Stalnaker, 205/348-4956, dstalnaker@ur.ua.edu
Shane Dorrill (Broadcast Media Only), 205/348-8319, sdorrill@ur.ua.edu

Friday’s ceremony: Colleges of Communication and Information Sciences, Education, Human Environmental Sciences and Nursing.
Saturday’s morning ceremony: College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Social Work.
Saturday’s afternoon ceremony: Colleges of Commerce and Business Administration and Engineering. Additionally, the School of Law will hold its commencement exercises at 5 p.m.

Dulek to serve as commencement marshal
The commencement ceremonies will be broadcast live over the Internet. The webcast will be archived on UA’s website, www.ua.edu/commencement, and will be available for viewing through May 2012. Dr. Ron Dulek, professor of management in the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration, will carry the ceremonial mace, a commencement tradition at UA for more than 25 years. Introduced at the May 1987 commencement ceremony, the ceremonial mace is carried by the commencement marshal, a senior, active faculty member. When not in use at a commencement ceremony, the mace is under the care of the Office of the University Registrar. The 52-inch pedestal was lathed partially from wood saved from the Gorgas Oak, a campus landmark felled by a 1982 windstorm. The head frame is made entirely of Gorgas Oak and is set with four bronze castings. Base, pedestal and head frame were crafted by Sebron E. Kelly, retired superintendent of building maintenance at UA, and other maintenance employees. The mace contains the official seal of The University of Alabama as well as Denny Chimes, a campanile carillon that stands on the Quad and has rung the hours since 1929. The chimes were chosen as a symbol of campus and of student life. The other two sides of the mace are represented by a triangle that the lamp of knowledge with one phase of the University’s mission – teaching, research, and service – written on each side of the figure and Clark Hall, one of the oldest classroom buildings on campus and home of the College of Arts and Sciences, the first established division of the University.

 INSPIRING GRADUATES

Robert Spencer (Computer Communication Studies, New College)
When Robert Spencer withdrew from college after his first semester at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. in 1971, he had no idea he’d be receiving his degree from The University of Alabama in 2012. The Jacksonville, Fla. native spent 35 years in various engineering jobs, working in the off-shore oil industry and as a network administrator for a home building company. As time passed, though, not having a college degree kept a lot of doors closed for Spencer. “Regardless of knowledge and experience, there were many times in my life I couldn’t do the things I wanted to do,” Spencer said. In 2006, Spencer sold some property, which provided him the opportunity to attend school full-time. Advisors at UA’s New College helped guide Spencer toward earning his degree at his own pace, as he split time between class work and caring for elderly family members. “The staff at New College has been great,” said Spencer, whose father graduated from UA in 1936. “I can’t say enough about them.” Spencer plans to attend graduate school. For more information, contact David Miller at 205-348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.

Eddie Franklin (Social Work)
Eddie Franklin was faced with a tough decision in the late 1980s: complete a semester-long internship to complete his laboratory technician degree or work full-time to provide for his son.  Franklin, a Brooklyn native, opted to join the Navy, where he spent more than 10 years as a hospital foreman.  “The internship was 40 hours a week, and at the time I had an obligation – my son,” Franklin recalled.  Franklin left the military in 2004, but three days after his discharge date he was diagnosed with diabetes and encephalitis. The irony of spending 10 years caring for fellow soldiers without having someone providing the same level of physical and emotional care for nurses’ aides motivated Franklin to continue working in the medical field.  Franklin, his wife and their three children soon moved to Tuscaloosa, where he began work at DCH Regional Medical Center. While the work was fulfilling, another life-altering event would steer Franklin to UA – unemployment. Franklin lost his job and opted to take advantage of the Montgomery GI Bill, which helped fund his associate’s degree at Shelton State Community College and his bachelor’s in social work at UA. “This experience has opened up my mind,” Franklin said. “I’ve learned that if you want to create change, you have to be in the position to do it. I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had.” For more information, contact David Miller at 205-348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.

Joseph Sewell (Social Work)
Joseph Sewell had already overcome a mountain of adversity to earn a degree in human development and family studies before he truly found his calling. The Tuscaloosa native was working an internship when he met a social worker, who opened his eyes to the many roles social workers fill in the workforce. Sewell, who’s been paralyzed since he was 13 after being shot by a family member, knew he could make a greater impact in the world through social work. Though returning to school meant paying heavily out of pocket, Sewell did just that and will receive his bachelor’s in social work this May. Sewell’s journey to his second degree has included the same obstacles from his first go-round. Though he’s regained much of the movement in his body – he was initially paralyzed from the neck down – he’s struggled to write ever since. “For a long time, I would try to take notes in my head and rely off memory,” said Sewell, who graduated with honors from Central High School. Despite the limitations of using a wheelchair, Sewell has been an advocate for disabled access and a community volunteer. He helped organize a rally in Northport after the city council weighed an ordinance that would apply restrictions to group homes. He also created T-shirts to raise money for victims of the April 27 tornado. Sewell will begin his graduate degree in social work this summer. For more information, contact David Miller at 205-348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.