UA Preview — June 16-22, 2025

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UA System Board of Trustees to Consider Next UA President 

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees will meet to consider the appointment of the 30th president of The University of Alabama today at 1:30 p.m.  

The meeting will be livestreamed on the UA System’s YouTube channel. The University of Alabama will follow up after the meeting with more information. 

Capital Campaign Exceeds Goal Ahead of Schedule 

The University of Alabama’s surge of philanthropic giving under President Stuart R. Bell has propelled the Rising Tide 2.0 capital campaign past its $1.8 billion goal. 

Why This Matters: The Rising Tide 2.0 has reached its fundraising goal with more than a year remaining in the original campaign timeline. The University will continue raising funds toward scholarships, faculty support funds and campus facilities through September 2026, when the 10-year campaign draws to a close. 

For more information, contact Alex House at alex.house@ua.edu. 

Summer Commencement Date Announced 

UA will hold summer commencement Saturday, Aug. 2, at 9 a.m. at Coleman Coliseum on the UA campus. 

Why This Matters: Over 1,200 are expected to graduate, with about 750 of those participating in these ceremonies. Each year, UA awards around 9,000 degrees, with graduates infusing the state and nation’s workforce with highly educated talent. 

Pre-Medical Students Learn Rural Primary Care 

The UA College of Community Health Sciences recently welcomed the 2025 class of the Tuscaloosa Rural Pre-Medical Internship, a summer program for college students in pre-medical studies who are interested in rural primary care. 

Why This Matters: The seven-week program allows students to learn about the health needs of rural Alabama residents, particularly in family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. The students also gain a better understanding of the day-to-day life of family medicine doctors. In addition, the program seeks to enhance their understanding of medical school and increase their competitiveness for medical school admission. 

For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu 

Transformational Gift Names College of Arts and Sciences 

Alumnus J. Frank Barefield Jr. has made a $35 million gift commitment to The University of Alabama to name the College of Arts and Sciences.   

Why This Matters: The J. Frank Barefield Jr. College of Arts and Sciences enrolls over 9,000 students across 80 majors, minors, concentrations and graduate programs. It is now one of only two colleges at the University to be named. 

For more information, contact Alex House at alex.house@ua.edu 

15 UA Students Selected for Fulbright Awards 

The Fulbright Program selected 15 UA students for various awards for the 2025-2026 academic year. 

Why This Matters: The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers unparalleled opportunities in various academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students and young professionals. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English abroad. 

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The University of Alabama strives to remain neutral on public policy issues. Strategic Communications may facilitate interviews or share opinions expressed by faculty, staff, students, or other individuals regarding policy matters. However, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the University or its leadership, and do not constitute a statement on behalf of the University unless explicitly designated.