NCN News compiled the following list of spring commencement reports from each of the Nazarene institutions of higher education on the USA/Canada Region:
Ambrose University
President: Gordon T. Smith
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Web: ambrose.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: 28 April
Commencement Speakers: Sandra Manning for undergraduate ceremony, Minho Song for seminary, and Keith Walker for education
Number of Graduates: 200
Fast Facts: Convocation events were held on campus and broadcast live over the Internet … Video.
Eastern Nazarene College
Provost and CEO: Timothy Wooster
Location: Quincy, Massachusetts
Web: enc.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: 6 May
Commencement Speaker: David A. Busic, Church of the Nazarene general superintendent
Number of Graduates: 203
Fast Facts: This was ENC’s 96th Spring Commencement … Faculty emeritus status was granted to Timothy Shetler for his distinguished years of service at ENC … A spontaneous rendition of the Doxology followed the benediction and captured the spirit of this graduating class … Doxology Moment … Full Story.
MidAmerica Nazarene University
President: David J. Spittal
Location: Olathe, Kansas
Web: mnu.edu
Dates of Commencement Exercises: 5 May
Commencement Speakers: Dayton Moore, general manager of the Kansas City Royals
Number of Graduates: 700
Fast Facts: MNU’s 47th annual commencement was held in two ceremonies … Of the 700 eligible candidates, 205 were traditional undergraduates, 263 were professional undergraduates, 196 earned graduate degrees, and 36 earned professional or post-graduate certificates … Photos.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
President: Henry W. Spaulding II
Location: Mount Vernon, Ohio
Web: mvnu.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: 5 May
Commencement Speaker: Shirley V. Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C.
Number of Graduates: 522
Fast Facts: This was MVNU’s 58th Commencement … The Class of 2018 included 245 traditional undergraduate students and 277 graduate and professional studies students … Photos … Full story.
Nazarene Bible College
President: Harold Graves Jr.
Web: nbc.edu
Dates of Graduation Exercises: May 27
Commencement Speaker: Norman Moore, evangelist in the Church of the Nazarene
Number of Graduates: 81
Fast Facts: This was NBC’s 49th Spring Commencement … Commencement activities were held at Colorado Springs First Church of the Nazarene … The college awarded 69 Bachelor of Arts degrees, one Associate of Arts degree, and 11 Ministry Preparation Program Certificates … Ron Attig, who served NBC for 44 years, and Charles Self, who spent 16 years at NBC, were honored with a moment of silence as their regalia was draped on a chair in their remembrance.
Northwest Nazarene University
President: Joel Pearsall
Location: Nampa, Idaho
Web: nnu.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: 5 May
Commencement Speaker: Steve Shaw, professor of political science, and Brad Kurtz-Shaw, vice president for Academic Affairs
Number of Graduates: 569
Fast Facts: This was the university’s 102nd commencement ceremony … Separate ceremonies were held to honor graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of Adult & Graduate Studies … Photos … Full Story
Nazarene Theological Seminary
President: Jeren Rowell
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Web: nts.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: 5 May
Commencement Speaker: Mary R. Paul, vice president for Spiritual Development at Point Loma Nazarene University
Number of graduates: 47
Fast Facts: This was the 72nd Spring Commencement at NTS … Commencement activities were held in the J. B. Memorial Chapel on campus … The 47 graduates of the Class of 2018 received degrees as follows: 14 Master of Arts, 25 Master of Divinity, and six Doctor of Ministry … Three post-graduate certificates were awarded to those earning the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Wesleyan Pastoral Studies … This year’s graduates represented five countries: USA, El Salvador, Guatemala, Kenya, and Canada … Photos … Full Story.
Olivet Nazarene University
President: John Bowling
Location: Bourbonnais, Illinois
Web: olivet.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: 5 May
Commencement Speakers: John Bowling
Number of Graduates: 1,478
Fast Facts: This was Olivet’s 105th annual commencement … Graduates represented 23 different states … Micah Forshee and Emily Raduns received the awards for outstanding male and female graduates … There were 629 bachelor’s degrees, 137 adult studies bachelor’s degrees, 686 master’s degrees, and 26 doctorate degrees conferred … Photos … Full story.
Point Loma Nazarene University
President: Bob Brower
Location: San Diego, California
Web: pointloma.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: 4-5 May
Commencement Speaker: April Maskiewicz Cordero, PLNU professor of biology
Number of Graduates: 1,254
Fast Facts: Festivities began on Friday afternoon in the historic Greek Amphitheatre on PLNU’s campus with the first of two Graduate and Professional Studies convocations … PLNU celebrated commencement with four ceremonies and its largest number of graduates in a single academic year … This ceremony included the first cohort of graduates in PLNU’s new Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling … Eight retiring faculty members were recognized and honored throughout the weekend … Web page.
Southern Nazarene University
President: J. Keith Newman
Location: Bethany, Oklahoma
Web: snu.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: 12 May
Commencement Speaker: Carla D. Sunberg, Church of the Nazarene general superintendent
Number of Graduates: 403
Fast Facts: This was SNU’s 115th Spring Commencement … The President’s Award was presented to Kaylin Cummings and Travis Vernier … Returning graduates of the Class of 1968 were honored as this year’s Golden Grads … The morning ceremony concluded with the 85-year-old tradition of Ivy Ring, as this year’s graduates gathered around the Lamp of Learning on the central campus mall … The afternoon ceremony for Professional and Graduate Studies programs was highlighted by the recognition of recipients of the Distinguished Achievement Award, honoring a graduate from each program group who excelled in academics, community service, and leadership … Photos … Full story.
Trevecca Nazarene University
President: Dan Boone
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Web: trevecca.edu
Date of Graduation Exercises: 5 May
Commencement Speaker: Sam Green, director of undergraduate research
Number of Graduates: 869
Fast Facts: This was Trevecca’s 117th commencement … The university honored retiring faculty members Judy Bivens, Ruth Cox, and Steve Harris, awarding each emeritus status … Trevecca awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters to Pascal Permis of the Southern Florida District … Kip Kenerly received the university’s citizenship award … Photos … Full story.