Florence MS. – May 11, 2007
Wesley College held its annual commencement exercises on Friday, May 11, 2007, at the Florence Mississippi Middle School Auditorium. This year’s graduating class is notable – not because of the small size, but rather the quality of the graduates.
Of the thirteen seniors in the class of 2007, one graduated Cum Laude, three Magna Cum Laude, and four graduated Summa Cum Laude. All thirteen graduates intend to pursue advanced degrees. Most of the graduates have already applied and been accepted into graduate programs at schools including: Wesley Biblical Seminary, Belhaven, Jackson State, Jacksonville State, Memphis Theological Seminary, and Asbury Theological Seminary.
2007 also marked the first year that Wesley conferred degrees in Christian Counseling, with two graduates receiving degrees in that program.
Class Valedictorian Blair Chandler gave a rousing speech entitled “The Challenge,” generating thundering applause from the hundreds on hand.
The commencement address was delivered by Dr. Thomas H. McCall, Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Divinity School. Dr. McCall is an ordained minister in the Wesleyan church, and has served pastorates in Michigan and Alaska; he has also taught philosophy at Calvin College. He has contributed to Philosophia Christi, the Trinity Journal, and the International Journal of Systematic Theology, and is a member of the Evangelical Philosophical Society of Christian Philosophers, and the Wesleyan Theological Society.
In addition to the conferring of traditional degrees, Jerry Jones, Gerald Jones, and Marvin Peed were honored with Honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees, for their long time service to the college.
Immediately following the exercises, hundreds of family and friends greeted the new graduates at a reception held on the Wesley College campus.
-mdc
3 comments
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July 18, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Sarah Steedley
Hi. My name is Sarah Steedley. Every year I go to Alabama Congregational Methodist Church Camp and Every year about 5 or 6 Wesley College people come. They have been great and they help alot of people grow stronger in their relationship with God. Before I came this year to camp, I was a big christian and the camp and Wesley College People helped me to grow stronger in my relationship with Christ. For about a year or two, I have been feeling that God wants me to go into ministry and to go to Wesley College. I am only 11, But I hope that when I grow up, That the Lord’s Will is for me to go to Wesley College. Thanks to Wesley College and to the people who went to the camp this year From Wesley.
Sincerely,
Sarah Steedley
August 29, 2007 at 9:48 am
Hope Alese Montgomery
I wish that I could have been there. I will come back one day and walk across the stage. I miss Wesley and the friends that I made there.
Hope Alese Montgomery
January 23, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Lisa Larkins
I was a little nervous as he started his speech. He spoke of a friend of his that had cancer. Dale had just been diagnosed with cancer a few weeks before graduation. I have always found it impossible to sit still for more than three minutes. Yet, Dr. McCall captured my attention and held it for the entire time he was speaking. At times I felt I was the only person in the room and he was giving me gentle advice for my future and for the present. His words gave me hope. Dale and I were facing an uncertain future. We knew little about the time we had left together. We did know that the time would be spent saying yes Lord, yes Lord, yes Lord yes. Dale was given 6-9 months to live the week following my graduation. We accepted that there was a diagnosis and we accepted that it could end in Dale’s life being over. However, we did not accept to not fight nor did we falter in our commitment to serve the Lord and spread the Gospel and His love to everyone we met. Dale is now cancer free. He is a miracle to say the very least. I do think that God put Dr. McCall at my graduation to deliver me those words of encouragement. I looked back on that message many nights as I sat by Dale’s beside holding his hand praying for tomorrow. I am forever grateful for the message.
Blair also moved me to action. She delivered the best speech I have ever heard from a Valedictorian. I am proud to call her my friend. Thank you for commending my efforts as a mother, wife, student, and all the other things I am to so many. It meant so much that you recognized the sacrifices that I and the other mothers made to make it to graduation day.