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WILSON, N.C. - Blue skies and a warm breeze welcomed families of 220 graduating seniors at Barton College’s 106th annual commencement exercises on Sunday, May 18. Dr. Norval C. Kneten presided over his fifth commencement program as president of Barton College. Dr. Terrence L. Grimes, vice president for academic affairs, presented the graduating class.

Participating in this year’s commencement ceremony were students who completed their baccalaureate degree requirements in December 2007 and May 2008, as well as candidates who expect to fulfill requirements over the summer.

Dr. Richard Ekman, president of the Council of Independent Colleges, delivered the commencement address. In his remarks, he reminded Barton’s graduating seniors of the benefits they had gained attending a small, private liberal arts college. "Barton College has, through its intense and caring atmosphere, helped you discover who you are, what your abilities are, and what is most important to you," said Dr. Ekman. "I hope that connecting the skills and values that you discovered you have with something that you want to do in the wider world has been a very satisfying experience, and will continue to be as you make other decisions in life."

He also emphasized to the graduating seniors that while they were now preparing to enter a "world dominated by large organizations in almost every aspect of our lives — as workers, consumers, users of health services, and as citizens," they also had one significant advantage, thanks to their Barton experience. "You have the advantage of seeing how well at least one small, flexible, and responsive institution can function. The question you face today is whether you will be able to bring this understanding to the other institutions in which you will be involved after graduation so as to make them as effective as Barton College."

He reminded them that they had learned the value of hard work, of diligence, and of collegiality, as well as the importance of honesty, integrity, and candor through their Barton experience — an experience that included class group projects, team sports, and daily interaction with fellow students and faculty members. Through examples in a series of predictions, Dr. Ekman further illustrated how these "life lessons" will help shape the graduating seniors’ personal and professional decisions. He concluded by telling them that personal integrity will "still be the best basis for decisive, well-informed judgment in the conduct of our lives."

The commencement exercises included the presentation of the Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa, to K.D. Kennedy, Jr., of Raleigh. The citation, read by Dr. Kneten, described Kennedy as "a driving force over the last two decades, [whose] dedication and commitment to higher education have significantly enhanced the life of Barton College. [Kennedy] has distinguished himself as a leader and benefactor with vision."

The three highest honors presented to Barton students during Sunday’s program included: the Coggins Cup, the Hilley Cup, and the Hemby Leadership Cup. The Coggins Cup, presented annually to the student voted best all-around by the Barton faculty and staff, was awarded to Hayley Elyse Stafford of Claremont, who graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The Hilley Cup, presented annually to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative grade point average, was awarded to Joseph Thomas Hamer of Clayton, who graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. The Hemby Leadership Cup, presented to the graduating senior, who in the estimation of the college community (including students, faculty and staff) has demonstrated outstanding leadership throughout a career at Barton College, was awarded to Alexandra Renee Denton of Lucama, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management.

The Jefferson-Pilot Faculty Member of the Year awards, presented annually to two faculty members, were awarded to Patricia Burrus, assistant professor of business in the School of Business, and Dr. Kevin N. Pennington, assistant professor of biology in the Science and Mathematics Department in the School of Arts and Sciences. The awards include a cash stipend for international study in conjunction with Barton's Global Focus international emphasis.

Lauren Prevatte, senior class president, shared memories of their Barton experience and encouraged her fellow classmates to excel in their future careers. Dr. Phillip H. Warren of Dunn, class of 1971, president of the Barton College Alumni Association and its Alumni Board, brought greetings to graduating seniors on behalf of the Alumni Association and emphasized the importance of staying connected to their alma mater through myriad opportunities available.

The Reverend Hollie Woodruff, chaplain of the college, delivered the baccalaureate sermon earlier Sunday morning. Other commencement festivities during the weekend included a luncheon for seniors and their parents on Saturday afternoon, hosted by Dr. and Mrs. Norval C. Kneten, at the Barton-Graves House. The pinning ceremony for the graduates of the School of Nursing followed on Saturday evening at First United Methodist Church.

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Questions? Please contact Kathy Daughety, director of public relations, at 252-399-6529 or email: kdaughety@barton.edu.

WILSON, N.C. - Beautiful weather coupled with time-honored traditions appropriately ushered in Barton College's annual May 1 Founder's Day celebration this year. The campus was brimming with guests who joined the campus community to honor the William W. Parish family from Wendell.

The Parish family includes Aileen and Bill Parish of Wendell; Patricia Parish of Raleigh (known as Tricia) and her children: Casey and Alex Ward; and Phyllis Parish Howard of Raleigh, her husband Seab, and their daughter Gabrielle.

Each year at Founder's Day, Barton College honors a family who has made significant contributions to the life of the institution. Longtime supporters of Barton College and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Parish family has provided alumni and trustee leadership for the College in addition to supporting its educational mission and providing financial support.

Among the day's activities was the dedication of the Phyllis Parish Howard Television Control Room in the Department of Communications and Performing Arts, honoring trustee Phyllis Parish Howard. This addition to the television studio on campus was made possible by a gift from the WRAL/Capitol Broadcasting Company Fund. Presented by Jim Goodmon, president and CEO of Capitol Broadcasting Company, the gift was made in honor of Parish Howard's significant contributions as Director of Local Production for WRAL-TV and Capitol Broadcasting Company.

Following the dedication ceremony, the campus community and guests enjoyed a buffet luncheon in Hardy Alumni Hall with a brief program focusing on the contributions and commitment to the College made by the Parish family for the past 60-plus years. The program included two longtime friends, the Reverend Gilbert Davis of Forth Worth, Texas, and Juanita Andrews of Rocky Mount, who regaled the audience with delightful stories of shared experiences with alumni Aileen and Bill Parish.

Dr. Norval C. Kneten, president of Barton College, spoke of the tremendous commitment of time, energy, and financial resources that this couple and their two daughters (also Barton alumnae), have made over the years in support of their beloved alma mater.

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Questions? Please contact Kathy Daughety, director of public relations, at 252.399.6529 or email: kdaughety@barton.edu.

WILSON, N.C. - May is always a busy month for a college, and Barton started the month with a bang. With a control room dedication, a Founder's Day luncheon, and a book signing, May 1 was bursting with activity at Barton College.

Family, friends, and members of the campus community joined Phyllis Parish Howard, director of local production for WRAL-TV and Capitol Broadcasting Company of Raleigh, at the morning dedication of Barton College's television control room, which was named in her honor.

"Jim Goodmon, president and CEO of Capitol Broadcasting Company, chose to recognize the contributions of Phyllis Parish Howard and, through his generous philanthropy, has made the Phyllis Parish Howard Television Control Room a reality," said Barton president Norval C. Kneten in his opening remarks.

Parish Howard, a 1979 alumna and current trustee of Barton College, said, "My career in television began here on this campus, and so I'm so honored today that this WRAL and Capitol Broadcasting gift will continue Barton's future in the broadcasting industry."

Offering her thanks for the gift, junior Brittany Creamer, a mass communications major with a concentration in video broadcast production, said, "The generous donation of equipment has had a tremendous impact on me personally and my fellow classmates, allowing us to utilize the most current technology in our field. We are grateful to receive this generous donation."

The day was special not just for Parish Howard, but also for her parents Bill and Aileen Parish, who were honored at the Founder's Day luncheon.

Friends of the Parishes, Juanita Andrews and Dr. Gilbert Davis spoke of their friendship with the couple and relayed humorous memories from their shared past, stories ranging from antics in college to trips abroad.

Bill Parish began attending Atlantic Christian/Barton College in 1943, but World War II called him away to Mississippi in 1944 for training in the Army Air Corps. Aileen Reel also started her academic pursuits at Atlantic Christian in 1943, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music in 1947. After marrying in 1951, the Parishes established their home in Wendell, rearing two daughters Patricia (always known as "Tricia") and Phyllis, both of whom became Atlantic Christian graduates in 1975 and 1979, respectively.

Late afternoon offered a book signing opportunity as the final activity of the day. Honoring former student-athlete, tennis coach, and athletic director Tom Parham, the gathering provided guests with the chance to meet the 1963 alumnus and have him sign their copy of his new book "Play Is Where Life Is." According to Parham's website http://tomparham.wordpress.com, the "stories range from the shenanigans of a preacher’s child, to the adventures of a freewheeling 1950s teenager; from a small college athlete to a National Hall of Fame tennis coach. Topics include crossroads, inventions called the automobile and television, tragedies, accidents, and plenty of drama from a cadre of small town characters."

With a control room dedication, a Founder's Day luncheon, and a book signing to start off one of the busiest months of the academic year, many at Barton will find themselves ready for the clichéd lazy summer days.

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Questions? Please contact Ken Dozier, web services manager at Barton College, at 252.399.6596 or email kdozier@barton.edu.

Exercises Scheduled for Sunday, May 18, at 1:30 p.m.

WILSON, N.C. - Some 220 seniors will participate in the 106th annual commencement exercises of Barton College, scheduled for Sunday, May 18 on center campus at 1:30 p.m. Wilson Gymnasium is the rain site. Dr. Norval C. Kneten will preside over his fifth commencement program as president of Barton College. Dr. Terrence L. Grimes, vice president for academic affairs, will present the graduating class.

Dr. Richard Ekman, president of the Council of Independent Colleges, will deliver the commencement address. Dr. Ekman has served in this national leadership role since 2000. He previously served as Vice President for Programs of Atlantic Philanthropies and, from 1991 to 1999, as Secretary of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. From 1982 until 1991, he was a member of the staff of the National Endowment for the Humanities, first as Director of the Division of Education Programs, subsequently as Director of the Division of Research Programs. He currently serves as a member of many boards, including the National Advisory Committee of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, the Advisory Board of the Johns Hopkins University Press, the Council of Harvard University's Graduate School Alumni Association, and the Board of Overseers Visiting Committee to the Harvard University libraries.

His previous experience includes service as Vice President and Dean of Hiram College, where he was also a tenured member of the history faculty. Earlier, he served as Assistant to the Provost at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and as Associate Director of the Department of Expository Writing at Harvard University. Dr. Ekman holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University in the history of American civilization, the institution from which he also received his A.M. and A.B. (magna cum laude) degrees. Dr. Ekman also has been awarded honorary degrees by Marywood University, and Bethany, Georgetown, Hastings, Otterbein, Alderson-Broaddus, and Ursinus Colleges. He is co-author, with Richard E. Quandt, of Technology and Scholarly Communication (University of California Press, 1999).

He has previously been active as a member of a variety of professional boards including the Board of Directors of the American Association for Higher Education, the Educational Projects Advisory Committee of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, the Advisory Committee of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers, the Rackham Advancement Council of the University of Michigan, the Council of Harvard University's Villa I Tatti, the Board of Directors of the Society for Values in Higher Education, the Steering Committee of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, the Board of Directors of the Council for the Understanding of Technology in Human Affairs, the Advisory Panel of the Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education, the Boards of Trustees of Georgetown Day School and Collegiate School, and the Advisory Committee on Life-long Learning of the Ohio Board of Regents.

Participating in this year's commencement ceremony will be students who completed their baccalaureate degree requirements in December 2007 and May 2008, as well as candidates who expect to fulfill requirements over the summer. The three highest honors presented to Barton students: the Coggins Cup, the Hilley Cup, and the Hemby Leadership Cup, will be awarded. The Coggins Cup is presented annually to the student voted best all-around by the Barton faculty and staff. The Hilley Cup is presented annually to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative grade point average. The Hemby Leadership Cup is presented to the graduating senior, who in the estimation of the college community (including students, faculty and staff) has demonstrated outstanding leadership throughout a career at Barton College.

The Jefferson-Pilot Faculty Member of the Year awards will also be presented. The awards, given annually to two faculty members, include a cash stipend for international study.

Dr. Phillip H. Warren, class of 1971, president of the Barton College Alumni Association and its Alumni Board, will bring greetings to graduating seniors on behalf of the Alumni Association.

Barton's Commencement Day program will begin with the baccalaureate sermon Sunday morning at 11 a.m. in Howard Chapel. The Reverend Hollie E. Woodruff, chaplain of the college, will deliver the address. Lunch will be served in the Hamlin Student Center Dining Hall from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at no charge for seniors and $5.00 each for family members and guests.

The Commencement festivities will include a luncheon for seniors and their parents on Saturday afternoon, May 17 from noon to 1:30 p.m., hosted by Dr. and Mrs. Norval C. Kneten at the Barton-Graves House. The pinning ceremony for the graduates of the School of Nursing will follow at 6 p.m. on Saturday evening at First United Methodist Church.

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Questions? Please contact Kathy Daughety, director of public relations, at 252-399-6529 or email: kdaughety@barton.edu.