CONWAY, Ark. (May 14, 2016) —Hendrix College students in the
Class of 2016 celebrated the end of four years of achievements and experiences
today at the 132nd Hendrix Commencement ceremony in the Wellness and
Athletics Center.
Hendrix awarded 281 degrees (270 undergraduate Bachelor of
Arts degrees, 11 Master of Arts degrees in accounting).
Read the full list of graduates here.
“As we send you out today to begin your life’s next chapter,
know that we will miss you here and that you left a mark on this place and on
the people who remain behind,” said Hendrix President Bill Tsutsui. “Know too
that Hendrix will be always with you, no matter where your individual paths may
lead: the community instilled here, our tradition of excellence, and our
collective commitment to engagement and service are now as much a part of you
as you are forever a part of us.”
Prior to the conferral of degrees, Hendrix alumnus Dr. Aubrey
J. Hough, Jr. ’66 was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree.
Hough is a distinguished professor and former Department of
Pathology chairman at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College
of Medicine. Last year he became the inaugural University of Arkansas System
University Professor in recognition of an extended period of exemplary service.
The 1999 Hendrix Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus Award winner, he
supported the Shideler-Hough Endowment for Education in Chemistry and the
Charles Prentiss Hough Odyssey Professorship.
Hendrix Provost Dr. Terri Bonebright recognized four retiring
faculty members, including accounting professor Dr.
Stephen Kerr ’76, physics professor Dr. Robert Dunn, politics professor and
former President Dr. Timothy Cloyd, and speech communication professor Mary
Richardson.
KIPP Delta Public Schools
founder and executive director Scott Shirey addressed the Class of 2016. Shirey
received the 2005 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award and in 2011
was named one of the world’s seven most powerful educators by Forbes Magazine. In 2015, Hendrix partnered
with KIPP Delta in an effort to
increase college completion rates for underserved students in the Delta. The
partnership inspired the Hendrix
Aspire Scholarship program. Next year,
five KIPP Delta graduates will come to Hendrix, joining three KIPP alumni who
enrolled last year, for a total of eight.
Shirey told the graduates of his
journey to build a successful KIPP program in one of the most impoverished
areas of the country.
“Optimism alone is not enough,”
he said. “It must be paired with humility and deep grit … love and knowledge.
So be humble and be gritty.”
Read the full text of his address here.
About
Hendrix College
Hendrix College is a
private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas. Founded in 1876 and
affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884, Hendrix is featured in Colleges That Change Lives:
40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think about Colleges and is nationally
recognized in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings for academic
quality, community, innovation, and value. For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu.