Published on December 15, 2018 by Katie Stripling  
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Samford University awarded 264 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees during its winter commencement on Saturday, Dec. 15.

Timothy George, founding dean of Samford’s Beeson Divinity School, delivered the commencement address. Through an exploration of the words on Samford’s seal—Deo, Doctrinae, Aeternitati—For God, for learning, forever—George encouraged graduates to cherish the values of a “life fit for eternity.”  

“I trust you have been well prepared for your chosen career, or for graduate school, or for civic and family responsibilities that will come your way,” said George. “Above all, I hope you will cherish the values of a life fit for eternity, more kind than clever, one more shaped by compassion than competition, a life fit for eternity where faith outweighs fear, where hope gives confidence for every challenge and every tomorrow, and above all, where the love of God fully revealed in the face of Jesus Christ centers your life and brings you peace that surpasses all understanding.”

In closing George reminded graduates to be faithful to God’s calling amidst the brokenness in the world. “We are to be steadfast, persevering in discipleship so as to bear witness to the beauty, the light, and the divine reality that we shall hereafter forever enjoy in heaven,” said George.

“We are called to do this in a culture that seems, at times, fragile and beset by dangers we cannot predict.  You will not do this perfectly—you will fail, as all human beings do—but reach out and claim the promise of God’s forgiveness.  Reach out and accept the gift of a new beginning, the stewardship of starting all over again.”

The ceremony was particularly special for the School of Public Health as it included the first Master of Healthcare Administration graduate. The ceremony also included graduates from School of the Arts, Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Brock School of Business, Orlean Beeson School of Education, School of Health Professions, Cumberland School of Law and Ida Moffett School of Nursing. Thirty-one Beeson Divinity School graduates received their degrees in a ceremony on Dec. 7.

Watch the full commencement ceremony.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.