Members of the largest graduating class in LaGrange College history received their diplomas yesterday during a ceremony on the campus residential quadrangle.
On a bright, cool morning, college President Stuart Gulley greeted the 256 graduates, and informed the crowd that the record-setting group represented nine states and eight nations, including Zimbabwe, Japan and the Netherlands Antilles.
Geography wasn’t the only characteristic that highlighted the group’s diversity, however. The class of 2007 included a graduate as old as 63, and one as young as 20.
On hand to address the crowd of roughly 2,500 was George W. “Buddy” Darden, former U.S. representative for the 7th Congressional District of Georgia and a current member, and immediate past chairman, of the college’s board of trustees.
In his introduction, Dr. Gulley praised Darden for leadership that has “strengthened this college in its faculty, facilities and programs.”
Darden spoke of his own graduation from law school 40 years ago and drew parallels between that era and today’s.
“Forty years ago our country was sharply divided by a war halfway around the world. … ,” he said. “The cost of medical care was spiraling upwards. ... There was genocide and starvation in Africa 40 years ago, and conflict in the Middle East.
“I could continue on and on, but you get the picture. As you can see, my generation has left plenty of problems for your generation to confront and to address.”
Darden used the occasion to urge the graduates “to embrace and follow the principle of servant-leadership that you have learned here at LaGrange College.”
“You can belong to almost any profession and occupation and be a servant-leader,” he said. “ … But, whatever you decide to do, try to use this test: Are others being helped by what I am doing? We should all be willing to make some type of sacrifice for the benefit of other people.”
He also encouraged the graduates to take on the responsibilities of leadership. Quoting Rosalynn Carter, he said, “A leader leads people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but where they ought to be.”
Following his address, Darden was awarded an honorary doctorate in law from the college.
Also receiving honorary degrees were Patricio Cobos and Dr. Judy Greer.
Cobos, who received a Doctor of Music degree, is the orchestra conductor and professor of violin and viola at Columbus State University. Since 2001, he has served in a part-time position as music director and conductor of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra.
Dr. Greer was granted a Doctor of Education degree. She spent more than 35 years teaching physical education at Oxford College of Emory University and has been a loyal and active alumna of LaGrange College.
Also singled out during the ceremony were Amber Johnson, who received the Waights G. Henry Jr. leadership Award, and Donald Lee Chambers, who was presented the Distinguished Service Alumni Award.
