BUIES CREEK — In his last graduation ceremony as president of Campbell University, Jerry Wallace told the Class of 2015 they will always have a special place in his heart.
“You are the last class that will bear my name on your diplomas,” Wallace told graduates at Saturday morning’s main campus commencement at the Pope Convocation Center. “So we are always bonded together. Don’t you let me down, and I’ll try not to let you down.”
In all, 972 students (598 undergrads and 374 graduate and professional students) earned Campbell degrees this spring, making a total of 1,460 degrees handed out at Campbell during the 2014-15 academic year. Saturday morning’s ceremony was the fourth of five on Friday and Saturday — the law, divinity and pharmacy schools held graduations on Friday, while online and extended campus degrees were received Saturday afternoon.
The sheer number of graduates was a pride point for Wallace, who has led the launch of of several new programs and schools during his 12 years as president. Only the fourth Campbell president in the school’s 128-year history, Wallace will retire after 45 years with the University in June.
Wallace borrowed a page from another soon-to-be retiree, David Letterman, and revealed a Top 10 list of sorts (his had eight), providing advice for the Class of 2015. Among the words of wisdom — “Practice makes you better, but not perfect;” “Don’t be a know-it-all. Ask for help;” “Don’t try to please everyone;” “Think before you act, but act:” and finally, “The Lord will provide.”
But the most profound parts of his 20-minute speech came when he spoke about his love for Campbell. He ended his speech by telling the crowd that when they see him in the future, they’ll see him wearing orange (he exclamated the point by taking out his orange and black tie).
“I’m going to be watching you … put your colors on,” he said with a smile. “Don’t walk on the beach without your Campbell hat. When I’m out there, I’ll see you, and I’ll be so proud of you. I love you.”
The statement was met with a “We love you, too, Dr. Wallace” from the crowd.
Wallace smiled, and ended his speech with an emphatic, “Go Camels!”
HONORS: Juli Osborne, a starter for the women’s basketball team and earlier this week named the Big South Conference Woman of the year, was one of two students to earn the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for their “spirit of love for and helpfulness to other men and women.” Osborne, a biology major from Kingsport, Tenn., took the stage with the assistance of a scooter because of a broken leg she recently suffered. Her cast, of course, was Campbell orange.
India Heckstall, a pre-law major from Wilson, and Billy T. Woodard, the retired CEO of Fidelity Bank and two-time chairman of the Campbell University Presidential Board of Advisors, also received the award.
Honorary degrees were awarded to 1964 Campbell alumnus Frederick Taylor, president of Troy Lumber Company and member of the Campbell Board of Trustees; and Raymond A. Bryan, president of T.A. Loving Company.
FUN WITH CAPS: Ben Cantrell of Cliffside is more fortunate than others — he already has an IT job for an optometrist with offices in Lillington, Dunn and Angier. But he knows graduation means the student loans are lurking.
He decorated the top of his mortar board like many other students on Saturday. His message read, “Game of Loans: Interest is Coming,” a play on words from the popular show, “Game of Thrones.”
“I saw this phrase on Twitter, so my sister (the artistic one) made it for me,” Cantrell said. “Yes, it’s time to start paying it off, but it’s been worth it. I’ve had a great four years at Campbell.”
Grace Koo earned her business degree in health care management Saturday, a triumphant day in a life of ups and downs due to a battle with epilepsy.
The top of her cap read, “She turned her can’ts into cans, and her dreams into plans.”
“I’ve been in and out of hospitals my whole life, and it’s just taken me longer to get here today,” Koo said. “But I’m here, and this phrase means a lot to me … it’s a lot like ‘I can do all things through Christ.’”
Koo dreams of being a hospital CEO one day.
FUN WITH SELFIES: Senior class president Andrew Ryan Hall told his classmates he hopes they live their lives in a way that “honors our great presidents and our God.” But before Hall began his speech, he took a moment to reach for his phone, turned his back to the crowd and lifted the phone into the air, facing him.
“Allow me to take a selfie, first,” Hall said, a group of nearly 1,000 graduates serving as his background.
President Wallace later referenced Hall’s selfie during his speech, saying he just recently learned to text his grandchildren. Perhaps, he said, the selfie would come next.
JOB READY: Paul and Takia Baker of Turkey, N.C., were proud four years ago when their daughter, Summer Leverette, chose Campbell University over three other schools to play basketball. They were even prouder Saturday when Summer received her degree in accounting. They may be proudest of the fact that she already has a job lined up and her career path set.
“It’s just been a wonderful experience for her,” Takia Baker said. “Campbell was very supportive of her both in sports and in the classroom. We’re very happy with the way everything’s turned out.”
SAGE ADVICE: Jordyn Gum of Delaware returned to Buies Creek this week for graduation after spending the spring semester taking classes at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. On Saturday, she recalled the advice she received early on at Campbell from Communications Studies Chairman and Professor Dean Farmer.
“He told me to take every opportunity I’m given and make the most of it,” Gum said. “At NYU, I got to see how I compared to students from all over the country. I found that it was an easy transition thanks to my experience at Campbell. NYU has the location, but Campbell offers opportunities I might not have had at larger schools — I was a TV producer here, a photographer for the school paper. I took those opportunities, and they look great on a resume. Most important, it’s great experience.”
— story, photos by Billy Liggett
Graduation Saturday | Wallace shares pride, love with students at his final commencement