Countdown to Commencement 2025
Your spot for all pre-graduation activities and celebrationsCommencement for the Class of 2025 is only a few weeks away, and now is the time to complete those final assignments, solidify those post-graduate plans, and accomplish those last few bucket list items as you prepare to walk across the stage on Saturday, May 10. This is a season of celebration at Lees-91探花, where all the accomplishments you have made over the past four years finally pay off.
As you prepare for the main event, refer to this page for updated information about all the end-of-year festivities, celebrations, and ceremonies across campus. Let the countdown begin!
Gear up for graduation
Commencement for all on-campus and online/distance learning graduates will be held on Tate Lawn at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 10. Before turning your tassel, however, be sure to complete this pre-graduation checklist:
- RSVP for the Commencement and Baccalaureate ceremonies: Fill out the registration form below to reserve your seat at Commencement, and the pre-graduation Baccalaureate Ceremony. Baccalaureate, the annual hooding ceremony tradition held prior to Commencement, will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 9 in Hayes Auditorium.
- Pick up your regalia: Cap and gown orders are available for pickup in the Office of the Registrar beginning Monday, April 14. Graduates may pick up their regalia anytime from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
December graduates and online/distance learning students who did not select the option to receive their regalia by mail may pick up their cap and gown at Commencement rehearsal at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 9.
- Return your textbooks: Be sure to return all textbook rentals prior to Commencement. Return windows are as follows:
- The Summit
- Wednesday, April 30, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Thursday, May 1, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Friday, May 2, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
- The Exchange
- Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Monday, May 5 through Wednesday, May 7, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
- The Summit
- Take the graduation survey: Your participation in the following survey regarding your current or upcoming employment and education successes will help the college gather pertinent information regarding alumni outcomes, further benefiting future Lees-91探花 students. Take this opportunity to communicate your post-graduate achievements!
- Find your local Alumni Association chapter: Upon graduation you are automatically enrolled in the college’s Alumni Association, a network of Lees-91探花 alumni across the country and around the world. The Alumni Association is always growing, and getting involved is a great way to network, make friends, and continue developing your lifelong connection to Lees-91探花.
Connect with your local chapter
- Review the full weekend schedule: The Commencement ceremony itself is only part of the college’s exciting weekend of graduation festivities. Browse the Commencement webpage to learn more about everything happening on campus that weekend.
Commencement speakers
The Class of 2025 will be represented by two of their own at this year’s Commencement ceremony. Wildlife Biology major Kayla Barber will represent the college’s main campus programs, and online Criminal Justice major Emma Bradley will represent the college’s online and distance learning programs.
Meet the graduates
Kayla Barber
Barber, a Wildlife Biology major, has been extremely involved on campus throughout the past four years. Following graduation, she will continue that involvement in a professional capacity with a full-time job in Residence Life at the college.
Turner Henline
Henline, a Theatre Arts major and Technical Theatre minor, has been involved in all aspects of theatre during his time in the program, primarily acting and costume design. His favorite shows are those that lean into the weird, interesting, and avant-garde.
Sam Chattin
An Elementary Education student in the college’s distance learning program at Surry Community College, Chattin has fostered a love for teaching since she was a little girl. After graduation she is looking forward to leading a class of her own.
Bea Adams
From captaining the college’s dance team, to honing her leadership skills as a Sullivan Fellow, Adams has focused on community building throughout her time at Lees-91探花. As a Special Education major, she is looking forward to bringing those skills into her classroom following graduation.
Max Geckler
For Geckler, a three-season athlete, athletics have been a major part of his time at Lees-91探花. However, the English major and Communication Arts and Design minor has also developed his creative side through writing poetry, short stories, and most recently, a comic.
Rachel Stephenson
The May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center has been the focal point of Stepheson’s last four years at Lees-91探花. Throughout that time the Pre-Veterinary Medicine major and Wildlife Rehabilitation minor has developed strong relationships with multiple animal ambassadors and developed a love for the field of wildlife medicine.
Ryan Rodriguez
Rodriguez wasn’t always sure he would go to college, but after the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to reassess his goals, he decided to earn a Human Services degree to realize his dream of working in counseling.
Kylie Dobbins
Sports Management major Dobbins endured two ACL tears while playing on the women’s soccer team here at Lees-91探花, but rather than being deterred from working in the sports field, Dobbins discovered a new avenue for her athletic passion.
Heidi Miles
After completing her associate degree a decade and a half ago, Miles, an online Business Administration major, was ready to take the next step in her academic and professional career by earning her bachelor’s degree.
Ceremonies, Awards, and Events
100 Days Until Graduation
This annual event marks the official kick-off of the graduation countdown. Held this year in the Tufts Room in the newly renovated North Carolina Building, graduating students began preparations for post-graduate life, including getting their professional headshots taken, joining their local Alumni Association chapter, and participating in interviewing and resume-building workshops.
Alpha Phi Sigma Induction Ceremony
The national criminal justice honor society, Alpha Phi Sigma, inducts a new cohort of Lees-91探花 students each year. Alpha Phi Sigma inductees are students in the college’s Criminal Justice program who have completed 45 or more program-specific credit hours. These students must have a minimum GPA of 3.2 and be in the top 35% of their class.
Honors and Awards
For the 66th year, the college celebrated the achievements of students, faculty, staff, and members of the community at the annual Honors and Awards ceremony. Held in Hayes Auditorium, this event is a chance to celebrate those achievements with the presentation of awards prior to the end of the academic year.
In addition to awards presented for excellence in each academic program, five major awards are given out. The Sullivan Award is presented to graduating seniors, alumni, or community members for outstanding “nobility of character.” The New Faculty Award recognizes a high-achieving faculty member who has been with the college for one to three years. The Faculty Academic Advisor Award is given to a faculty member for delivering reliable, consistent, and comprehensive advising to students. The Edgar Tufts Faculty Award honors outstanding professional performance. And lastly, the Edgar Tufts Humanitarian Service Award is presented to one student and one faculty member in honor of the college’s founder Edgar Tufts. Recipients of this award exemplify a life of service to the campus and community and display a life of giving.
The winners of these five distinguished awards for the 2024–25 academic year are as follows:
- Sullivan Awards: May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center volunteer Charlene “Char” Walker and senior online Human Services major Latesha Graham
- New Faculty Award: Instructor of Mathematics Woody Madison
- Faculty Academic Advising Award: Program Coordinator for Wildlife Biology Ben Wayne
- Edgar Tufts Faculty Award: Program Coordinator for Wildlife Biology Thorpe Halloran
- Edgar Tufts Humanitarian Service Award: Senior Biology major Wylie Kendall and Director of the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Nina Fischesser
This year, President Lee King also awarded the President’s Award of Excellence, a special award chosen by him to honor a member of the college community. This year’s award was given to Banner Elk Town Manager Rick Owen and Administrative Assistant and Accounts Payable Nancy Owen. The couple was acknowledged with this award for their outstanding leadership and collaboration with the college in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
