Commencement Exercises MAY 14, 2017 Commencement Exercises MARKING THE CONCLUSION OF THE COLLEGE’S TWO-HUNDRED-FORTY-SECOND YEAR Dr. Larry Stimpert Presiding Dean Robert Sabbatini Dr. Dennis Stevens Dr. Herbert J. Sipe, Jr. Student Marshal Marshal Faculty Marshal * PROCESSION Selections by Giovani Gabrieli (1557-1613); Heinrich Schutz (1585-1672); Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750); Tomaso Albinoni (1674-1750); and Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654) * INVOCATION Reverend M. Keith Leach ’81 College Chaplain *NATIONAL ANTHEM Andrew James Marshall ’17 Charles Ashby Neterer ’17 Ahmad Rashad Rudd ’17 Trevor Rushan Starnes ’17 WELCOME Dr. Stimpert VALEDICTORY ADDRESS ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARDS Dr. Walter C. McDermott III Interim Dean of the Faculty Mr. Eric Nathaniel McDonald ’17 Student Body President 2016–2017 SENIOR CLASS GIFT Mr. Connor Edmund Lachine ’17 Senior Campaign Chairman COMMISSIONING OF OFFICERS Lt. Col. Rucker Snead ’81 Captain Reginald Moise 2 3 COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS Bret Stephens Associate Editor, New York Times CONFERRING OF HONORARY DEGREES M. Peebles Harrison ’89 Chairman of the Board of Trustees CONFERRING OF DEGREES Mr. Harrison CHARGE TO THE CLASS OF 2017 Dr. Stimpert WELCOME TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Dr. H. Lee King ’94 *COLLEGE HYMN Here’s to old Hampden-Sydney, The Garnet and the Grey, And her sons by the thousands Who revere her name today. Our old alma mater, We’ll e’er be true to thee And we’ll spread with song and story The fame of H-SC! * BENEDICTION Rev. Leach * PLATFORM PARTY AND FACULTY RECESSION Selections by Georg Friedrich Handel (1685-1759); Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1637-1704); Jeremiah Clarke (1669-1707); and Henry Purcell (1658-1695) * SENIOR RECESSION Hampden-Sydney Bagpipers * Members of the audience will please stand, as they are able. 3 RECIPIENT OF HONORARY DEGREE AND COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER BRET STEPHENS Doctor of Humane Letters Op-Ed Columnist Associate Editor The New York TImes New York BRET Stephens is an op-ed columnist and associate editor at the New York Times, a position he assumed in April 2017. Previously he wrote “Global View,” the foreign-affairs column of the Wall Street Journal, for which he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary in 2013. He was also the Journal’s deputy editorial-page editor, responsible for the newspaper’s global opinion section, as well as a member of the editorial board. Mr. Stephens began his career at the Wall Street Journal in 1998 as an editor in New York, and later wrote editorials and articles for the newspaper from Brussels. In January 2002 he was named editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, a position he assumed at age 28. At the Post, he was responsible for the newspaper’s news, editorial, digital and international editions, and also wrote a weekly column. Mr. Stephens returned to the Journal in late 2004. He has reported stories from around the world, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, and interviewed dozens of world leaders. He is a frequent guest on many TV news programs and has published articles in Foreign Affairs, Time, Commentary and many other publications. Mr. Stephens has twice been chairman of Pulitzer Prize juries and is a national judge of the prestigious Livingston Awards. In 2014 he was awarded the Professional Achievement Prize by the University of Chicago, a distinction he shares with composer Philip Glass, astronomer Carl Sagan, and Nobel laureate Gary Becker. In 2014 Penguin published his book “America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder.” Former Secretary of State George Shultz hailed the book as “wise counsel for a constructive, tough-minded, and sensible foreign policy.” Mr. Stephens was born in New York and raised in Mexico City. He holds a BA with honors from the University of Chicago, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and an honorary doctorate from Niagara University. He lives in Manhattan with his wife Corinna, a classical music and opera critic for the New York Times, and their three children. 4 5 RECIPIENT OF HONORARY DEGREE AND Baccalaureate speaker NANCY OLIVER GRAY Doctor of Humane Letters NANCY OLIVER Gray has served as president of Hollins University since January 2005. She brought to Hollins a strong belief in the liberal arts and sciences and the need for single-sex colleges in higher education. Under Gray’s leadership, Hollins has implemented a five-year strategic plan with a goal of establishing Hollins as the women’s liberal arts college that best unites excellence in liberal arts education with experiential learning opportunities and strong career preparation. Connecting Liberal Arts Education and Experience to Achieve Results is focusing the university’s efforts through 2018. Other significant accomplishments during Gray’s presidency include securing the third highest endowment among members of the Virginia Foundation of Independent Colleges; operating with no debt; and a balanced operating budget for the past ten years. Hollins’ financial health earned an “A” rating from Forbes magazine in 2016. Gray also guided Hollins through the largest comprehensive fundraising campaign in the university’s history and the largest ever undertaken by a women’s college in the South: the Campaign for Women Who Are Going Places. In 2016, she secured the largest single gift assurance in school history, a commitment of $20 million arranged by Elizabeth Hall McDonnell, class of 1962, and her husband, James S. McDonnell III. Currently, Gray is leading a challenge to raise $10 million in gifts and pledges by June 30, 2017; if that goal is reached, an anonymous donor has committed to give Hollins an additional $5 million. During her tenure, Gray has collaborated with faculty to introduce new programs, including majors in environmental studies and environmental science; a certificate program in leadership studies; an extensive seminar program for first-year students; Master of Fine Arts degrees in playwriting and children’s book writing and illustrating; and the Honors Research Seminars. She has spearheaded an alumnae engagement initiative designed to enhance career preparation for students. In addition, she has overseen renovation of historic buildings and gardens on the Hollins campus. A $6.5 million renovation of the Dana Science Building is under way to completely renovate biology and chemistry laboratories and faculty offices, refresh other labs and public areas, and create new research space. Before coming to Hollins, Gray was president of Converse College in South Carolina for five-and-a-half years. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Gray holds a master of education degree from North Texas State University and completed additional graduate work at Vanderbilt. Gray serves on the boards of The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Princeton Theological Seminary, Mill Mountain Theatre, and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, and the Advisory Board for the Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs. She is also the presidential sponsor for the Virginia Network of American Council on Education’s Office of Women in Higher Education. Gray is past chair of the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, past vice chair of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, and has also served as vice chair of the board for resource development for the Board of Directors of the Council of Independent Colleges. In 2015, Roanoke’s Taubman Museum of Art presented Gray with the Ann Fralin Award for her contributions to the arts and art education. A native of Dallas, Texas, she is married to David Maxson and between them they have seven adult children. 5 AWARDS PRESENTED AT COMMENCEMENT Given annually in memory of Dr. Edgar G. Given annually to “a Hampden-Sydney faculty Gammon, Class of 1905, pastor of College Church member in recognition of outstanding classroom 1917–1923, and President of the College 1939–1955, contribution to the education of Christian young to the member of the graduating class who has best men.” The Cabell Award was created by the served the College. Character, scholarship, and Robert G. Cabell III and Maude Morgan Cabell athletic ability are considered. Foundation to assist the College in attracting and keeping professors of high ability and integrity. Given annually to the junior or senior who has shown the most constructive leadership during the Given in memory of Thomas Edward Crawley, school year. The Harrison Award was established Class of 1941, who served the College as teacher, through the generosity of the late Mr. Frederick scholar, musician, and dean from 1946 until 1984, Nash Harrison of Richmond, Virginia, to that professor most distinguished for devoted in memory of his mother. service to the ideals of Hampden-Sydney College and the education of its sons. . Given by the Eta of Virginia Chapter in recognition Given by the Senior Class at Commencement to a of intellectual excellence. The award is made possible member of the College’s faculty, administration, or by the generosity of the alumnus, Class of 1943, staff who in the eyes of the Class members whose name it bears. has contributed during their four years most significantly to the College, its students, and the community. The medallion is given annually in honor of the New York Southern Society’s first president, senior class gif Algernon Sydney Sullivan, by the Algernon Sydney Each year the senior class presents a gift to the Sullivan Foundation. This award is given to a College. The goals are to raise $5,000 and member of the graduating class distinguished for establish an annual scholarship for a student with excellence of character and generous service to excellent academic standing and with financial his fellows. Other recipients may be chosen from needs. All seniors are encouraged to participate. friends of the College who have been conspicuously All seniors who contribute to the Class Gift will helpful to the institution in its effort to encourage be listed in the 2017 Commencement Program.