JACKSON, Tenn. — May 15, 2021 — Union University celebrated the graduation of 601 students during its 196th annual spring commencement May 15 on the university’s Great Lawn. Brandon O. Gibson, chief operating officer for the state of Tennessee, delivered the commencement address.
Gibson said that while growing up, most people think that a career path is straightforward — a person chooses a profession, gets a degree and climbs the corporate ladder until retiring from their chosen vocation — but for many, their lives are full of unexpected zigs and zags. Although the graduates probably have not experienced career ups and downs yet, Gibson said, 2020 was an unpredictable year for everyone and showed just how little control people really have.
“Those types of seasons wake us up and force us to evaluate our lives, and they’re what bring richness and fullness to every day,” she said. “They reaffirm our gratitude that we can intimately know the one who sets the path before us.”
Gibson said she wanted to encourage the graduates in her commencement speech, but also to acknowledge the stress and strain many graduates have been under this past year.
“It’s easy for us to bemoan the challenges of the last year, but the challenges that we all faced taught us some very important lessons, and those are lessons that will be important to each of you as you embark on this next phase of your life,” she said.
The first and most undeniable lesson is that God is in control, Gibson said, and no challenge is too great for him. The second lesson learned from the past year is to invest in relationships, and the last lesson is to be flexible — a degree is not designed to put graduates in a box, but to provide them with a foundation, she said.
“Your education has been a renewing of your mind — continually learn, continue to renew your mind as you go through life and always seek God’s will,” Gibson concluded. “As you zig-zag through life, remember your time at Union fondly. Even the last year has provided you with a much-needed education, and you are well-equipped to embrace the twists and turns that will come.”
Jonathan Graham Van Neste, a physics graduate from Jackson, received the 110th Tigrett Medal, which is awarded to an outstanding senior in each graduating class.
The 2021 graduates were transformed by their years at Union University and equipped for the future. Sullivan Hogan of St. Louis, Missouri, was a double major in theater and digital media communications and was named the communication arts student of the year. She said her favorite thing about Union is the people, especially the professors and instructors — like Kristin Klonowski, Sabrina Warren and the retired David Burke — who mentored her and helped transform her life.
“I feel like I’m a totally different person, and I’ve just grown so much in my time at Union, maturity-wise and emotionally,” Hogan said. “The professors here have really come alongside me as excellent mentors and role models, and I wouldn’t be the same person if I hadn’t come to Union.”
After graduation, Hogan is looking at acting and digital media job opportunities or continuing to work with the student film company, “Blue Pot,” she helped start during her time at Union.
Dillon Graves, a chemistry graduate from Bon Aqua, Tennessee, was this year’s chemistry academic excellence medal award winner and won the chemistry research student award last year. Graves said when he first came to Union, he knew he wanted to study the sciences but was not looking for the connection between Christianity and science.
“Whenever you come here, it’s part of the curriculum, and you can tell that [professors] really care about wanting to instill in you the connection between faith and science,” Graves said. “So, I think just learning that from multiple professors and seeing them live it out was very transformative for me.”
Graves said what sets Union apart is the relationships students can build with professors who truly care about each student’s future. After graduation, Graves is planning to attend medical school. He said his Union professors have been instrumental in helping him through the process of applying to medical school.
Union’s spring commencement included two services. A commencement service for graduate and adult studies students was held at 2 p.m. followed by a service for traditional undergraduate students at 6 p.m.