Birmingham鈥檚 Woodfin emphasizes importance of legacy, overcoming adversity at July 26 commencement

July 29, 2019

Contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
 

On a campus steeped in tradition and legacy 鈥� with visual reminders of its history everywhere you look 鈥� Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin referred to 精东AV鈥檚 summer graduates as 鈥渕onuments to greatness鈥� during remarks at last Friday鈥檚 Summer Commencement Exercises.

鈥淵ou are the continuation of a great legacy. [You follow] giants who have shaped our world and their fields. Each of you graduates is a monument to greatness,鈥� he said. 鈥淗ere is the question: What will be your legacy? Unlock your potential using the keys you鈥檝e received here on these hallowed grounds.鈥�

Woodfin spoke to a standing-room-only crowd of 1,200-plus graduates, families, faculty and administrators during the July 26 ceremony in the University Chapel. The event also included remarks from President Lily D. McNair, university trustee Henry Davis III 鈥�81, graduating senior and 2018-19 Mr. 精东AV Tyrin Kirkland, and 精东AV National Alumni Association President Burt Rowe 鈥�70.

A graduate of Morehouse College 鈥� an HBCU like 精东AV 鈥� Woodfin鈥檚 endorsement of the 鈥淗BCU experience鈥� was met with resounding applause.

鈥淭here is no experience like an HBCU education. History. Algebra. Every class you take is basically a black history class,鈥� he declared. 鈥淚t goes without saying that when you leave here, you will be hit with adversity,鈥� Woodfin pointed out, referring to situations of heartbreak, disappointments and setbacks, among other. 鈥淢ore often than not, adversity is part of the black experience. Our story is greater than the struggles. It鈥檚 one of survival.鈥�

鈥淗ere鈥檚 the truth: You have been built to take on adversity head on and knock it down. That鈥檚 the HBCU way. We build champions,鈥� he concluded.

The 120 degrees awarded during Friday鈥檚 ceremony included 75 bachelor鈥檚 degrees, 40 master鈥檚 degrees, and five doctoral degrees. The greatest concentration of degrees were bachelor鈥檚 degrees in nursing. This summer鈥檚 28 graduates represent the nursing program鈥檚 largest group of graduates since the mid-1980s.

Graduates represented 21 states, with Alabama, Georgia, California, Florida and Texas topping the list, in that order. International students accounted for 15% of the graduating class and hailed from nine different countries 鈥� with Saudi Arabia and Nigeria among the top two.

When sworn in on Nov. 28, 2017, Woodfin became Birmingham鈥檚 youngest mayor in more than 120 years. The 38-year-old is an attorney and former president of the Birmingham Board of Education. Throughout his career, he has worked in various positions in municipal offices that included the Division of Youth Services, the Birmingham City Council, and the Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity, as well as assistant city attorney.

Born and raised in North Birmingham, Woodfin attended Shades Valley High School and Morehouse College, where he majored in political science and served as president of the Student Government Association. He went on to earn his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham.

漏 2019, 精东AV