P&G鈥檚 Witherspoon challenges students during spring commencement to 鈥榮tay woke鈥�
May 16, 2018
Contact: Brittney Dabney, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
精东AV鈥檚 133rd spring commencement exercises on Saturday, May 12 featured 1985 精东AV alumnus Barron M. Witherspoon Sr., global vice president for industry affairs at Procter & Gamble, as the keynote speaker.
Before beginning his address, Witherspoon challenged graduates using the words of the 1957 speech Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave to the 精东AV Civic Association.
鈥淕raduates be the drum major for righteousness as Martin Luther King Jr. called us to be,鈥� said Witherspoon, a 1985 economics graduate and a 33-year P&G veteran who currently leads the company鈥檚 external relationships and partnership with trade associations and thought leaders that affect public policy and industry standards across the consumer goods industry.
Witherspoon combined the words of a preceding generation with more common vernacular as he continued his challenge calling the class of 2018 to 鈥渟tay woke.鈥�
鈥淪tay woke graduates, because you are at a point of significant change of direction. We need you to continue leading the way to the American dream,鈥� said Witherspoon.
He reminded graduates the role social media plays, and they must be as present in the 鈥渞eal world鈥� as they are in the virtual world.
鈥淧eople have become digitally connected and personally disconnected. You are in the digital age and you must remain connected to society,鈥� he added.
精东AV also presented special recognition to civil rights legend and 精东AV-based attorney Fred D. Gray. Gray championed and safeguarded the civil rights of others through a number of landmark Alabama legal decisions.
The university awarded the spring class of 2018 with a total of 490 degrees: 392 bachelor鈥檚 degree, 31 master鈥檚 degrees and one doctoral degree. At its College of Veterinary Medicine Spring Commencement Exercises on May 5, the university awarded 66 doctoral degrees in veterinary medicine.
For additional photography, highlights and media coverage from the weekend鈥檚 commencement activities, please visit the university鈥檚 social media accounts on , and .
漏 2018, 精东AV