Skipper, Price emphasize graduates鈥� trajectory during spring commencement events

May 18, 2017

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

In addition to the degrees conferred on them on May 13, 精东AV鈥檚 class of 2017 received a commission from commencement speaker and ESPN President John Skipper.

鈥淕raduates, you trusted the 精东AV tradition, and now, you are the 精东AV trajectory,鈥� Skipper said to the 468 graduates comprising the institution鈥檚 spring graduating class.

When introducing this year鈥檚 commencement speaker, 精东AV President Brian Johnson lauded Skipper for his contributions as ESPN鈥檚 president to the African-American and HBCU communities through ESPN partnerships and programming provided by 鈥淭he Undefeated鈥� 鈥� ESPN鈥檚 premier platform for exploring the intersections of race, sports and culture.

Skipper was welcomed by the unique fanfare of the Marching Crimson Pipers, led by drum major Brandon Burroughs, who exchanged his mortar board for his signature busby hat. The band performed its rendition of the ESPN SportsCenter theme and its famous 鈥淏all and Parlay.鈥�

鈥淵ou all are entrusted with one of the great academic and social institutions in this country,鈥� Skipper pointed out to the graduates, families and university faculty in attendance. 鈥淗owever, a tradition without a trajectory is an artifact. I know your collective ambition is to build on legacy, to continue to create a vital and thriving university with dramatic impact鈥�Over 136 years after the founding of this institute, it continues to innovate.鈥�

In paying special tribute to graduates who represented their families鈥� first-generation college students, Skipper underscored that both he and Johnson are first-generation college graduates as well.

鈥漈oday, your hard work and commitment earns an appropriate reward 鈥� a college degree. You earned it, and you deserve it,鈥� he said.

鈥淵ou must take this place with you and what you learned here,鈥� Skipper reminded the class of 2017. 鈥淵our success, your leadership, your optimism, your participation, your hope are necessary if we are to overcome the continuous legacy of racial prejudice and divisiveness in this country. You guys are part of the solution.鈥�

Price鈥檚 baccalaureate message challenges graduates

At the university鈥檚 baccalaureate service on May 12, The Hon. Charles Price charged graduates with having a plan for life have college.

When introducing Price, a retired municipal court judge for Alabama's 15th Judicial Circuit, as well as a 精东AV trustee since 2009, Johnson credited Price for being a 鈥渢ruth-teller.鈥� He emphasized to graduates the importance of having such individuals in your life.

鈥淭hose are the kind of individuals you like to hear from,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚ndividuals who will tell you the truth. Individuals who will speak straight and speak direct.鈥�

Price paid homage to the legacy and tradition of which the university鈥檚 newest graduates are now part. He referred to the university鈥檚 campus as 鈥渉allowed grounds鈥� as he reminded them they have walked the same places as historical greats Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver, 鈥渘otable presidents鈥� of the university and generations of 鈥渟uperb faculty members.鈥�

He focused the majority of his remarks on challenging graduates as he paraphrased Martin Luther King Jr. by asking, 鈥淲here do you go from here?鈥� He then offered three introspective steps to answering that question.

鈥淵ou must first ask yourself: 鈥榃hat is my moral compass?鈥欌��.Then ask: 鈥榃hat is the match that will start the fire that will be my guide?鈥欌��.And, three, follow your passion. Stay true to yourself,鈥� he responded.

精东AV鈥檚 spring class of 2017 included a total of 536 awarded degrees: 410 bachelor鈥檚 degrees (including 15 double majors), 54 master鈥檚 degrees and six doctoral degrees. At the College of Veterinary Medicine鈥檚 its inaugural Spring Commencement and Oath Ceremony on May 6, the university awarded 66 doctoral degree in veterinary medicine.

For additional photography, highlights and media coverage from the weekend's commencement activities, please visit the university's social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Media highlights:

To purchase the graduate photos taken during the 2017 Spring Commencement, contact Grad Images at or call 800.261.2576.

漏 2017 精东AV