NEWS
SPRING 2018
COMMENCEMENT
EXERCISES FEATURE
DUAL CEREMONIES
As a testament to the depth and caliber of the graduating
class and growing campus community, Jacksonville
University held two commencement ceremonies in Spring
2018. The Graduate Ceremony was held on April 26,
followed by a Baccalaureate Ceremony held on April 28.
The Baccalaureate Ceremony featured a commencement
address by Dr. Arthur C. Brooks, a bestselling author,
a social scientist, and the president of the American
Enterprise Institute, a premier academic think tank.
"Your assignment as you leave today as a graduate of this
great university is to ask yourself two things: First: is my
heart open to risk? Am I ready to be a life-entrepreneur?"
said Brooks. "Secondly: what's my weakness? What am I
hiding or running away from? How can I use it to connect
to others? To help them and to help make me a full and
happy person."
Dr. Arthur C. Brooks delivers
Baccalaureate Commencement
Ceremony keynote address.
The Graduate Ceremony's commencement address was
delivered by Captain Tom Peterson '06,
President of Lending Solutions for Black Knight
Financial Services.
President Cost presented the following students with
awards in outstanding scholarship, leadership and service:
• Nolan Aaron Carney, Daniel B. Farrell, Mamie Lue
Catalina Pelaez Small and Ian Andrew Vargas received
the Fred B. Noble Gold Medal for Scholarship
• Bailey Flynn received the President’s Award for
Outstanding Leadership-Undergraduate
• Jena Crews received the President’s Award for
Outstanding Leadership-Graduate
• Ashlyn Sparks received the University Award for
Outstanding Service and Co-Curricular Involvement
At the Graduate Commencement Ceremony,
Speech-Language Pathology students gave a cheeky tribute
to Brooks Rehabilitation with their graduation caps.
NEWS