JU NEWS
A DEGREE, DECADES IN THE MAKING
At 81 years young, Henry Thomas“ Tommy” Lile proved that it’ s never too late to finish what you started.
This fall, during Jacksonville University’ s Homecoming & Family Weekend, Lile officially became one of JU’ s newest alumni, proudly receiving his Bachelor of Science in History more than six decades after first stepping onto campus.
Back in 1964, Lile arrived at JU as a freshman athlete and quickly made his mark as the No. 1 singles player on the tennis team, earning an impressive 126 – 35 record before leaving campus in 1969 to pursue a successful career in coaching and tennis instruction. What he didn’ t realize until just this past year was that he was just a few administrative steps away from completing his degree.
Fast-forward to 2025. Thanks to the Registrar’ s Office and a bit of determination that lives in all Dolphins, Lile’ s transcripts were reviewed, and it was revealed that he had in fact met the GPA and credit requirements all along.
“ I’ m semi-retired, so I don’ t need the degree,” Lile said with his
diploma in hand and a wide smile,“ but I want it because I studied here, put a lot of money into it, and I spent five years living in Williams Hall. I hate to leave things undone.”
In a heartwarming moment that perfectly captured the spirit of Homecoming & Family Weekend, Lile received his longawaited diploma alongside the Class of 1975 celebrating their 50th reunion and induction into the Green & Gold Guard— a powerful reminder that the Dolphin spirit connects generations and that it’ s never too late to come home to JU.
Today, Lile continues to share his love of sports and history as Director of Tennis at Court Concepts in Tennessee— proving that a JU education, and the drive behind it, never fades.
Welcome to the alumni family, Tommy.
WAV E MAGAZINE | Spring 2026 11