Truett-McConnell College held its fifty-seventh annual commencement on Saturday, May 7, 2005, at 10:00 AM in the gymnasium. Forty-two associate’s degrees were awarded, and the college awarded its first two bachelor’s degrees in the ceremony.
| Rich Terry, chairman of trustees (left), stands with Melissa Clanton (second from left), her parents (third and fourth from left), Matthew Papa (third from right), and his parents (at right). Clanton and Papa were honored as the recipients of the first two bachelor’s degrees ever awarded by the college. |
The two students receiving the bachelor’s degrees, Melissa Sue Clanton of Fayetteville and Matthew Michael Papa of Gainesville, received framed certificates designating them members of the first-ever class of bachelor’s degree candidates of Truett-McConnell College. Their parents were recognized also.
Guest speaker for the commencement was Dr. J. Robert White, Executive Director of the Georgia Baptist Convention, who challenged the graduates not to run away from life. He said: “It does make a difference which way you go.” He used the example of John the Baptist from Scripture to exhort the graduates to display the qualities of humility, honesty, and holiness in their lives.
| Dr. J. Robert White, Executive Director of Georgia Baptist Convention, was the guest speaker. |
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Board chairman Richard L. Terry presented the first two trustees emeriti ever named by the Board: Joe T. Wood, Sr., and James F. Bagwell, both of Gainesville. Each of these men has served more than one term on the Board of Trustees of Truett-McConnell, and both come from long-standing family traditions of involvement with Truett-McConnell.
The Board of Trustees also honored Donald E. Stanley upon the occasion of his retirement from the college after more than 32 years of service with the presentation of a framed certificate designating him Vice President for Business Affairs Emeritus.
The following students received degrees:
| Associate in Arts | ||
| Annie Elisabeth Andrews | LaGrange, GA | |
| Jessica Leia Berry | Fayetteville, GA | Magna cum laude |
| Steven Shawn Crenshaw | Newnan, GA | Magna cum laude |
| Lacey Gail Daniels | Dahlonega, GA | |
| Karis Elizabeth Fowler | Clarkesville, GA | Cum laude |
| Joshua T. Griggs | Gainesville, GA | Cum laude |
| Jason Ashley Johnson | Smyrna, GA | |
| Alison Charity Kinney | Clermont, GA | |
| Kyle Lee Nelson | Marietta, GA | |
| Kelly Allison Nettles | Suwanee, GA | Magna cum laude |
| William Franklin Nix | Cleveland, GA | |
| John Derek Partridge, Jr. | Hephzibah, GA | Cum laude |
| Henry Grant Peabody | Macon, GA | |
| Lee Michael Smith | Douglasville, GA | |
| Trevor Hamilton Smith | Clarkesville, GA | |
| Kristin Leigh Stidham | Fayetteville, GA | |
| Candace Whitworth | Gainesville, GA | |
| Joshua Ryan Wyatt | Dahlonega, GA | |
| Associate in Arts (Concentration in Education) | ||
| Sheila Diane Edwards | Cornelia, GA | Magna cum laude |
| Nicholas Frank Gentile | Flowery Branch, GA | |
| Tara Nicole Kidd | Cleveland, GA | |
| Katie Rana Malcom | Americus, GA | |
| Jennie Leigh Rice (two degrees) | Toccoa, GA | |
| Associate in Business | ||
| Jordan Asher Armstrong | Clarkesville, GA | |
| Robert Clay Kelly | Dillard, GA | |
| Mark Allen White | Alpharetta, GA | |
| Johnny Cody Wiley | Alto, GA | Cum laude |
| Jennie Leigh Rice (two degrees) | Toccoa, GA | |
| Associate in Christian Studies | ||
| Joseph Tristan Hurley | Atlanta, GA | |
| Associate in General Studies | ||
| Heather Marie Allen | Thomson, GA | |
| Danielle Lynn Boone | Cleveland, GA | |
| Shawn Paul Breinlinger | Dahlonega, GA | |
| Alicia Renee Daniel | Athens, GA | Magna cum laude |
| William Frank Jackson | Brevard, NC | |
| Whitney Susann Ledford | Cleveland, GA | |
| Natalie Gail Lehmann | Snellville, GA | Cum laude |
| Nicholas Chad Owens | Toccoa, GA | Cum laude |
| Patrick Blake Ryan | Newnan, GA | |
| Jason Marshal Wisdom | Dacula, GA | |
| Associate in Music | ||
| Christopher Lamar Willis | Carrollton, GA | |
| Associate in Science | ||
| Stephanie Ann Bowden | Conyers, GA | Summa cum laude |
| Jonathan Edward Ostrosky | Cleveland, GA | |
| Bachelor of Arts in Music (Concentration in Church Music) | ||
| Melissa Sue Clanton | Fayetteville, GA | Cum laude |
| Matthew Michael Papa | Gainesville, GA | Magna cum laude |
| Faculty lead the academic procession as it approaches the gymnasium with the faculty marshal, Dr. Roy Hardy carrying the college’s mace in front of the procession | The graduating class of 2005 stands in place as the faculty marshal takes his seat following the academic procession. |
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