Campbell University announces spring commencement schedule, speakers

May 6, 2024

Students who began their college journeys at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic will see their perseverance rewarded when Campbell University celebrates its 2024 spring commencement ceremonies this week.

Six ceremonies spanning three days will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday with graduates from the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine. On Friday, the Norman A. Wiggins School of Law, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and Divinity School will host graduation events, and on Saturday, undergraduate students from the College of Arts & Sciences will be celebrated in a morning ceremony, followed by commencement for the School of Education & Human Sciences, School of Engineering and Lundy-Fetterman School of Business in the afternoon.

Below is a list of each ceremony, including times, locations and scheduled commencement speakers. Tickets are not required for any ceremony except the law graduation on Friday (details here). For more details of each event, visit campbell.edu.

All ceremonies will be broadcast live (and can be viewed after) at: https://livestream.com/accounts/3736866/

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Thursday, May 9

Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine

• Time: 10 a.m.
• Location: Gore Arena, John W. Pope Convocation Center in Buies Creek
• Speaker: Dr. Ira P. Monka

Dr. Ira P. Monka is a board-certified osteopathic family physician and current president of the American Osteopathic Association. Monka practices at the Medical Institute of New Jersey in Cedar Knolls and has been named a "Top Doc" by New Jersey Monthly Magazinefor several years. Monka and his wife's families were survivors of the Holocaust during World War II. Their experiences left Dr. Monka determined to treat and respect everyone equally - "We are all family together," he says of his relationship with his patients.

Friday, May 10

ROTC Commissioning Service

• Time: 10 a.m.
• Location: Hobson Performing Arts Center in D. Rich Hall, Buies Creek
• Speaker: Lt. Gen. Susan S. Lawrence, USA (Ret.)

Lt. Gen. Susan S. Lawrence (Ret.), is a leader in defense information technology and communications systems and a former U.S. Army CIO/G-6. As the Army's CIO/G-6, Lawrence managed the defense enterprise systems, IT infrastructure, command and control solutions and advanced technology used by the military warfighter and the supporting civilian workforce. Additionally, she helped develop the U.S. Army Cyber Command and worked directly with senior staff members - including the secretary of the Army and the chief of staff of the Army - to reduce costs and improve the effectiveness of cyber and other IT solutions.

Friday, May 10

Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law

• Time: 10 a.m.
• Location: Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh
• Speaker: N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby

Paul Martin Newby is chief justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, first been elected in 2004. He is an adjunct professor at the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, where he teaches courses on state constitutional law and appellate practice. Newby works to enhance professionalism among North Carolina's lawyers having served as chair of the Commission on Professionalism. He also co-chairs the Chief Justice's civic education initiative, traveling across North Carolina to meet with school and civic groups to discuss the Supreme Court and the role of the judiciary. In addition, he is the Court's liaison to the North Carolina Business Court and the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners and is a frequent judge at various moot court and mock trial events.

Friday, May 10

College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

(Includes all undergraduate and graduate candidates in the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, including locations at Adult & Online Education and main campus for Clinical Research, Pharmaceutical Science, Nursing and Physician Assistant Practice)

• Tim: 3 p.m.
• Location: Gore Arena, John W. Pope Convocation Center in Buies Creek
• Speaker: Emily Adams, CEO of the North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants

Emily Adams has served as NCAPA's chief executive officer since 2016. In this role, she provides oversight and leadership to the organization, leading the paid staff and working closely with the Board of Directors and other volunteer leaders. Adams advocates for PA practice rights as a registered lobbyist and represents NCAPA and the PA profession throughout the state. She led efforts to re-establish the Political Action Committee and the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee; helped negotiate and introduce legislation that would improve PA practice in North Carolina; and successfully advocated for waivers during the COVID-19 state of emergency to allow for greater flexibility.

Friday, May 10

Divinity School

(Includes all graduate candidates in the Divinity School)

• Time 7 p.m.
• Location: Hobson Performing Arts Center in D. Rich Hall, Buies Creek
• Speaker: Dr. Lydia Hoyle

Dr. Lydia Huffman Hoyle is an associate professor of church history and Baptist heritage at Campbell University, and was the 2023 recipient of the Dean's Excellence in Teaching Award for the Divinity School. Her passion for the history of the church, her dedication to the Divinity School and her ability to relate with both warmth and wit have led to deep admiration and appreciation not only from her students but also from her faculty and staff colleagues. Hoyle has been active in the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion, the Baptist History and Heritage Society and other professional organizations; and she lives out her faith in various leadership roles at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina.

Saturday, May 11

College of Arts & Sciences

(Includes all undergraduates in the College of Arts & Sciences from Adult & Online Education and main campus)

• Time: 9 a.m.
• Location: Gore Arena, John W. Pope Convocation Center in Buies Creek
• Speaker: Shirley Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities

A visionary leader who is passionate about Christian higher education and the role it plays in the common good, Shirley V. Hoogstra has served as president of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities since 2014. As CCCU president, Hoogstra has overseen the introduction of a variety of new, innovative initiatives, including an online course-sharing consortium, insurance consortium, accreditation steering council, and doctoral education council. She has focused on expanding diversity and inclusion on CCCU campuses and making education available, accessible, and affordable to all students. Hoogstra continues to be an advocate for increasing access to education for incarcerated individuals and supporting undocumented students as they seek to complete their education.

Saturday, May 11

The School of Education & Human Sciences
The School of Engineering
The Lundy-Fetterman School of Business

(Includes all undergraduates in the College of Arts & Sciences from Adult & Online Education and main campus)

• Time: 2 p.m.
• Location: Gore Arena, John W. Pope Convocation Center in Buies Creek
• Speaker: Shirley Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities

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