Gratitude and thanks were words often spoken by Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, as he challenged 1,189 undergraduate and graduate students in two commencement ceremonies Friday, Dec. 6, in the largest December commencement in the history of CU. The number of the graduates was a 75 percent increase over one year ago. Degrees are conferred for the graduates upon completion of all requirements for graduation. Carter urged the graduates to thank those who have helped them on their educational journeys. He told the students they have not been on the journey alone and told them to express gratitude to their families and friends who helped and prayed for them as they reached this milestone in their careers.

"Be kind." That was the advice Christi Thomas McGuire, a 1997 alumna who played basketball for Campbellsville University's Coach Donna Wise, gave to Campbellsville University's Department of Human Performance graduates that applied to all the university's graduates. There were 1,717 graduates for May and August 2021 for the 2020-21 academic year; and 2,327 for May and August 2020 for the 2019-20 academic year.

Dr. Joseph Hopkins, the 12th president of Campbellsville University, presided over his first commencement asking the 1,593 students who were receiving their degrees "Who's on your journey?" May 6 and 7 in Powell Athletic Center. Hopkins presented an address telling of the experience of his family fulfilling one of his bucket list items - traveling to the Sahara Desert where he and his wife, Suzanne, and sons, Joseph and Vance, camped and enjoyed "who" was on their 115-degree heated trip. He told the graduates they are about to launch on a journey of their own. "Most often, the questions being asked at this stage are where, what, why and most especially, how?," he said, while he challenged them to add the who to their list of questions.

"Be kind and work hard, and I promise you amazing things will happen," Ashli Schmidt Watts, senior vice president of public affairs for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, told a record number of 2,279 students who received degrees from Campbellsville University during three commencement ceremonies May 3 and 4. A total of 2,592 students received degrees upon completion of all requirements for graduation during the 2018-19 academic year. There were 2,011 students receiving master's degrees; 255 receiving bachelor degrees and 12 being awarded associate degrees in the May 3 and 4 ceremonies.

Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, told 680 undergraduate and graduate students in two commencement ceremonies Friday, Dec. 7, the largest in the history of the university, to thank those who helped them along their journey and that today will be a day they will remember. A total of 1,653 students received their diplomas for the 2017-18 academic year. Diplomas are given upon completion of all academic requirements. Carter welcomed those attending and told them Dec. 7 was a "very historic day" when soldiers sacrificed tremendously on Pearl Harbor Day Dec. 7, 1941 as Japan attacked the United States leading the U.S. into World War II.

"Because I cannot add years to my life, I want to add life to my years. If I am not able to do anything about the length of my life, I can do something about its breadth and depth," Dr. E. Bruce Heilman, 92, chancellor at the University of Richmond in Virginia told Campbellsville University graduates in his commencement address Saturday, May 12. "The most important day in an institution is commencement. This is one of those days you will always remember. My heart is full of thankfulness and humbled by your accomplishments. We are very proud of you," Dr. Michael V. Carter, in his 19th year as president, told 700 students, a record, in four ceremonies on May 11 and 12. Also, a record number of 1,013 students graduated during the 2017-18 academic year. Carter said Campbellsville University has also set a record enrollment of more than 10,000 students, and students graduating from CU have the lowest student debt of any public or private institution in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

"Through Christian education, lives are changed." Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, told a record number of graduates in four ceremonies as 558 students received their degrees Friday and Saturday, May 12 and 13. For the 2016-17 academic year, 760 students will have graduated, upon completion of all academic requirements. The number of graduates and actual number of commencement ceremonies are both record breaking.

Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, told 202 undergraduate and graduate students in two commencement ceremonies Friday, Dec. 16 in Ransdell Chapel to live by fellowship, leadership and scholarship - words on the university seal.

Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, told 313 undergraduate and graduate students in two commencement ceremonies Friday, Dec. 15, the largest in the history of December commencements, to thank those who helped them along their journey and that today will be a day they will remember. The number of the graduates was a 54 percent increase over one year ago. Although the 313 graduates knew they were going to be honored, one 80-year-old woman in the audience had a surprise waiting for her.

A total of 411 undergraduate and graduate students in three commencement ceremonies Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14 were given their diplomas. The 2015-16 academic year produced 642 Campbellsville University graduates.

Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, told 228 undergraduate and graduate students in two commencement ceremonies Friday, Dec. 11 in Ransdell Chapel to live by fellowship, leadership and scholarship - words on the university seal.

CU graduated 143 master's students Friday, May 8 in Ransdell Chapel, with 274 graduates May 9, for a total of 417 students receiving their diplomas upon completion of all academic requirements. In CU's December commencement, 212 received their diplomas for a total of 629 students in this year's graduating class of 2014-2015.

Campbellsville University's School of Music held a hooding ceremony for graduates Dec. 11 in the Gheens Recital Hall inside the Gosser Fine Arts Center on campus.

Dr. Darlene Eastridge, dean, welcomed graduates and their families to Campbellsville University's Carver School of Social Work and Counseling pinning ceremony Dec. 12 in The Gheens Recital Hall.

Campbellsville University's School of Business and Economics held a hooding ceremony for their graduate students on Dec. 12 in the Administration Building on campus.

"This is a special time in your life and in your career that is a whole new chapter in your life," said Dr. Donna Hedgepath, dean of Campbellsville University's School of Education, at the pinning and hooding ceremony Dec. 12 in The Gheens Recital Hall in the Gosser Fine Arts Center on campus.

Dr. Frank Cheatham, senior vice president for academic affairs at Campbellsville University, said he didn't think anyone could be in better hands than those of a Campbellsville University nurse. Cheatham spoke at CU's annual associate degree nursing program pinning ceremony Dec. 11 at Ransdell Chapel.

Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, told 210 undergraduate and graduate students in two commencement ceremonies Friday, Dec. 12 in Ransdell Chapel to live by fellowship, leadership and scholarship - words on the university seal.

"This is not a rite of passage, but rather an effort earned and successfully achieved by our graduating students," Dr. Darlene Eastridge, dean of Campbellsville University's Carver School of Social Work and Counseling, said during the Carver School of Social Work and Counseling pinning ceremony May 2 in The Gheens Recital Hall in the Gosser Fine Arts Center.

"When a call comes in, do you want to speak to the doctor in charge or do you want to speak to the nurse who knows what's really going on?" said Dr. Frank Cheatham, senior vice president for academic affairs. This question was poised to the families of the 31 students who were being pinned in a ceremony from Campbellsville University's School of Nursing May 1 at Ransdell Chapel.

Dr. Donna Hedgepath, dean of the Campbellsville University School of Education, told the School of Education graduates God has a purpose and plan for their lives at the group's recent pinning and hooding of graduates in Campbellsville Baptist Church.

CU graduated 152 master's students Friday night, May 2, 2014, in Ransdell Chapel, with 264 graduates Saturday morning, May 3, for a total of 416 students receiving their diplomas upon completion of all academic requirements. In CU's December commencement, 196 received their diplomas for a total of 612 students in this year's graduating class of 2013-2014.

"The Carver School and its mission to prepare generalists in advanced practiced social workers is proud to add these 24 graduates to our body of Carver School alumni who currently work in the field of Social Work and Clinical Practice," Dr. Darlene Eastridge, dean of the Carver School of Social Work and Counseling, said. Local students who were pinned include:

Fifty graduates from three allied health programs offered through Campbellsville University's Virginia Ponser Flanagan Technology Training Center were honored in a recent ceremony at Ransdell Chapel.

Campbellsville University graduated 196 students in two ceremonies Friday, Dec. 13 in Ransdell Chapel. The following students received degrees from Campbellsville University:

Campbellsville University students receiving education degrees were told to "be the best teacher you can be; work at it" by Dr. Frank Cheatham, senior vice president for academic affairs at CU in the School of Education's Pinning Ceremony May 3 in the Russ Mobley Theater. The following local students were recognized at the pinning ceremony:

Dr. Darlene Eastridge, dean, opened the Carver School of Social Work and Counseling pinning ceremonies on May 3. "God has blessed Campbellsville University with the largest number of graduates in the history of the Carver School," Eastridge said, "and very high caliber students in all three of our locations -- Louisville, Campbellsville and Somerset Centers." Local students who were pinned include:

Campbellsville University graduated 170 master's students and 262 undergraduate students on May 3 and 4, respectively, along with 215 December graduates, for the largest-ever record 647 students receiving their diplomas in the 2012-2013 academic year. The following local students graduated from Campbellsville University:

The Campbellsville University School of Education held its second annual pinning ceremony for undergraduates in the School of Education in the morning before commencement Dec. 14 in the Russ Mobley Theater on campus. Students in the interdisciplinary early childhood education; early childhood education; P-5 elementary education; 5-9 middle grades education, 8-12 secondary education and p-12 elementary-secondary education were recognized. Local students honored during the pinning ceremony were:

By Christina L. Kern, office assistant Campbellsville University's School of Nursing graduated 28 students in December, the largest nursing class yet for Campbellsville University, Dr. Bob Wade, dean of the School of Nursing, said at the December pinning ceremony. The following local students were among those pinned at Campbellsville University's School of Nursing pinning ceremony: