Noteworthy

Barton holds 107th commencement; Barbara Goodmon delivers address

Despite a brief rain shower near the beginning of the program, the Barton College community celebrated commencement on center campus Sunday.

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Barbara Lyons Goodmon
WILSON, N.C. — Despite a brief rain shower near the beginning of the program, the Barton College community celebrated commencement on center campus Sunday.

Some 228 seniors participated in the 107th annual commencement exercises.

Barbara Lyons Goodmon of Raleigh, president and executive director of the A.J. Fletcher Foundation, delivered the commencement address. She is also the wife of Jim Goodmon, who is the CEO of WRAL's parent company Capitol Broadcasting.

In her address to the Class of 2009, Barbara Goodmon told the graduating seniors that this was “a great time to be a young adult just beginning your journey. You have the opportunity to help determine change. In fact, opportunity is not a strong enough word – you have a responsibility to help bring about change.”

Barbara Goodmon was presented with the Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa, by Barton College during the commencement exercises.

The three highest honors presented to Barton students: the Coggins Cup, the Hilley Cup, and the Hemby Leadership Cup, were awarded during the program. The Coggins Cup, presented annually to the student voted best all-around by the Barton faculty and staff, was awarded to Paola Marte from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, who graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management.

The Hilley Cup, presented annually to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative grade point average, was awarded to Chelsea Katherina Hsieh of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science.

The Hemby Leadership Cup, presented to the graduating senior, who in the estimation of the college community (including students, faculty and staff) has demonstrated outstanding leadership throughout a career at Barton College, was awarded to Jeremy Joseph Lowe of St. Petersburg, Fla., who graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

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