Students from the College of Education, the College of Agriculture and the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences gathered at 1 p.m. in the Auburn Arena for the first Sunday commencement ceremony.
The number of undergraduate degrees earned totaled 505. Some students chose to add flair to the traditional black cap and gown, including one young woman whose cap read, “I’m
Regardless of their style, all students were wearing a tassel, and all students were waiting to turn it.
The speaker for the ceremony was Randall Ennis, current CEO of World Poultry Foundation.
Ennis graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in poultry science.
In 1997, Ennis became the CEO of the Aviagen Group, a world poultry breeding company. During his time with the Aviagen Group, the company boomed as he oversaw its presence in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia.
In 2015, Ennis left the Aviagen Group to accept the role as CEO of World Poultry Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to addressing hunger and poverty issues through the production and consumption of poultry while empowering farmers in low-income communities.
Ennis is the 2014 recipient of the College of Agriculture’s Outstanding Alumni Award and the 2017 recipient of the college’s Alumni Service Award.
He challenged graduating students to work through their frustrations and impatience to find success. He emphasized the importance of confidence and congratulated students on today’s milestone.
“You’ve accomplished something that only three out of every 10 Americans has done,” Ennis said. “You’re graduating with your college degree.”
He reminded students of the necessity of asking questions and challenging the status quo to keep a company imaginative and fresh.
“To be the best you can be, don’t just simply follow the path in front of you,” Ennis said. “Make your own path for those behind you.”
The College of Education awarded 301 undergraduate degrees, the College of Agriculture awarded 147 undergraduate degrees and the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences awarded 57 undergraduate degrees.
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