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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (May 5, 2003)—Milligan College will hold its spring commencement on Sunday, May 11, in Seeger Memorial Chapel, with a baccalaureate service at 10 a.m. and commencement at 2 p.m.
Dan Lawson, executive director of development at Emmanuel School of Religion of Johnson City, Tenn., will present the baccalaureate address. The commencement speaker will be Ziden Nutt, founder and executive director of Good News Productions International, Joplin, Mo., who will also receive the honorary degree “Doctor of Letters.”
Nutt and his wife, Helen, spent 14 years in Zimbabwe as missionaries. They pioneered the work at Chidamoyo Mission, where four Christian day schools and a major hospital were built. In 1968 they moved to Chinhoyi to establish Good News Productions, which focused on designing media strategies to assist missionaries in Zimbabwe and neighboring countries.
Good News global ministry is currently working with Christian workers in 102 countries. The ministry works in strategy design, program development, and delivery systems including filmstrips, educational video, audio recordings, backpacks and satellites. Good News extensively uses the Internet and other meaningful communication software and hardware in 107 different language groups.
In addition to his duties at Good News Productions International, Nutt is actively involved in several mission agencies and serves on a variety of media-related committees. He has often been invited to the White House Executive Offices to participate in working groups and briefings, and is frequently called upon internationally as a resource person in missions and communications.
Nutt graduated from Ozark Christian College with a bachelor of theology degree with a double major in New Testament and missions. Nutt and his wife, Helen, have three children: Karolyn Schrage, a missionary in Kenya, Africa; Tom, a satellite technician and director of operations with Good News Productions, International; and Lynda.
Class of 2003
Sunday’s graduates include 45 bachelor of arts (B.A.), 95 bachelor of science (B.S.), 10 bachelor of science in nursing (B.S.N.), and one master of education (M.Ed.). Top majors of study for the class of 2003 include business administration, communications, psychology, early childhood development and Bible ministry/youth ministry.
Twenty-six members of the Class of 2003 have already been accepted to graduate schools, such as Virginia Polytechnic Institute, the University of Texas-Austin, the University of Colorado at Boulder, Duke Divinity School, Appalachian State University, Western Kentucky University, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Ball State University, Emmanuel School of Religion and Milligan College.
A high number of 2003 graduates were also accepted to law school this year, including: Emory University Law School, Michigan State School of Law, the University of Richmond – T. C. Williams School of Law, Pennsylvania State University School of Law, the University of South Carolina Law School, the University of North Carolina Law School, the University of Tennessee Law School and the University of Georgia Law School.
Due to limited seating and the large crowds expected, a ticket is required for entry to the main level and balcony of Seeger Chapel for the 2 p.m. commencement ceremony. General seating will be available in Lower Seeger where live viewing will be provided via video projection. The main level and balcony will be open for general seating at 1:45 p.m. Tickets are not required for the 10 a.m. baccalaureate service.
On Saturday, May 10, the pinning ceremony for the nursing graduates will be at 4:00 p.m. at Hopwood Memorial Christian Church. Also, the senior program will be at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday in Seeger Chapel.
For more information about spring commencement, please contact Traci Smith at 423-461-8415 or go to www.milligan.edu.