SWU prepares for spring 2015 commencement
SWU will award degrees May 8 and 9, 2015, during two commencement ceremonies at Central. John H. Dickey (left) is the commencement speaker and Cmdr. Dennis Andrews (right) will deliver the baccalaureate sermon.
Southern Wesleyan University graduates, their family members and friends will gather at the university’s campus in Central on May 8 and 9, 2015, for two commencement ceremonies.
The speaker will be John H. Dickey, who served as an advisor to the CEO of Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., recently retired. Dickey’s career began at the Hillenbrand Family of companies in 1976, where he held positions of increasing responsibility in logistics, operations and human resources. While at Hill-Rom Holdings, Dickey served as senior vice president and Chief HR Officer and senior vice president of Global Corporate Support Services from 2008 to 2014. Dickey was instrumental in the development of the new publicly traded company. He has more than 35 years of diversified business experience with concentrations that include health care, finance, durables, wholesale distribution, air transportation and food services industries.
A 1994 human resources management graduate of Southern Wesleyan’s Charleston learning center, Dickey also holds degrees from Purdue University, in organizational leadership; and Webster University, in human resources development. Additionally, Dickey studied in Japan and is a certified Continuous Improvement Specialist by Shingijutsu Company, Ltd.
Dickey serves on the Board of Directors for Margaret Mary Health and is on the Dean’s Advisory Council for Purdue University, College of Technology. He received the first Hillenbrand Excellence Award in 2011, was recognized as the 2008 HR Professional of the Year by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, and is a recipient of Batesville Casket Company’s Service Operations Manager of Year award.
According to Janice Hartsoe, the university’s registrar, approximately 261 degrees will be awarded in two ceremonies.
Students graduating from the university’s traditional program will participate in a ceremony at 3 p.m. Friday, May 8. Students graduating from the university’s adult evening and online programs from all locations will participate in a ceremony at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Both graduation ceremonies will be held in Newton Hobson Chapel and Fine Arts Center on the Southern Wesleyan University campus in Central.
For details, call Southern Wesleyan University’s Academic Records Department at (864) 644-5530. Tickets, issued through the university, are required for those attending the May 9 ceremony. For guests without tickets, overflow seating is available, which will allow guests without tickets to view the ceremony via a closed circuit broadcast. Details are available at swu.edu/graduation.
Other end-of-semester events at Southern Wesleyan University include Baccalaureate Chapel on May 8 at 10 a.m. in Newton Hobson Chapel and Fine Arts Center.
Commander Dennis K. Andrews, Chaplain Corps, United States Navy, and a minister in The Wesleyan Church, will deliver the baccalaureate sermon. While attending Southern Wesleyan, Andrews enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves, where he served six years and was honorably discharged. He received a bachelor of arts in political science from High Point University, High Point, N.C.; a master of divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Ky.; and a doctor of ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Mass. Following two pastorates in the North Carolina West District of The Wesleyan Church he was commissioned a Lieutenant and a chaplain in the U.S. Navy, and served several tours of duty. He currently serves as command chaplain at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Andrews is married to and has served in ministry for 26 years with Dianna Lynne (Talbott) Andrews. They have two grown children, including Corbin Andrews, a 2015 candidate for graduation at Southern Wesleyan University.
With regional education centers conveniently located across South Carolina, as well as fully online programs for select degrees, Southern Wesleyan University is a Christ-centered, student-focused learning community devoted to transforming lives by challenging students to be dedicated scholars and servant-leaders who impact the world for Christ. For more information, go to www.swu.edu.