More than 500 students receive degrees
Spring is graduation time at the three Mennonite Brethren institutions of higher education and this year more than 500 students received degrees from Fresno Pacific University, Tabor College and MB Biblical Seminary.
Fresno Pacific University was the first to hold commencement ceremonies this spring, with about 400 students graduating May 9 in two ceremonies at the Fresno, Calif., campus. Approximately 150 of those graduates came from the traditional undergraduate program, 150 came from the bachelor’s degree completion program and 100 earned master’s degrees. Kent Eaton, dean of the FPU School of Humanities, Religion and Social Sciences, and Gary Gramenz, dean of the School of Education, delivered commencement addresses.
Commencement at the Fresno, Calif., campus of MB Biblical Seminary was May 17. More than 30 graduates were honored with master’s or diploma-level degrees. Elmer Martens, MBBS president emeritus and Old Testament professor emeritus, delivered the commencement address. During the ceremony, MBBS awarded their annual Community Service Award to Kings View, a Mennonite-founded mental health provider in California, “because their efforts have brought healing and hope to many.”
A total of 129 students were slated to receive degrees from Tabor College, the Mennonite Brethren liberal arts college, at commencement ceremonies held May 23 at the Hillsboro, Kan., campus. One bachelor’s degree was awarded posthumously to Marcus Manny, a student killed in an automobile accident in February. Two students received associate degrees and 93 received bachelor’s degrees from the Hillsboro, Kan., campus. The Wichita, Kan., school of adult and graduate studies awarded 34 degrees. James Wiebe, a 1979 graduate of Tabor and an entrepreneurial businessman from Wichita, Kan., was the scheduled commencement speaker.—FPU, MBBS, TC press releases
