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Rice and Goodman win valedictorian prizes,
DANVILLE, KY -- Centre College celebrated Commencement on Sunday, May
28, and presented valedictorian prizes to Kelly Rice of Danville and John
Goodman of Mobile, Ala. Rice received the Gavin Eastman Wiseman Valedictorian
Prize as the top female graduate in the class, and Goodman received the
George Winston Welsh Valedictorian Prize as the top male graduate. Also during the afternoon program, senior Shavonne Smith of San Antonio, Texas, delivered brief remarks on behalf of the class, and Harlan Professor of Government Larry Matheny spoke on behalf of the faculty. "Human nature makes us climbers," Murden McClure told the Centre College graduating class, "and as you dare great things, you may stumble and fall. Those stumbles are part of life .... and part of the price we pay if we want to touch, even for an instant, the rainbow of excellence." Murden-McClure drew extended applause by encouraging the Centre seniors to take risks and involve themselves in causes for social justice. Murden-McClure, who has worked as an advocate for the homeless, said: "It is less important to be a man or woman of means, than to be a man or woman with meaning. The only truly disabled people are those who have lost heart....Some may advise you to only fight the battles that you know you can win. I call this nonsense. It is a path fit only for cowards and the feeble of heart. We must fight the battles that need fighting." A Louisville native, Murden-McClure holds a divinity degree from Harvard and a law degree from the University of Louisville. Centre conferred 224 bachelor's degrees during commencement and recognized
two additional seniors who are expected to complete degree requirements
during the summer months. Baccalaureate began at 11 a.m. in Newlin Hall
in Centre College's Norton Center for the Arts, and commencement began at
3 p.m. in the same facility. Communications Office Public information coordinator: Patsi Barnes Trollinger |