Largest commencement in school history will include graduate student fair, stoles for legacy graduates, diploma cover that celebrates campus mural by local artist.
by Duane Bonifer
COLUMBIA, KY. (11/19/2025) Lindsey Wilson University’s first commencement weekend will also be its largest in school history.
Lindsey Wilson is scheduled to award a total of 945 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees at its 122nd commencement, the most in the school’s 122-year history.
The university’s 122nd commencement will be held in two ceremonies on Saturday, Dec. 13 — at 10 a.m. CT and at 2 p.m. CT. Both commencement ceremonies will be held in Biggers Sports Center.
Combined with 890 degrees awarded at spring commencement ceremonies held last May, Lindsey Wilson will have awarded 1,835 degrees in 2025, the most in a calendar year. Lindsey Wilson College became Lindsey Wilson University on July 1.
In addition to its largest commencement, Lindsey Wilson’s winter commencement will have three additions — a graduate student fair, legacy stoles and a reproduction of an original campus artwork.
From 11 a.m.-1 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 13, in the Robert D. Cranmer Dining & Conference Center, the LWU School of Graduate Business & Technology will hold its inaugural student showcase. The showcase will feature poster displays of work by LWU graduate students in the university’s master of business administration, master of science in cybersecurity management, master of science in data science master of science in technology management programs. Awards will be presented to the top three projects.
Starting with this winter commencement, the children and grandchildren of LWU alumni will be recognized with a legacy stole.
“Lindsey Wilson has played a big part in many families’ lives, so we wanted to recognize their special connection to the university with a stole for legacy graduates to wear during commencement ceremonies,” said LWU Director of Alumni Relations Allison Cross ’09.
When graduates receive their LWU diploma, they will get to store them in a special cover. The opposite inside page of the diploma cover will feature a black-and-white facsimile drawing of a campus mural that was installed this fall on campus.
Artist Dani Ford of Jamestown, Kentucky, painted an original mural on the western side of Phillips Hall, a residence hall that is one of Lindsey Wilson’s two oldest buildings. She also created the artwork that will appear inside of graduates’ diploma covers.
The drawing of Ford’s mural replaced one of the university’s L.R. McDonald Administration Building after the mural was so enthusiastically received by members of the Lindsey Wilson community.
“The mural has become so popular with students, alumni, faculty and staff,” said LWU Vice President for Academic Affairs Ray Lutgring. “In just a few months, it’s become a popular place on campus to take a picture, and it’s appeared on hundreds of social media posts this semester.”
For more information about LWC’s 2024 winter commencement ceremony, contact the LWC Registrar’s Office at registrar@lindsey.edu or 270-384-8025.
Lindsey Wilson University’s winter graduates will receive a new diploma cover that will feature a black-and-white drawing of a campus mural by Dani Ford of Jamestown, Kentucky, that was unveiled earlier this school year. Legacy graduates whose parents and grandparents are Lindsey Wilson alumni will receive a special legacy stole to wear during the ceremony. LWU’s 122nd commencement will be held in two ceremonies on Saturday, Dec. 13 — at 10 a.m. CT and at 2 p.m. CT. Both commencement ceremonies will be held in Biggers Sports Center.
Lindsey Wilson University is a vibrant liberal arts university in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson offers 28 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The university’s 29 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.
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(Duane Bonifer – Lindsey Wilson University)