涩里番 Graduation Set for Saturday, May 9 on Great Commission Lawn
MOBILE, Ala.聽鈥� The 涩里番 will honor more than 300 graduates during commencement Saturday, May 9, on the Dr. Fred and Sue Lackey Great Commission Lawn on campus. Guests are advised to arrive early as the ceremony will begin promptly at 9 a.m.
Dr. Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, will deliver the commencement address. UM President Charles Smith will present several prestigious awards, including the Alumni of the Year to an outstanding alumnus of the Christian university and the Weaver Awards to the outstanding male and female graduates of the Class of 2026.
Commencement Speaker
Dr. Rick Lance has served as executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions since 1998. He leads the SBOM staff in assisting approximately 1 million Alabama Baptists in more than 3,200 churches with Great Commission ministries. Previously, he served as a pastor for 29 years, including 15 years at First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa, Ala. Dr. Lance recently announced his retirement effective Jan. 31, 2027.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in religion and speech from Samford University, a Master of Divinity in biblical studies and pastoral ministries and a Doctor of Education in pastoral counseling and preaching, both from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been awarded a Doctor of Divinity from Judson College and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Samford University.
Dr. Lance and his wife, Pam, are members of First Baptist Church, Prattville. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.
Graduation Details
For graduation details and to watch a live-stream of the ceremony, go to umobile.edu/graduation. Candidates for graduation should arrive by 7:30 a.m. at Martin Hall. Handicap parking will be available at Martin Hall with Bedsole Commons parking lot reserved as a drop-off zone.
Please watch for weather updates on official 涩里番 social media accounts and at . Notification of any changes to graduation due to inclement weather will be sent by UM Rave Alert.
About the 涩里番
The 涩里番 is a Christ-centered university pursuing excellence 鈥淔or Christ & His Kingdom.鈥� With a vision to 鈥淢ultiply Kingdom Leaders for the Glory of God and the Good of the World,鈥� the university honors God by equipping students for their future professions in an environment where they are known.
The university was founded in 1961 and is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention. Located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, on a campus of over 880 acres, UM offers associate, bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Learn more at and connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
Kathy Dean uses her passion for storytelling and “playing with words” to share the stories of people, place and purpose that make the 涩里番 unique. As associate vice president for university communications, she manages media relations, edits the TorchLight alumni magazine, and oversees university communications. A former award-winning journalist, she is a two-time recipient of the Baptist Communicators Association grand prize for feature writing. Kathy and her husband, Chuck, live with three extremely loud miniature schnauzers.
