Megan Reed, Campus Carrier News Editor

Due to increased attendance at baccalaureate ceremonies in recent years, baccalaureate for this semester’s graduating class has been moved to a Wednesday night rather than the traditional Friday evening time.

This semester’s baccalaureate, a religious service held for graduating seniors to celebrate their completion of studies at Berry and reflect on their experiences, will be held on May 7 at 4 p.m. in the College Chapel.

Vice president of student affairs Debbie Heida said the chapel has a capacity of about 850 people, but when close to 400 graduating seniors also invite their families, the service can become crowded.

Faculty and staff will also be invited to baccalaureate, and faculty have been invited to process in academic regalia.

“We have been experiencing ever larger graduating classes, which is wonderful, but this has pushed the capacity for seating in the College Chapel beyond capacity,” provost Kathy Richardson said. “It has been many years since we were able to invite the faculty and staff to this occasion because of a lack of available seating.”

College chaplain Jonathan Huggins will be presiding over the service. Professor of philosophy and Baptist minister David McKenzie, who is retiring at the end of this academic year, will be preaching the sermon.

“It’s an opportunity for him to give sort of a parting word to the seniors and to the Berry community,” Huggins said.

Huggins said baccalaureate will have more student involvement this year with more students offering prayers and leading readings. Two seniors, one male and one female, will give five-minute testimonies about their experiences and spiritual growth at Berry.

In addition to some changes to baccalaureate, some slight changes have been made to the spring commencement ceremony due to the absence of College President Stephen R. Briggs. Briggs’ daughter is graduating from another college at the same time.

Richardson will confer degrees and give out diplomas on Briggs’ behalf, while associate provost Andrew Bressette will read the names of graduating seniors.

     However, in order to celebrate commencement with graduating students, Briggs will be hosting a reception at his home for seniors on April 29.