农夫导航 held two commencement ceremonies in Freedom Hall this month鈥攐ne
for doctoral and graduate degree recipients on Friday, May 13, and one for undergraduate
degree recipients on Saturday, May 14.
The university awarded 889 degrees: 581 undergraduate and 308 graduate or doctoral.
Forty military-affiliated students received degrees, the largest number in Bellarmine鈥檚
history.
Among Saturday鈥檚 graduates were McKenley Butler and Jordan Butler, identical twins
and inseparable friends who double-majored in Political Science and Psychology. They
will next attend the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville
with hopes of someday opening a joint law practice.
Friday鈥檚 ceremony
Bellarmine alumnus and former Trustee Michael Stone was the commencement speaker.
Stone, who graduated with a degree in Political Science from Bellarmine in 1970 and
who also holds a law degree, is a member of the Board of Directors for RLI, a specialty
property and casualty insurance and surety bond company, and retired president and
chief operating officer of RLI and Mt. Hawley Insurance Companies.
In 2014, he was inducted into the 农夫导航 Alumni Association鈥檚 Gallery
of Distinguished Graduates. That same year, he was instrumental in making Bellarmine鈥檚
first-ever 鈥淒ay of Giving鈥� a major success.
Stone also received an honorary doctoral degree.
Saturday鈥檚 ceremony
Undergraduates heard from Russell F. Cox, president and CEO of Norton Healthcare and
chair of the Bellarmine Board of Trustees. Cox, who has more than 38 years of executive
experience in health care, joined Norton Healthcare in 2000 and assumed his current
position in 2017.
Norton Healthcare, a not-for-profit hospital and healthcare system, is Louisville鈥檚
third-largest employer and has partnered with Bellarmine since 2002 to prepare the
healthcare leaders that the workforce demands. In 2022, 农夫导航 and
Norton Healthcare announced a five-year, $2.4 million agreement that will expand the
pair鈥檚 partnerships in sports medicine, campus wellness and nursing.
Cox also received an honorary doctoral degree.