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May 8, 2018

Roberts Celebrates Spring 2018 Commencement

First Female General Superintendent Emerita, Ambassador of Wesleyan Church, delivers keynote address

Roberts Wesleyan College celebrated its spring commencement on Saturday, May 5, in the Voller Athletic Center on campus, located at 2301 Westside Drive, Rochester, NY 14624. Nearly 500 students received undergraduate and graduate degrees — as well as family members, friends, faculty and staff — were on hand to celebrate.

Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, general superintendent emerita and ambassador of The Wesleyan Church, delivered the keynote address.

Lyon has developed a unique and significant set of connections to many national, international religious, political and humanitarian agencies and leaders throughout her career. In addition to general superintendent emerita and ambassador of The Wesleyan Church, she is the founder of World Hope International, an international Christian organization working with vulnerable and exploited communities worldwide. It serves over 30 countries in hopes of alleviating suffering and injustice.

She was appointed by President Obama in 2015 to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships to speak on policies and programs that are aimed at reducing poverty and inequality in the United States. In 2016, she was the recipient of the World Methodist Council’s prestigious Peace Award.

Lyon serves on the board of many organizations as representative of The Wesleyan Church, including the National Association of Evangelicals Executive Committee, Christian Community Development Association, National Religious Partnership for the Environment, Asbury Theological Seminary Board, Council on Faith of the World Economic Forum, and as the president of The United States Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

She holds a master’s degree in counseling, continued graduate studies in historical theology and has been granted five honorary doctorates. She has written several articles and publications, including the book “The Ultimate Blessing,” and has served over 30 years in pastoral ministry. She and her husband live in the Indianapolis area. They have four children and 10 grandchildren.

The master’s degree and adult undergraduate bachelor’s degree ceremony took place at 10:30 a.m., followed by the ceremony for traditional undergraduate bachelor’s degree and BELL graduates at 2:30 p.m. The college’s BELL program — an inclusive postsecondary certificate program for ages 18-26 with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are transitioning to adulthood — walked in commencement for the third year in a row, making this another inclusive ceremony for Rochester.

For more information about Roberts Wesleyan’s spring commencement, visit roberts.edu/commencement.

 

 


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