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NEFF, BREWER TO SPEAK AS SAMFORD GRADUATES 880; FLYNT, BERRY TO RECEIVE HONORARY DOCTORATES
BIRMINGHAM---David Neff, executive editor of "Christianity Today" and "Books & Culture" magazines, will deliver the Samford University Commencement address Saturday, May 20, during 10 a.m. exercises.
Former Alabama Gov. Albert P. Brewer, Distinguished Professor of Law and Government at Samford, will speak at Commencement for Samford's Cumberland School of Law, also Saturday, May 20, at 3 p.m.
A total of 880 seniors from 25 states and three foreign nations will receive degrees during Commencement weekend.
Samford will confer honorary doctorates on historian Wayne Flynt and writer/conservation advocate Wendell Berry during the 10 a.m. Commencement.
Dr. Flynt, Distinguished University Professor at Auburn University and author of 10 books, will receive the Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Flynt is a 1961 Samford graduate and former history professor at the school. He has written on Southern political history, poverty and religion. Two of his books, "Poor But Proud: Alabama's Poor Whites" and "Alabama: The History of a Deep South State," were nominated for Pulitzer Prizes.
Berry, whose published work includes 28 volumes of fiction and non-fiction and another 15 volumes of poetry, will receive the Doctor of Literature degree. A former University of Kentucky professor, Berry writes and resides on a 40-acre farm near rural Port Royal, Ky. Called the "prophet of rural America" by "The New York Times," Berry wrote 10 novels known as the Port William Series which interpret rural Kentucky culture.
Both honorees are recipients of numerous awards for their writing.
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