BETHANY, W.Va. (May 10, 2025) — On Saturday, May 10, Bethany College celebrated its 185th Commencement Ceremony, honoring the achievements and resilience of the Class of 2025 in a joyful ceremony rich with tradition, gratitude, and hope for the future. Degrees were conferred on graduates from across the country and around the world, as they gathered with family, faculty, and friends to mark this milestone moment.
In his welcome, Bethany President Dr. Jamie Caridi extended heartfelt greetings and reflections on the meaning of the day.
“This is your day, your moment, your milestone, and your new beginning,” Caridi told graduates. “We have confidence that you are ready to lead in every city, community, or career you choose. And we have faith that you will make a difference.”
Caridi invited graduates to recognize the collective contributions of those who supported their journey—families, faculty, staff, and coaches—with a series of well-earned rounds of applause. He also reminded students of the lasting significance of their Bethany experience, drawing a metaphor from the surrounding Parkinson Forest, calling Bethany “a hidden gem” and its students “trailblazers.”
“From here, all paths are possible,” Caridi said. “Similar to the trees in Parkinson Forest—some of which are more than 200 years old—this college will stand with you through storms and sunny days for a lifetime.”
Honorary Degrees Awarded to Distinguished Leaders
Two honorary degrees were conferred during the ceremony. The first went to Rev. Dr. William Leroy Lee, who delivered Bethany’s Baccalaureate address on May 9. Rev. Dr. Lee was honored for his decades of ministry and public service, including nearly 40 years at Loudon Avenue Christian Church in Roanoke, Va., and for founding New Horizons Health Care, a center serving uninsured and underserved communities.
The second honorary degree was awarded to Commencement speaker Asa Johnson, social justice advocate, entrepreneur, and dedicated Bethany College Trustee.
“Asa brings an energy and purpose to everything he does to move our cherished institution forward,” said Caridi before presenting the degree. “His enduring service and leadership in the field of social justice philanthropy is both inspiring and essential in a divided world.”
Asa Johnson’s Commencement Address: “Technology and the Humanities”
In a moving and thought-provoking keynote titled “Technology and the Humanities,” Johnson encouraged graduates to see their liberal arts education as both relevant and necessary in a world being reshaped by technological innovation.
Reflecting on his family’s long legacy at Bethany and his own decision to join the Board of Trustees, Johnson drew inspiration from his first visit to the Campbell Study.
“Standing in that trim hexagon, surrounded by books, I realized I was in a shrine dedicated to the mind,” he said. “Alexander Campbell could have built a church—but he built a school. Education was essential to both faith and the nation.”
Addressing the impact of Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies, Johnson emphasized the vital role of human skills—critical thinking, ethical reasoning, creativity, and communication—in ensuring responsible innovation and inclusive progress.
“AI is a new tool in the human toolbox,” he said. “The skills you learned over your time at Bethany will ensure you know how to apply that tool creatively . . . Your generation will need to guide the future application of AI. The ethical framework you’ve developed here will be essential.”
He closed by urging students to reflect on their support systems and to take Bethany with them in spirit—reminding them that their diploma, signed by many across the community, symbolizes a lasting bond.
“Enjoy this day. You have earned it,” Johnson said. “Keep blazing those trails, and continue to promote a world of worth and value wherever those trails lead.”
As graduates exited through the historic Oglebay Gates, they joined the ranks of Bethany alumni-leaders, learners, and citizens prepared to serve with compassion and courage.
Bethany College extends its warmest congratulations to the Class of 2025 and celebrates their next steps with pride and anticipation.
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