The first Berry College alumnus to serve as president of a four-year college or university returned home May 4 as the keynote speaker for undergraduate commencement on Williams Field at Valhalla. A separate ceremony for graduate students was held May 3 in the Berry College Chapel.
“It hardly seems possible that it’s been some 43 years since I graduated from this place that so changed and made better my life in every dimension,” remarked Alexander “Whit” Whitaker IV (81C, FFS), seen above with Berry President Steve Briggs.
Whitaker, who grew up on the Berry campus as the son of a longtime faculty member, retired this summer after eight years as president of King University in Bristol, Tennessee, earning emeritus recognition from university trustees in honor of his service. The retired U.S. Navy captain and past recipient of the Berry Alumni Council’s Distinguished Achievement Award also holds emeritus status at his alma mater, where he previously excelled in such roles as chief of staff, secretary to the Board of Trustees and assistant vice president for major gifts.
Addressing more than 450 graduates, Whitaker joked that no one remembers commencement speeches before offering a series of “predictions” on the many things the class of 2024 will grow to appreciate about Berry in the years ahead. These ranged from the beauty of the campus and the character of the institution to its continuing emphasis on hard work and the liberal arts.
In conclusion, he circled back to his original tongue-in-cheek premise, declaring, “You don’t have to remember anything I’ve said because each of these things has already been engraved and grafted and embedded into you in irreversible, unforgettable fashion. You don’t have to remember my telling you these things because they’re already part of who you are and I believe part of who you will always be, who you will become.
“You can surely forget this speech, but you will never be able to forget these and many other abiding truths about Berry and how it has and will change your life. Of that I’m sure.”
