2019 Commencement: Celebrating God’s Faithfulness
Posted On May 07, 2019
This past Friday, RBC held its seventh annual commencement exercises. It was a bittersweet evening as students said farewell to friends and professors, celebrated God’s faithfulness during their time here, and looked forward to the exciting journeys ahead. Dr. R.C. Sproul’s vision for a college dedicated to training future Christian leaders was on full display. As these students step up to serve the Lord in many different places and vocations, they will leave a legacy for generations to come.
We were pleased to have Dr. Harry Reeder, senior minister of Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Ala., deliver the graduation address. He spoke on Romans 1:16–17 and urged the graduates to be unashamed of the gospel even in a post-Christian culture. We also enjoyed hearing special music from bagpiper Reginald Lyle, organist Josiah Armes, and our very own Reformation Chorale.
Sixteen students, representing eleven states, graduated from our various programs. Two were honored for their academic achievements: Nathaniel Crofutt received the Banner of Truth Theological Studies Award, and Anna Franke was awarded the Crossway Biblical Studies Award.
Now, these students are embarking on a new chapter. Several are staying in the Orlando area and enrolling at Reformed Theological Seminary. A number are returning home to pursue further education or enter the workforce. Others are planning weddings or starting families. Wherever they’re headed next, we can’t wait to see how they will impact the world for Christ.
Several students took this opportunity to express what RBC has meant to them and to share their specific plans. Elizabeth Blasiman, a graduate of our associate’s degree program, is headed back to her hometown in Ohio and looks forward to sharing what she has learned at RBC with her family and fellow church members. Reflecting on the evening’s event, she said, “This ceremony is a beautiful celebration of the end of an experience which I can share with so many friends, the faculty, and my family.”
One of our bachelor’s degree students, Eric Beckman, is grateful for the professors who mentored him and hopes to serve the Lord in a business management position. He said, “I am very excited to culminate my studies at Reformation Bible College. As I reflect on the discipleship of the faculty at RBC, this time is both a joyful and a bittersweet reality.”
We give thanks to God for these graduates and to everyone who has prayed for and given to RBC over the years. Your support is an investment in students like these. Please remember the graduates in your prayers, as well as the returning students and the many new faces we’ll be welcoming onto campus this fall.
