Last Saturday, May 9, Covenant College celebrated its 54th Commencement Exercises, with more than 320 graduates from our four academic programs. Our Commencement speaker was Kay Cole James, whose many-faceted career demonstrates the kind of whole-hearted and Christ-honoring service that we hope for all our graduates (see Mrs. James’ biographical overview on the Gloucester Institute’s website).

We also heard from four of our graduates who testified to God’s faithfulness through their years of learning and growth and joys and challenges at Covenant.

Just two days earlier, Covenant’s music department presented their annual Commencement Celebration Concert. The outstanding program featured the Covenant Chorale, the Chamber Singers, the Chamber Orchestra, the Jazz Ensemble, and various other ensembles and soloists, performing repertoire from Vivaldi and Mozart to Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis, and including Brahms, Grieg, Ravel, Vaughn Williams, and an original composition for string quartet by one of this year’s graduates. It was truly a first-rate artistic presentation and a rich testimony to the breadth, depth, and quality of our music program. Professors Ken Anderson and Robyn Wilkes, along with Department Chair Jeanell Brown, deserve much credit for their effective instruction and leadership.

One note of sadness this year was the absence with us of Dr. Wilhelmus Schaffers, who taught mathematics and applied science at Covenant for thirteen years and who passed away in April. The memorial service for Dr. Schaffers just two weeks earlier was full of reminders of this remarkable husband, father, grandfather, scientist, professor, and churchman, whose life and death were both glorious testimonies to God’s eternal redemption in Christ and his faithful provision for his people. We are grateful to God for the years we had with Wim, and we will miss him.

With students now scattered around the world for various summer activities, we at the College are already actively preparing for our students’ return, and the arrival of new students, in August. We are in the beginning stages of implementation of our three-year strategic plan, and we have made some important decisions to position the College well for the months and years ahead. You can read my letter which provides an update on these decisions and other significant happenings at Covenant.