Springtime is a special season at Trevecca for students who’ve completed their educational journey. At its annual commencement convocation on May 3, the University conferred degrees to 1,007 graduates who became new alumni.
This group includes students who completed an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist or doctoral program. Degrees were awarded to students studying a wide range of areas, from those receiving a traditional undergraduate degree to those who earned advanced degrees in fields such as counseling, business, healthcare administration, music and medicine.
More than 100 graduates received a Doctor of Education in leadership (Ed.D.). Master’s degrees were awarded to students who completed some of Trevecca’s newest program offerings in human performance and fitness; instructional design and technology; and sport and entertainment management.
“We are now prepared, empowered and ready—not just for careers, but for callings,” Christian ministry student Christopher Pachila shared with his fellow graduates. “Whether we step into boardrooms, classrooms, pulpits or community centers, we go forward as people who’ve been raised by grace and sent with purpose. We didn’t all take the same path, but we’ve crossed the same finish line. And we do so united, humbled and bold. Let’s rise not as people chasing success, but as people who know what it means to be deeply known, loved and called.”
The theme for this year’s commencement convocation was “Alive Together” and came from a passage in Ephesians 2:5, where the Apostle Paul calls for unity in the body of Christ.
“These words are a good reminder to us as we consider how divided our world can be,” University Provost Dr. Tom Middendorf shared with graduates and their families. “What ultimately holds us together is the fact that we are a community of faith alive together in Christ. A community—beautifully imperfect—following God’s perfection in Jesus Christ.”
Gabriela Colorado, who was awarded a bachelor’s degree in business administration, spoke these words to graduates:
“Throughout our time at Trevecca, we’ve experienced what it means to be alive together. We’ve lived it in the friendships formed over shared meals, late-night study sessions and whispered prayers. We’ve seen it in professors who didn’t just teach us—they invested in our stories. In moments of uncertainty, we found courage—not just from within, but from the community around us. When one of us struggled, others stood in the gap. When we celebrated, we all celebrated. That is what it means to be alive together.
Trevecca’s mission was never just an idea. It was lived out in every act of grace, every shared burden, every moment someone reminded us: ‘You belong here. You matter. You are not alone.’ And that is the truth we carry into the world: we are most alive not when we stand on our own, but when we stand together in Christ.
To my fellow graduates: The world needs your light, voice, creativity and compassion. Whether you're stepping into ministry, business, education, medicine, the arts or any other field—you are stepping into a mission field. Don’t wait to make a difference. Start now. Love deeply. Lead boldly. And never forget that God goes with you.”
