8 / ’southern
COMMUNITYNEWS
BSCProfessor of ChemistryDr. Laura Stultz, the 2013AlabamaCASE/CarnegieProfessor of theYear, will address the
Class of 2014during the 155thCommencement ceremonyon Saturday,May17, at 9 a.m. at Bill BattleColiseumon
campus. APresident’s Receptionwill beheldon campus immediately after the ceremony.
Stultzwas named theBSCOutstandingEducator of theYear during the college’s 2013 graduation ceremony. The award
is given to amember of theBSC facultywho, according to recommendations byhis or her colleagues, excels in all aspects
of teaching, including scholarship, classroomperformance, and student advising. The award includes a cash stipend and
an invitation to speak at the followingCommencement.
Stultz joined theBSC faculty in1997 after doingpostdoctoral research and teaching at IndianaUniversity. She received
her Ph.D. in chemistry from theUniversityofNorthCarolina at ChapelHill andher bachelor’s degree in chemistry from
OberlinCollege.
Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson,DistinguishedProfessor ofNewTestament at EmoryUniversity’sCandler School of
Theology, will deliver the annual Baccalaureate address on Friday,May16, at 1p.m. at CanterburyUnitedMethodist
Church inMountainBrook. ACapping ceremonywill beheld that sameday at 4p.m. in the coliseum.
LisaGlenn ’06will deliver theConvocation address at BSC’sHonorsDay ceremonyonThursday,May1, inMungerHall
Auditorium. Glennwas recentlypromoted todirector of programs atNewGlobal Citizens, an educationnonprofit in
Tempe, Ariz.
Ambassador of “happyness” shares secrets at BSC
ChrisGardner, whosebest-selling2006 autobiography
,
The Pursuit of Happyness,
wasmade into an acclaimed
filmof the samename starringWill Smith, deliveredBSC’s 2014AlexP. Stirling Lectureon campus inMarch to an
audienceof about 600.
Gardner talked about his one-year struggle in San Francisco as abroke, homeless, singleparent to a14-month-
old son, andhowheheldon tohis dreamof financial independence. Withno college education and virtuallyno
connections, he earned a spot in theDeanWitter Reynolds trainingprogram andbecame the sole traineeoffered a
job at thefirm in1981.
Now, after just trying to survive, hehas some advice for others.
“You can achieve success in life regardless of your circumstances if youfind your passion, have aplan, and take
practical steps,” saidGardner, whose talkwas precededby a trailer of themovie. “Startwhere you are. Find your
‘button’ anddowhat you love.”
Sciencedoesn’t tell youwho you’ll become in life; only spiritualitydoes, according toGardner, age 60, whose talk
was called “SpiritualGenetics and theAmericanDream.”
“Spiritual genetics iswhatmakes you, you,”he stated. “Your future is not alreadydeterminedbecauseof your zip
codeor family situationorDNA. If itwere, I shouldhavebecome an alcoholic and an abuser likemy step-father.”
Instead, Gardner saidhe chose to take adifferent path. He toldhowhismother, Betty JeanTriplett, encouraged
him.
“I saw the light inmymom and I embraced it,”he said. “She toldme that I couldbeor do anything.”
Gardner explained that he spelled “happiness”with a “y.” He said the “y” is to remindpeople that they and they
alonedetermine their success.
Gardner startedhis own successful Chicagobrokeragefirm; hehas now resigned from it to allowmore time for
speaking, writing, andphilanthropy, includingworkingwithprograms for thehomeless and for victims of domestic
violence. He also is aboardmember of theNational Fatherhood Initiative and received the group’s Father of the
Year Award in2002.
“Mybook is really a love story about aman committed to givinghis sonwhat henever had—a father,” said
Gardner, who alsohas adaughter and granddaughter. “It’s thebookof all uswhohad theopportunity tobe all the
negative stuff inour faces, but chose to go theotherway.”
The Stirling Lecture Series is sponsoredby theBirmingham-Southern StudentGovernment Association in
memoryof Alex Stirling, aBSC studentwhodiedof cancer in1995.
Glenn
Stultz
Johnson
Spring graduation
ceremonies and speakers
Gardner
