Ashton L. Young of Ararat graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts in Digital Media Arts from Bridgewater College during the May 1, 2021, commencement exercises.
In accordance with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s capacity limits for commencements with regards to COVID-19 guidelines, the College held four commencement ceremonies on the campus mall for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Approximately 321 undergraduate and 32 graduate students from the Class of 2021 received degrees at the ceremonies. Dr. David W. Bushman, president of Bridgewater College, conferred the degrees.
This year’s commencement speaker was Dr. Stephen L. Longenecker, Edwin L. Turner Distinguished Professor of History at the College. A distinguished scholar of religious history, Longenecker retired from Bridgewater College at the end of the 2020-21 academic year after 32 years as a professor in the Department of History and Political Science.
In his address, titled “It is a Small School,” Longenecker paid tribute to the Bridgewater experience and reflected on the ways the community has persevered through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the 321 undergraduate students in the Class of 2021, 137 earned bachelor of arts degrees and 134 earned bachelor of science degrees. Eighteen members of the undergraduate class graduated summa cum laude-the top academic honor, which requires students to achieve at least a 3.9 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Thirty-two graduates earned magna cum laude honors-a 3.7 or better average. Cum laude honors, requiring a 3.4 grade point average, were earned by 65 graduates.
For the first time, Bridgewater College graduated students from four different master’s programs. Three students graduated with a master of science in psychology-mental health professions; five students graduated with a master of arts in digital media strategy; 13 students graduated with a master of science in athletic training; and 11 students graduated with a master of science in human resource management.
Bridgewater College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located in the Central Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Founded in 1880, it was the state’s first private, coeducational college. Today, Bridgewater College is home to more than 1,600 students.
