Brenau University conferred degrees and celebrated graduates from The Women’s College, the Undergraduate School and the Sidney O. Smith Jr. Graduate School in a ceremony on Friday, May 2.
Some 324 students completed their studies during the spring semester, including 126 bachelor’s degrees, 146 master’s degrees and 52 doctoral degrees. Nearly 300 students and their families attended the ceremony at Free Chapel’s Gainesville Campus.
Brenau President David L. Barnett, Ph.D., congratulated students for advancing their professional development by earning a degree, but issued a challenge to continue growing.
“I encourage you to continue developing your character resume, your personal development, by focusing on the things that grounded the words of Pearce, loving your neighbor as you love yourself,” Barnett said. “I hope your experiences at Brenau have changed you forever. Our hope for you is that the Brenau experience has equipped you to change the world.”
Among those earning degrees was Nyoka Bryan, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communication as an undergraduate in The Women’s College.
Bryan returned to finish her degree after leaving Brenau to focus on caring for one of her children, who had been diagnosed with autism. Bryan said in 2023, after learning to live as a single mother, she had an “a-ha” moment on her birthday.
“I thought that if I could do this as a single mom, I could surely finish my bachelor’s degree,” she said. “I enrolled the same day and never looked back.”
That summer, Bryan left cybersecurity school and on May 2 joined 300 other graduates earning a degree.
“Coming back wasn’t just about earning a degree, it was about proving to myself that it is never too late to chase your dreams and show up for yourself. It was about setting an example for my children,” Bryan said. “Showing them that resilience, hard work, and faith can open doors, no matter how much time has passed. Graduating now feels like reclaiming a piece of myself. It is a moment of pride, gratitude, and hope for what is still ahead.”
Before the May 2 graduation, a number of events were held to celebrate graduates, including ceremonies for students earning degrees in nursing, physician assistant studies and other healthcare fields and a Nyansapo Kente Stole Ceremony for all graduates hosted by the Black Faculty and Staff Association.
The Women’s College also held a Baccalaureate Ceremony on Thursday, May 1, to celebrate the success and unique talents of The Women’s College seniors. Faculty, staff, families, and friends attended the return of the Brenau tradition, featured in the first Women’s College commencement in 1879.
The ceremony was hosted by Debra Dobkins, Ph.D, assistant vice president and dean of The Women’s College, who is retiring after more than 27 years at Brenau.
“We are delighted tonight to reinvent the ceremony,” Dobkins said. “Our graduates are very special and one of our most active and hardworking classes here at Brenau.”
In his commencement speech, Barnett also lauded the benefits of The Women’s College.
“Creating and maintaining a learning environment where women’s voices inform intellectual and ethical dialogue is essential for the modern world,” Barnett said. “Maintaining that opportunity within the context of a larger university is worth the investments necessary to ensure it thrives. Equally important is the larger university serving undergraduate and graduate students, providing them opportunities to be participants in the university mission.”
The commencement ceremony and other pre-graduation ceremonies were live streamed and can be viewed on the Brenau Vimeo page.
