TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama awarded some 2,500 degrees at spring commencement ceremonies held recently in Coleman Coliseum on the Tuscaloosa campus.

James P. Hayes Jr., president of the Economic Partnership of Alabama, was the featured speaker. Hayes also received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during the event. Also receiving an honorary doctor of humane letters was Dr. John Hicks, executive assistant to the chancellor and secretary of the UA Board of Trustees.

With this graduating class, UA has awarded more than 189,000 degrees since its founding in 1831 as the state’s first public university. UA holds commencement ceremonies three times a year.

The following students from the Florence area were listed as candidates to receive degrees:

JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE

FLORENCE -- Heath Spencer Holden, Leah Ruth Wilson

TUSCUMBIA -- Wendy Kay Fleming

DOCTORAL DEGREE

ATHENS -- Joseph Palmer Olson

FLORENCE -- Katherine Louise Cole

MASTER’S DEGREE

ATHENS -- Prentice Thadis Chandler

CHEROKEE -- Neal McCoy Hughes

FLORENCE -- Jerry Lee Anderton, Beth Gibbs Wallace, John Morgan Webb

KILLEN -- Stacy Jean Childers, Alan Ray Elledge, Melisa Diane Fowler

MOULTON -- Mary Elizabeth Tucker

ROGERSVILLE -- Teresa Kay Garner

RUSSELLVILLE -- Kelly Nichole Cooke, Laura Beth Hammack, Christopher Youell Uptain

BACHELOR’S DEGREE

ATHENS -- Kathryn Lillian Davis, Rachel Elise Hartman, Nikki Leigh Hively, Tonya Danielle Johnson, Zachary Wayne Magnusson, Joshua Derek Morgan, Wesley Douglas Reynolds, Heather Dawn Scott, Tyler Hansen Statton, Lauren Elizabeth Strain, Morgan Garland Wilbanks

COURTLAND -- Monique Sharae Grant

ELKMONT -- Rheannon Leigh Parsons

FLORENCE -- Jessica Lauren Allen, Adam Michael Byram, Jana Lynn Corl, Lindsey Ann Hayes, Bryant Jackson Isom, Allison Alon King, Jonathan Randall Little, Shelley Dianne McDaniel, Amanda Leigh McGee, Ashley Nicole Morrow, Mary Blanche Neese, Kimberly Alyson Olive, Jill Elizabeth Sealy, Christopher Lee Smith, Zachary Chase Thompson

KILLEN -- Kevin Lee Glover, Alanna Leann Holden, Jamie Clay King, Jonathan David King, Cassidy Joe Koonce, Joseph Daniel Seay, Andrea Elizabeth White

LEXINGTON -- Todd Michael Sullivan

MOULTON -- Robert Speake Reich, Beau C. Sams

MOUNT HOPE -- Jessica Lee Herring

MUSCLE SHOALS -- John R. Campbell, Ashley Sharee Flanagan, Shaw Roger Gargis, Sandra Michele Spreadbury

NORTH COURTLAND -- Oreal Shantell Taylor

PHIL CAMPBELL -- James Courington Glasgow, Christopher Marc Taylor

ROGERSVILLE -- Janette Susan Dura

RUSSELLVILLE -- Jessica Ann Hancock, Nathaniel Floyd Kuykendall, Amanda Gail Logan, Kimberly D. Smith

SHEFFIELD -- Kathryn Brooks Mason, James Paul Rogers

TOWN CREEK -- Syreeta Joy Goode, Alison Lynn Hutto

TUSCUMBIA -- Jennifer Kae Bishop, Archie Eugene Brown Jr., Jairus Keith Buchanan, Carri A. Flanagan, Jon Bernard Gargis, Kevin Shawn Hubbard, Brian Ray James, David Ryan McCaig, Jerrod Wayne McIver

WATERLOO -- Summer Brook Dowdy