TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The University of Alabama awarded some 2,250 degrees at spring commencement exercises held Friday, May 17, in Coleman Coliseum on the Tuscaloosa campus.

Outgoing UA President Andrew Sorensen gave the commencement address during two University-wide commencement ceremonies. Sorensen was recently named president of the University of South Carolina and will assume that position in July.

During the ceremonies, acclaimed author and scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Gates is the W.E.B. DuBois Professor of the Humanities and chair of Afro-American studies at Harvard University and director of the W.E.B. DuBois Institute for Afro-American Research.

Also, the late Frank M. Johnson Jr. received the Hugo Black Award, posthumously. Johnson, who died in 1999, is remembered for his historic contributions to civil rights issues of the last century while a U.S. District Court justice. The Black Award, named in honor of the late Supreme Court Justice and UA alumnus Hugo Black, recognizes distinguished service to the people of Alabama and the nation and is the highest award given by the University.

With this graduating class, UA has awarded more than 181,000 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 Birmingham area were listed as candidates to receive degrees:

JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE

ADAMSVILLE -- Rhonda Kay Caviedes

BESSEMER -- Patrice Stephenson

BIRMINGHAM, 35209 -- Joe Frank Lassiter III

BIRMINGHAM, 35213 -- Schuyler Allen Baker II, Enid Elizabeth Dean, Jason Matthew Kirschberg

BIRMINGHAM, 35216 -- Warren Dyer Beason, Howard Hube Dodd, Leslie Elizabeth Patton

BIRMINGHAM, 35223 -- Robert Gates Hinds, Morgan Webb Jones, John Bates Welsh, Christopher Lynch Yeilding

BIRMINGHAM, 35226 -- Brandon Keith Essig, Douglas Blaine Jackson, Michael David Rhodes II

BIRMINGHAM, 35235 -- Joel Iverson Gilbert

BIRMINGHAM, 35242 -- Daniel Mathis Hurst, Sela Elizabeth Stroud, Rodney B. Waites

BIRMINGHAM, 35243 -- Carl Putnam Ketcham, Adam D. Slaughter, Denise Pauline Wiginton

BIRMINGHAM, 35244 -- Clayton Michael Ryan

CHELSEA -- Melissa Briggs Hutchens, Neal Howard Hutchens

HELENA -- Chadwick Stuart Godwin

HOOVER -- Amanda Caroline Deberry, Christine Anne Grimes, Laura Mann Jackman, Meegan Benson Nelson, Cynthia L. Propst, Julie Marie Schilleci

INDIAN SPRINGS -- Kevin Allen McGovern

MOUNT OLIVE -- Alan Keith Bellenger

STERRETT -- Jeremy Wilson McIntire

TRUSSVILLE -- Christy Lynn O'Callaghan

VESTAVIA HILLS -- Summer Michelle Drummonds

DOCTORAL DEGREE

BIRMINGHAM, 35223 -- Mary P. Gillis, Bharath S. Vaidyanathan

BIRMINGHAM, 35226 -- Jeffrey W. Baldwin, Heather Dawn Willauer

FULTONDALE -- Nanci Turner-Shults

TRUSSVILLE -- Malissa R. Smitha

WARRIOR -- Jane C. Ellis, Kathy Perry Vanfleet

MASTER’S DEGREE

ALABASTER -- Kelly Smith Jones

BESSEMER -- Mendy Ruth Barnett, Toney Anthony Hunter III

BIRMINGHAM, 35173 -- Brandon Michael Aycock

BIRMINGHAM, 35205 -- Adam Britton Butler, John Mark Harris, Melinda Renee Mock

BIRMINGHAM, 35209 -- Johnny H. Hart Jr., Maurice Jermaine Hobson, Lauren Michelle McKean

BIRMINGHAM, 35210 -- Julie Janette Baker, John Harper Cossar

BIRMINGHAM, 35212 -- David N. Gillock

BIRMINGHAM, 35213 -- Mark Layne Batchelor, Mellisa P. Bunch, Anderson Leigh Glenn, George Chandlar Graham, Elisabeth Bunting Howard, Frank Quarles Lassiter

BIRMINGHAM, 35214 -- Genesis Lashalle Wyne

BIRMINGHAM, 35215 -- Alicia Rene Black-Williams, Veronica L. Jackson

BIRMINGHAM, 35216 -- Lauren Keller Collier, Alan Russell Kirk, John Owen Prescott III, Steven Benjamin Stern, Johnny Mack Wilborn

BIRMINGHAM, 35222 -- Rachel C. Blake

BIRMINGHAM, 35223 -- Rachel Jill Higey, Lucy Caroline Nichols

BIRMINGHAM, 35226 -- Kimberly Louise Millican

BIRMINGHAM, 35234 -- Tamaira Grant Collins

BIRMINGHAM, 35235 -- Kelli Renee Loggins, Jason Lee Wilson

BIRMINGHAM, 35242 -- Deborah Michelle Emanuel, Kaiya Elaine McArdle, Julie Ann Mihalopoulos, Alan Harold Miller, Sarah Katherine Powell

BIRMINGHAM, 35243 -- Charles Wittichen Anderson, Emily Bell, John Glenn Carmichael, Karen Margaret Jackson, Enslen Elizabeth Lamberth, Frank Christopher Nix

BIRMINGHAM, 35244 -- Deborah Anne Calvert, Donna Knoke Cobb

CALERA -- David Burkes Jr.

FAIRFIELD -- Sonja R Carson

GARDENDALE -- James L. Coln

HELENA -- Laura Suzanne Dustin, Elizabeth Colarusso Haynes, Stacy Renee Loftin, Michael Charles Yates

HOOVER -- Kristi Mallicote Allen, Kelly Brooks Cotton, Ashley Deshawn Harris, Emily Claire Hershey, Lance T. Yates

IRONDALE -- Glenda Jean Jones

McCALLA -- Jeffrey Alan Taylor

MOODY -- Cherri Talese Pilkington

MULGA -- Monica Kaye Jett

PELHAM -- Michael Hunter Cox, Jesse Carlton Dover III, Leonard Karl Spencer

PINSON -- Jason Merrill Baker

STERRETT -- Belinda Ringpfeil

TRUSSVILLE -- Brenda Jay Graffeo, Dana Lynn Hettich, Candice A. Palmer, Timothy B. Reeves, Julie Elizabeth Romager

BACHELOR’S DEGREE

ADAMSVILLE -- Jasmine Shaunta Bell

ALABASTER -- Paul Andrew Floyd, Barry Alan Hicks, Eric Branden Higdon, Jeremy David King, Megan Lucile Laye, Kara Leslie Long, Edward Lee Upchurch II, James F. West

BESSEMER -- Kysha Michelle Garrett, Kimberly Latrica Luvert, Jon Nicholas Parsons, Steven Bradley Richardson, Jeffery Dougla Shackelford, Lynn Glasgow Smith

BIRMINGHAM, 35023 -- Jill Renee Jackson

BIRMINGHAM, 35128 -- Jared Kendall Pugh

BIRMINGHAM, 35204 -- Yashica Nicole Hammell

BIRMINGHAM, 35205 -- Matthew Alexander Collier, Howard Allen Folts III, Wallace Daniel Weathers

BIRMINGHAM, 35206 -- Frederic Winslow Armstead, Shenita Randiel King, Marc Christopher Vance, Neiletta Nicole Wilson

BIRMINGHAM, 35207 -- Rachel Chimere Gibson, Katresa Ta'Shun Larry

BIRMINGHAM, 35208 -- Tazmine Marie Morton, Shannon Nicole Patterson, Andre Charlton Penick

BIRMINGHAM, 35209 -- Sara Ellen Brasfield, Ezekiel Fletcher Jr., Amelia Gail Gladney, Patrick Michael Jackson, Emily Favre Roberts

BIRMINGHAM, 35210 -- Maria Lynette Barbee, Lora Elizabeth Blackmon, Angela Lynn Boothe, Raegan Nicole Johnson, Steven Alan Lowery, Bridget Latonia Maynor, Alanna Dee Schoen

BIRMINGHAM, 35211 -- Charles Randall Minor

BIRMINGHAM, 35212 -- Tamara Lanika Crumb

BIRMINGHAM, 35213 -- Ross Delbert Morgan, Elizabeth Yancey Porter, Mary Catherine Rollins, Dennis Ward Rowlen, Elizabeth Brasfield Scott

BIRMINGHAM, 35214 -- Jimel Leshun Amerson, Rachelle Lyense Clark, David Kenneth Germany, Jennifer Monique Huggins, Misty Bianca Word, Stefanie Yvette Wright

BIRMINGHAM, 35215 -- Lorri Beth Bailey, Barbrette Alicia Baldwin, Berlin Lee Brown, Kathryn Brooke Davidson, Ronni Suzanne Dixon, Keandra Denise Finch, Leslie Michele Koepp, Amber Tennille Martin

BIRMINGHAM, 35216 -- Fahim Jaby Akbar, Nolan Thomas Cesnick, Lindsey Clark Collier, John Mitchell Fowler III, Stefanie Leigh Mason, Alyson Montgomery, Melissa Anne Talbert, Shatangi Tameko Ware

BIRMINGHAM, 35217 -- Michael Anthony Collins Jr.

BIRMINGHAM, 35218 -- Tameka Mashae Martin, Antjuan Tobias Taylor

BIRMINGHAM, 35223 -- Nicholas C. Cunningham, Emily Michelle Marlar, Elizabeth Hill Ringland

BIRMINGHAM, 35224 -- Quinnetta Raynette White

BIRMINGHAM, 35226 -- Frances Emily Battle, Tracy Colleen Carpenter, Lindsay Marie Coker, Sarah Kirk Hayes, Stephen Heath Herron, Leigh Anne Lantrip, Shaun Erich Mazur, Leslie Jean McAbee, Katherine Lynn Norman, Crista Nicole Papisan, Robert Scott Prier, Joseph Robert Stephens Jr., Steven Michael Till, Ashley Michele Vacca

BIRMINGHAM, 35235 -- Bryan Lee Bee, Earnest Lee Echols, Lindsey Marie McAlpin, Daniel Adam Wyatt

BIRMINGHAM, 35242 -- Karen Ballard Bendall, Jennifer Lauren Gerelds, Bedford Kyle Goodwin IV, Emily Adair Jones, Joshua Daniel Koch, Cori Paige Magee, Earl D. Nichols, Sarah Elizabeth Nordlund, Amy Leah Rynearson, Shelley E. Schifanella, Jordan Michael Seng, Ashley Hope Thomson, Traci Jean Veal, Lawrence Michael Vinyard, Kevin Lynn Weaver, Griffin Lee Wilson, Amber Marie Yeackle

BIRMINGHAM, 35243 -- Sharon Leigh Bolt, Stephen Erskine Bolt, Joseph Somerset Borden, Amanda Marie Chaucer, Kristy Sue Collier, Samantha Lynn Culpepper, Jerry Ryan Derieux, Amy Michelle Goins, Christopher Lee Guest, Lauren Marie Krothe, Suzanne Michelle Olcott, Jeremy Lee Parker, Jennifer Lee Shallenberg

BIRMINGHAM, 35244 -- Brandon Neil Black, Owen Acton Bradley, Nicole Shea Clemons, Ashley Lynn Deaton, Alison Laurinda Freeman, Peter Julian Hughes, Laura Catherine Mazzone, James Hiram Moore IV, Ashley Michelle Nix, Robert Austin Straub

CHELSEA -- Ronald Patrick Johnson, Joshua Thomas McCully

FAIRFIELD -- Joy Renee Jemison, Otto Wendell Myree, Tasharra Denise Penny

FULTONDALE -- Heather O. Morrow

GARDENDALE -- Alison Marie Bradley, Stacy Michelle Dobbs, Amanda Bree Farmer, Ben Harrison Green IV, Timothy Haralson McClendon, Stephen Marshall Owens, William Daniel Sutphin, Stacy Michelle Townes

HELENA -- Jennifer Adrianna Alexiou, Elizabeth Leigh Ansley, Micheal Griffith, Brandon Patrick Price, Stephanie Erin Sumners

HOMEWOOD -- Stacy Jennifer Adlman, Sarah Elizabeth Brennan, Mary Rachel McCulley, David Scott Nolen, Jason John-Joseph Strauss, William Lance Strickland, Charles Leslie Waites III

HOOVER -- Christa Marie Crow, Laurie Elizabeth Deason, Joseph Collin Harris, Joseph Brack Hudson, Kelli Nicol Jackson, Latoya Tyese Lamar, Robert Rush Letson, Rebecca Wiley Mummert, Patrick Edward Natter, Erinn Elizabeth Rafalsky, Leigh Christian Reynolds, Erin Michelle Richardson, Jennifer Parrott Strickland, Owen Matthew Whitaker

HUEYTOWN -- Lori Rebecca Cottingham, Jeremy Bryant McDonough, Patrick Russell McPhail, Kristilyn Marche Moore, Melanie Leigh Mosley, Billy Roy Reinhardt, Brandy Michelle Vickers

IRONDALE -- Ava Neikia Herndon, Kevin Bryant Jackson, Taneeka Charlise Moultrie

LEEDS -- Kurt Daniel Chasteen, Stacey Lee Thomas

MAYLENE -- Briana Kelsey Lowe, Josef Andrew Webster

McCALLA -- Justin Ladd Hamner, Joel David Huffstutler

MONTEVALLO -- John Wendel Simmer

MOODY -- Rebecca Lee Hobbie, Daniel Austin McGowin, Cortney Lynn Vick

MORRIS -- David Allen Hill

MOUNT OLIVE -- Kevin Russ Parker

MOUNTAIN BROOK -- Eric Paul Richards

MULGA -- Brad Alan Benson

PELHAM -- Michael Drew Askew, Alison Elizabeth Bell, Emily Lauren Craft, Brad James Latta, Rebecca Lynn Myers, Jonathan David Rabon, Heather Mariko Ruple, Cherybe Harris Thornton, Wade Michael Watkins, Tyler Farrior Watts

PINSON -- Tiffany Layne Hall, Kevin Dewayne Hunter, Kenneth Michael James, Andrea Anne Sims

PLEASANT GROVE -- Tiffany Dawn Cornutt, Michael Joseph Stoltz, Meredith Shea Woods

STERRETT -- Leah Heather Williams, Delia Michelle Yessick

TARRANT -- Sandra Dena Johnson, Malinda Hallman McGill

TRUSSVILLE -- Chad Nathan Barnes, Stephanie Suzanne Cusimano, William Michael Dudley, Amanda Leigh Hornsby, David Brandon Minor, David Zachary Smith, Phillip Shannon Weems

VESTAVIA HILLS -- James Steven Bigelow, Dana Marie Caldwell, John Matthew Cutcliffe, Melissa Denise McLure, Toney Adell Robinson