by Venus Popplewell
COLUMBIA, KY (05/04/2026) Lindsey Wilson University’s spring graduates were encouraged to see commencement not as a finish line but as a transition into “what comes next.”
The Lindsey Wilson community celebrated its first spring class as Lindsey Wilson University over the weekend. At three ceremonies held Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, in Biggers Sports Center, Lindsey Wilson awarded a total of 504 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees at its 123rd commencement celebration. Lindsey Wilson College became Lindsey Wilson University on July 1, 2025.
A Transitional Moment
“…we celebrate moments like today, but we don’t talk enough about what comes next,” said Shawn Gardner of Louisville, Kentucky, who gave the student address at the Friday evening ceremony and graduated with a master of education in counseling. “When you leave here today, you are not just walking out with a degree. You are walking out with discipline, the ability to stay when things get hard and the ability to keep going when things don’t make sense.”
Combined with the 945 degrees awarded at last December’s winter commencement, Lindsey Wilson awarded 1,449 degrees to the Class of 2025-26, making it the second-largest class in school history.
At Saturday morning’s ceremony, Zachariah Lawson of Williamsburg, Kentucky, said the moment is about more than receiving a degree; it represents something “bigger”.
“For many of us, walking across this stage isn’t just about earning a degree. It’s about breaking cycles. It’s about rewriting stories and changing our fate,” Lawson said. “It’s about proving, to ourselves and to others, that where we start does not have to determine where we finish.”
Lawson, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English, served two terms as president of the Lindsey Wilson student body and worked closely with faculty and staff during his time as an undergraduate.
“Every single one of us has faced moments when things didn’t go according to plan, when we failed, when we doubted ourselves,” Lawson said. “But here’s what made the difference: We didn’t face those moments alone. There was always someone – a professor who pushed you, a friend who checked on you, a coach who refused to let you quit. That’s what makes this place special, because Lindsey Wilson doesn’t just give you an education; it gives you a community.”
A Personal Journey
Sanket Sahoo of Katy, Texas, also spoke about the support he received from the Lindsey Wilson community.
“What makes Lindsey Wilson special is simple: It feels personal,” said Sahoo, who graduated with a master of science in cybersecurity management. “Professors knew our names. They challenged us. They believed in us.”
In his student address Saturday afternoon, Sahoo said that for him and most of his peers, receiving a degree was a path walked with family.
“This journey was not mine alone,” said Sahoo, a native of India. “My wife, who is also a Lindsey Wilson student, and our children were part of every step. Our kids didn’t just see success; they saw persistence in action.”
The Blue Raider Reveal
Lawson closed his address with a surprise, revealing that he had spent the past two years bringing the Lindsey Wilson mascot, Blue Raider Bob, to life.
“I’ve had the honor of being Blue Raider Bob,” Lawson said. “And if there’s one thing I’ve learned – whether in a suit, behind a title or standing here as myself – it’s this: showing up matters, bringing energy matters, lifting people up matters, and being part of something bigger than yourself matters.”
Luis Patrick Groff-Hinojosa of Henderson, Nevada, who graduated with a bachelor of arts in mathematics, flashes a big smile after receiving his degree from Lindsey Wilson University President William T. Luckey Jr. Lindsey Wilson awarded 504 degrees to its spring class. The university’s 123rd commencement celebration was held in three ceremonies, May 1-2, in Biggers Sports Center.
Lindsey Wilson University Director of Online Student Success for Educational Outreach Ashley Miller helps counseling graduate student Monica Morris of Louisville, with her hood in the Roberta D. Cranmer Dining & Conference Center before the university’s spring evening commencement, May 1, in Biggers Sports Center.
Business administration graduate Spencer Lyons Cole of Palm Harbor, Florida, moves his tassel from right to left to signify his transition from student to graduate during the university’s spring evening commencement, May 1. Cole, who earned his degree fully online, traveled more than 700 miles with his family to walk the commencement stage in Columbia.
Lindsey Wilson English graduate Zachariah Lawson of Williamsburg, Kentucky, who gave the commencement address at the Saturday morning ceremony, reveals his identity as Lindsey Wilson University mascot, Blue Raider Bob. This was Lindsey Wilson’s first spring commencement celebration since becoming Lindsey Wilson University in July.
Lindsey Wilson University President William T. Luckey Jr., left, wears the newly minted presidential medallion designed by Lindsey Wilson art junior Tezon Mitchell of Greensburg. This is the first time the medallion has been redesigned since Luckey’s inauguration as the eighth president more than 25 years ago. A new medallion was required after Lindsey Wilson College became Lindsey Wilson University on July 1, 2025.
Shawn L. Gardner of Louisville, delivers the commencement address at Lindsey Wilson’s evening ceremony Friday, May 1, in Biggers Sports Center. Gardner earned a master’s degree in counseling at the university’s 123rd commencement, held in three ceremonies, May 1-2. This is the first spring commencement celebration since Lindsey Wilson College became Lindsey Wilson University last summer.
A taste of home. Lindsey Wilson University business and technology graduate students Manoh Ganesh Mhaiskar of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Victor Khanna of Louisville, enjoy the popular Indian cola, Thums Up, before Saturday’s commencement. The beverage, which Mhaiskar said tastes similar to Dr. Pepper, was a surprise treat from Lindsey Wilson Director of Auxiliary Services Jeff Willis. Thums Up is owned by the Coca-Cola Company.
Cybersecurity management graduate Sanket Sahoo of Katy, Texas, delivers the commencement address Saturday afternoon in Biggers Sports Center. Sahoo said that for him and many of his peers, earning an advanced degree is a “path walked with family.” His wife, Chirasmita, is also a Lindsey Wilson University student pursuing a master’s degree in data science.
(Venus Popplewell – Lindsey Wilson University)