Albany State University plans weeklong Founder’s Day celebration

ALBANY – Albany State University will commemorate 115 years of heritage with a weeklong schedule of events from Monday to Friday. Founders Day, which is observed on April 6, commemorates the legacy of Albany State University founder Joseph Winthrop Holley. This year’s theme is “United for One ASU: Then. Now. Forever.”

The annual Founder’s Day convocation will be held April 6 at 10 a.m. in the Billy C. Black Auditorium. ASU alumnus and former Dougherty County School System Superintendent John Culbreath is the keynote speaker.

In 1968, Culbreath earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Albany State College, and later a master’s degree in administration and supervision from Georgia State University. He earned a doctorate degree in education from the University of Georgia.

He said Thursday he hopes to deliver an inspirational message during his keynote address

“I plan on trying to encourage the people who are there and trying to build a bridge between the races, socio-economic levels and people who live in different parts of town who are not like us,” Culbreath said. “I want the people to realize that we’ve got more in common than we have differences. I hope to challenge them to help each other out like when the floods and storms come. We pitch in together, looking beyond any race, creed or religion.

“And when the water goes down and the storms pass over, we don’t want to go back to what we were doing. I want to challenge us to keep that spirit of helpfulness and cooperation and realize that we are more alike than we are different.”

The week’s schedule includes a new addition to activities, the Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series. The weeklong series, which starts on Monday and culminates on April 6, will highlight professionals from ASU’s broad alumni base. The series provides an opportunity for alumni to invest in the professional development of university students by offering valuable insight into various career fields.

During the week, various speakers will discuss topics in the areas of entrepreneurship, business, education, medicine, management, safety and more. All lectures are free and open to the public. Lecturers are:

— Christopher Pike — “Only a Man Looking for a Dream,” Monday, 11 a.m. at Lovett Hall.

— Elizabeth Lovett — “Nursing in the Rural South and Entrepreneurship,” Monday, noon at 127 L Building, West Campus.

— Angela Shumate — “Making Connections in Education,” Tuesday, 10 a.m. at Billy C. Black Building auditorium.

— Chief David Perry — “The Benefits of Graduate Education for Albany State University,” Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., 143 Black Building.

— Erika Estrada — “The Road Well Traveled: The Importance of Resilience in Business and Your Career,” Wednesday, noon at 127 Peace Hall.

— Kenya Lemon – “Planning for Success,” Thursday, 10 a.m. at Lovett Hall.

The April 6 celebration also includes a graveside service at Holley’s burial site, located on the lower East campus, immediately following the convocation.