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Commencement Connections

It’s that Pomp and Circumstance time of year, and several Washington and Lee connections are cropping up in commencement exercises here and there.

• W&L alumnus Tom Wolfe, of the Class of 1951, was the principal speaker at the University of Alabama-Huntsville last Friday. He told the graduates that America is “in astonishingly good shape.” Tom was joined in the festivities by fellow alumnus Ralph H. Smith II, of the Class of 1974, who is general counsel for the University of Alabama System and distinguished lecturer of law at the University of Alabama School of Law. You can read about Tom’s speech in the Huntsville Times.

• In Parkersburg, W.Va., meantime, West Virginia University-Parkersburg held its commencement on Saturday, May 15, and the principal speaker for that event was Richard M. “Rick” Adams Jr., president of United Bank Inc., executive vice president of United Bankshares Inc. and a 1993 graduate of the School of Law. Rick’s speech was covered in the Parkersburg News and Sentinel.

• On Sunday, May 23, Elon College’s School of Law held its commencement, and Jeb Brooks, of the Class of 2005, was selected by his fellow graduates to speak on their behalf. Elon’s website has a story about the event, and you can also read Jeb’s notes on his personal website. We’ve blogged about Jeb’s site before because he’s got some cool photography plus his fortune cookie wisdom. While he’s been completing his law degree, Jeb has also been working as Executive Vice President at The Brooks Group (“TBG”), his family’s sales training company based in Greensboro, N.C.

If you know any W&L alumni who would be great profile subjects, tell us about them! Nominate them for a web profile.