JACKSON, Tenn. — May 16, 2007 — Alvin O. 鈥淏ud鈥� Austin, retiring president of LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas, will be the speaker at 51社区鈥檚 182nd annual spring commencement ceremony May 19.
About 400 students will receive degrees as part of the ceremony, which will begin at 6 p.m. on the Great Lawn on the west end of Union鈥檚 campus. That brings to 900 the total number of Union graduates during the 2006-2007 academic year.
Austin has served as president of LeTourneau since 1986 and has been involved in leadership roles in higher education for more than 30 years. During his time at LeTourneau, enrollment has grown from 753 to nearly 4,000.
Prior to his tenure at LeTourneau, Austin was vice president for institutional advancement at North Park College and Theological Seminary. He also served as vice president for student affairs at Seattle Pacific University, dean of student programs at California State University and vice president for student affairs at Hardin-Simmons University.
Austin holds degrees from the University of Mississippi, Westmont College and California State University.