"I know that because of your commitment to come to Berea, the values of this College and the support of your families, that you are going to make sure that justice rolls down for all of our people," said Dees."

Dees remarks preceded the awarding of degrees to 227 seniors and recognition of an additional 17 students who will graduate at the end of the summer term at the College's 147th Commencement, held in Seabury Gym.

The College also awarded an honorary degree to Dees.
Awards to two graduates and two College staff members also were presented at the program, held in Seabury Center.

The Hilda Welch Wood Award for outstanding achievement by a female student went to Life Blumberg of Berea, who received a bachelor of arts in Theatre. The T. J. Wood Award for outstanding achievement by a male student went to Noah Daniel Arevalo, also of Berea, who received a bachelor of arts degree in English.

Berea's highest faculty honor -- the Seabury Award for Excellence in Teaching -- was presented to Laura A. Crawford, associate professor and holder of the Susan V. Clayton Chair in nursing. Crawford, who joined Berea's faculty in 1965, holds a Master of Nursing degree from Emory University and a bachelor of science in nursing from Berea College. Crawford also was honored at the Pinning Service for nursing major graduates which took place Sunday morning at Union Church.
Black Studies and General Studies associate professor Andrew Baskin received the Elizabeth Perry Miles Award for Community Service. A 1972 graduate of Berea and a faculty member since 1983, Baskin has been a voice for racial justice and faith concerns both on and off campus, and active in both community organizations and youth sports activities. He is a member of the Kentucky Humanities Council and was appointed to the Black Heritage Commission of Kentucky by the governor.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Benjamin Hooks, civil rights leader and former head of the NAACP, delivered the Baccalaureate sermon to graduation candidates. The civil rights leader and former head of the NAACP is currently president of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn. and is Distinguished Adjunct Professor at the University of Memphis.

The day's other public events included the Nurses Pinning Service at 9 a.m. in Union Church and a reception from 4-5 p.m. in the Old Seabury Gymnasium for graduates and guests following Commencement.

Dees is chief trial counsel and chair of the executive board of the Southern Poverty Law Center, a non-profit group that maintains a pool of lawyers who specialize in lawsuits involving civil rights violations and racially motivated crimes. Co-founded by Dees in 1971 and supported today by contributions from 500,000 citizens across the nation, the Center has won millions of dollars in cases involving free speech, women's rights, the Ku Klux Klan and the White Aryan Resistance.

A proponent and teacher of tolerance, Dees also is the founder of "Teaching Tolerance," an award-winning Center project aimed at countering racist groups. Through the program, free tolerance education kits are provided to schools across the country and the program's magazine "Teaching Tolerance" to more than 600,000 educators.

Other activities in which Dees has been involved include construction of the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Ala., dedicated in 1989, and efforts to educate people about America's radical militia movement. His books include "Gathering Storm: America's Militia Threat" and "Hate on Trial: The Case Against America's Most Dangerous Neo-Nazi."

A graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law, Dees has won numerous awards for his legal and educational work at the Center and honorary degrees from colleges and universities throughout the country.