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Mississippi College School of Law Salutes Class of 2013


The rain stayed away as members of the Class of 2013, faculty and administrators posed for pictures Friday May 10 at the 2013 Spring commencement for the Mississippi College School of Law. MC Law Dean Jim Rosenblatt gave the event an enthusiastic thumbs up.

Overcast skies and the threat of rain in downtown Jackson didn’t impact spring commencement for the Mississippi College School of Law.

It was business as usual as the Class of 2013 joined administrators and law professors for hundreds of photos moments before Friday’s ceremonies at First Baptist Church Jackson.

With the heavy rains staying away from downtown Jackson, law dean Jim Rosenblatt gave an enthusiastic thumbs up as he joined law students and colleagues on the steps of the church near the Mississippi Capitol.

The roster of new MC law graduates stretched from doctor of juris degree recipient Claiborne Douglas Adcock, Jr. of Yazoo City, Mississippi to Rui Zhang of ShenZhen, China. Zhang came to the MC law school thousands of miles from the East Asian nation of 1.3 billion people to earn a master of laws degree.

With the USA economy showing signs of improving, despite its hefty 7.5 percent unemployment rate, newly minted MC graduates say they are more hopeful about their career prospects in 2013.

A Summa Cum Laude MC law graduate, Blake Fulton, 27, plans to take the Mississippi Bar exam, and go to work for a Jackson law firm. A University of Mississippi alumnus before enrolling at the Christian university’s law school, the Louisville, Mississippi native will specialize in business and banking law.

His MC law degree will also help Ryan Brossette, 27, advance up the career ladder. The McNeese State University graduate is working as a safety representative at Turner Industries in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Many among the newest crop of graduates, including 24-year-old Nathan Boyd of Clinton, say they will soon be studying for the Mississippi Bar exam as the summer approaches and then hunt for a job.

A 2010 Mississippi College graduate and 2006 Clinton High alumnus, Boyd graduated Magna Cum Laude on Friday at the MC School of Law.

There were three honorary degrees awarded at the Mississippi College law ceremonies. Chief Judge Carl Stewart of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Mary Libby Payne, the founding dean of the MC School of Law, and Rankin County Court Judge James Kent McDaniel were the recipients.

MC President Lee Royce and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ron Howard were among the university leaders on hand for the salute to the Class of 2013. One of the law graduates, Joi Owens of Jackson, sang a solo, “He’s So Wonderful” as the program’s benediction at the stately Jackson church.

In ceremonies a few hours later, Mississippi College School of Nursing graduates received their diplomas at Swor Auditorium on the Clinton campus Friday afternoon. In addition, students at the MC Graduate School Friday evening were set to take part in commencement at the A.E. Wood Coliseum.

There were two spring commencement ceremonies for MC undergraduates Saturday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the coliseum that serves as the basketball arena on the Clinton campus. Mark Slyter, president and CEO of Baptist Health Systems, will be the guest speaker.