Graduates and guests enjoyed picture-perfect weather for a ceremony that included seven valedictorians and an honorary degree recipient, American writer Nikki Giovanni. 

The Rev. Christopher Bowen, Timothy Pickle Dean of the Chapel, presided over the May 5 worship service for all graduates, families and guests.

The Commencement exercises, which begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 6, will include the awarding of an honorary degree to poet and educator Nikki Giovanni, in addition to the recognition of seven high-achieving valedictorians.

Giovanni, an award-winning writer and teacher who is known as one of the leading voices of the Black Arts Movement, will receive an honorary doctorate at Commencement, where she plans to read one of her poems.   

Sandra Bates ’69, who served the federal government for 37 years, received the 2023 Roanoke College Medal while Dr. Jared Herr ’04 and Rosemarie Stephens-Booker ’08 were the first recipients of the College’s new Emerging Alumni Awards.

New experiences and perspectives await Rebecca Dance '23 as she prepares to spend a year abroad teaching.

The end-of-year presentation included an honorary award for Salem Mayor Renee Turk ’77 and a new recognition for first-year students.

Davis-Riffe, who has had a 30-year career in the financial services industry, has dedicated much of her personal life to serving college students and her community.

The ASIANetwork Student Video Challenge was open to students at more than 150 North American colleges as well as collaborators at Asian universities.

The Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment, a psychological tool that measures a person’s natural patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving, has been rolled out to the Roanoke College community to improve self-awareness, prepare students for fulfilling careers, and support creative collaboration.