JAMES L. FELDER, 3RD

Dr. James L. Felder

President, Ecumenical University

To the Esteemed Graduates, Honorees, Faculty, Families, and Friends,

It is with heartfelt gratitude and abiding hope that I welcome you to this sacred occasion—our celebration of academic achievement, spiritual growth, and human progress. Today, we recognize the accomplishments of remarkable individuals who have not only pursued excellence in scholarship but have also answered the call to serve humanity with courage, humility, and purpose.

As President of Ecumenical University, I am deeply honored to uphold a tradition rooted in faith, justice, and global engagement. Ours is not an ordinary institution—we are a university of mission, a cathedral of knowledge, and a workshop of leadership, founded upon the belief that education must not only inform the mind, but inspire the heart and liberate the soul.

Our vision is bold:

To raise up scholars who are servants.

To cultivate wisdom shaped by compassion.

To prepare leaders who will stand at the intersection of history and hope, bridging divides and building futures.

Ecumenical University serves as a beacon across continents, committed to equipping leaders for the complexities of the 21st century while grounding them in eternal truths. We train missionaries, entrepreneurs, educators, humanitarians, pastors, and policy shapers who are unafraid to confront injustice and ignite change. From villages in East Africa to classrooms in South Carolina, from city halls to sanctuaries, our graduates carry with them the legacy of faith in action.

As we bestow honorary degrees upon distinguished individuals whose lives exemplify this very mission —builders of communities, preservers of culture, warriors for equity and peace—we affirm our belief that the true measure of education is its impact on the lives of others.

I invite every graduate and guest today to take the torch passed by these honorees and lift it high in your own calling. The world awaits your voice, your vision, and your values.

Let this be more than a commencement. Let it be a commissioning—to live intentionally, serve generously, and lead with integrity.

In the words of the Apostle Paul, “Do not grow weary in well doing, for in due season you shall reap if you faint not.” Let us go forward, then, sowing seeds of justice, peace, and truth in every field we enter.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, our global faculty, and the entire Ecumenical University family, I congratulate you, bless you, and challenge you to go forth as light-bearers in a world that deeply needs what you have to give.

With profound respect and unshakable faith in your future,

Dr. James L. Felder, President, Ecumenical University

ECUMENICAL UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER 4:00 PM PENTECOST SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2025

PRELUDE

PROCESSIONAL

GREETINGS

CALL TO WORSHIP

INVOCATION

DOXOLOGY

PHILIPPIANS 4:10-13

EPHESIANS 3:14-21

MEMORIAL SERVICE

REV. SAM PERRY

LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING

REV. EDWARD H MCDOWELL

CHOIR AND CONGREGATION

PRAISE GOD, FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW; PRAISE HIM, ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW; PRAISE HIM ABOVE, YE HEAVENLY HOST; PRAISE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST. AMEN

THE READING OF THE SCRIPTURE

BISHOP CARSON WISE

ROMANS 6:4

THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: JAMES L. FELDER

HYMN REV. SAM PERRY

INTRODUCTION OF THE SPEAKER

DR. JENNIFER JENKINS

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER ANTJUAN SEAWRIGHT, BLUEPRINT STRATEGY LLC

HYMN OFFERING

CONFERRING OF DEGREES

TROY WASHINGTON

VIRTUAL PRESENTATION

CHOIR AND CONGREGATION

DR. JAMES L. FELDER

ECUMENICAL UNIVERSITY

PH.D. IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION: QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

CERTIFICATE, ASSOCIATE DEGREE, AND BACHELOR'S DEGREE

STUDENTS FROM 14 COUNTRIES