EBSCO Chair James T. Stephens to Speak at UA’s Spring Commencement Exercises May 12

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – James T. Stephens, chairman of EBSCO Industries Inc., will give the commencement address at The University of Alabama’s spring commencement ceremonies Saturday, May 12 at Coleman Coliseum on the UA campus.

Two University-wide commencement ceremonies will be held this year, at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, to award degrees. Doctoral recipients, Education Specialists, and Master degree candidates participate with their divisions. Stephens, who will also receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters, will speak at both ceremonies.

At the 9 a.m. ceremony, the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Human Environmental Sciences, and the School of Social Work will award their degrees. At 1 p.m., degrees will be conferred in the Colleges of Education, Nursing, Communication & Information Sciences, and Commerce and Business Administration.

Stephens relinquished the title of president in 2005 but remains involved with the company as chairman. Under his leadership, EBSCO has become a widely diversified sales, marketing, and manufacturing corporation. Among its subsidiaries is EBSCO Information Services, the world’s largest subscription agency that serves libraries; EBSCO Publishing, the country’s major education supplier of journal-article databases; and PRADCO, the largest manufacturer of fishing lures in the United States.