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 The prestigious recognition is awarded only to a
select few who are reviewed carefully for their contributions to our
society and on character. The Trustee and Honors Committee of the
Lincoln College Board of Trustees makes recommendations to the full
board, which then make selections and authorize Dr. Gerlach to
contact the candidates to gauge their interest. He reports back to
the board, who then vote on the final selections.
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Patrick Doolin at
podium
At the ceremony Bagby was presented by his sponsor,
Chairman of Lincoln College Board of Trustees Patrick Doolin. Doolin
spoke about Bagby’s academic, military career and professional
achievements.
See citation:
Lincoln College awards Honorary Doctorate of
Humane Letters to Byron S. Bagby, retired Major General and Managing
Partner of BMB Solutions, LLC.
Lincoln College President Dr. David Gerlach sashed
Dr. Bagby and presented his diploma.
Bagby was selected in March 2019 and invited to be
the guest speaker at the 2020 Convocation, which was cancelled due
to Covid. In taking the podium, Dr. Bagby noted that the world and
nation have been turned upside down by covid, and much has happened
since giving the sense that a lot of time has passed. He jested,
"And I'm certain many of you wondered if I even existed or maybe
David Clapp (LC Trustee) created some fictitious character. Well, I
am here!"
In his remarks Dr. Bagby would liken his life to that of the
students there today and their lifetime of opportunities and choices
that lay ahead.
"Today is the sum of the work of a large support
group that I have had my entire life: my parents, my Sunday school
teachers, my elementary school teachers, my professors at
Westminster College, my ROTC instructors, mentors throughout my
military career, my wife Monique and two adult children Jessica and
Benjamin."
He said it had been a wonderful day on campus engaging with student
groups, asking questions, exchanging thoughts; "spending time with
Lincoln's most important stakeholder, its students."
Lincoln was the fourth campus he'd been on in 16 days: Westminster,
William Woods University and West Point NY Military. "I truly
treasure time spent with our nation’s most valuable resource, our
college students."
He cited a few of the challenges of our times: corona virus, finding
an immigration policy that will affect our nation in a positive way,
and the U.S. is trying to define our place in the world order. He
believes we are more divided politically, racially, financially and
intellectually. However, he said, “no matter how bad it looks here
in our nation, many nations have it much, much worse. I have lived
in five foreign countries and visited almost 70, and there is no
place like the United States of America.
“Our nation proves its resilience time after time and
on a daily basis. The four part terrorist attack in 2001 is one
proof.” It was the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil.
The timing of Bagby's visit to Lincoln was profound with the 20th
anniversary of 911 observed just days ago, and Dr. Bagby would tell
about that terrible day he was on duty in the Pentagon serving as an
executive assistant to one of six top executives in the Pentagon.
The Pentagon was one of the three targets terrorists crashed
commercial aircraft into. One other terrorist-manned-aircraft attack
was foiled that day.
The attack was personal for him as an active member
of our country’s military. He said those 2,977 people who were
killed were not nameless or faceless. They were family and community
members with their own sphere of influence.
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He said that at that time in history it was
unfathomable that anyone would attack the defense headquarters of
the world’s most powerful nation. He asked everyone to think about
that.
His department with more than 400 people was destroyed and two staff
members were killed. The most difficult task of his life was to sit
down in a living room and tell a six year old that her mother, a
single parent sergeant in his office, was deceased.
When looking at role models, Bagby said, "One person I have held in
high regard is President Abraham Lincoln. To me being on the campus
of Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois is extraordinarily special."
He recited the many hardships - personal, business and political
losses the self-educated Lincoln endured; that he came from nothing
and worked hard his whole life. During the primary race for
president Lincoln beat more educated and wealthier men, and he
brought those men into his cabinet when he won the Presidency.
Lincoln demonstrated how to bring people together. He kept the Union
together when he brought Illinois' native Ulysses S. Grant into the
Civil War to be the commander of our military forces and won the
war.
"To our students present today, you can accomplish anything in life.
Yes, you'll have obstacles, you'll have challenges, and you'll have
crucibles to work through. But if you persevere, remain focused, you
can meet any challenge, just like President Lincoln did."
In Bagby's own heritage his parents were limited in options. African
American's could not attend high school in their county. They too
worked hard, appreciated what they had and helped him to get the
education he did.
He credited a large support group to encourage him; “I earned a
bachelors, I earned a masters degree, I earned multiple stars of a
General in the Armed Forces, and today an honorary doctorate.
“Today is not about me. I'm just a sum of a support group that
helped me work through life, provide encouragement and to identify
positive opportunities.
"You can accomplish anything in your life no matter how you begin,
but its how you seize upon positive opportunities like President
Lincoln did; and many, many others."
Bagby observed the Lincoln College mission statement says, "Lincoln
College empowers students to realize their full potential." It has
been doing so since 1865 and will continue on for decades to come,
he said.
He closed thanking all those involved in conferring him the
doctorate and said, "God bless each and every one of you present and
God bless America!"
Patrick Doolin, Bill
Gossett, Dr. Byron Bagby, Jean Gossett and President David Gerlach
share a moment.
Dr. Bagby recognized Lincoln legends Bill and Jean
Gossett, who were sitting center front. It was jolly time following
the ceremony. Outside, Bagby and the Gossetts would meet and share
some laughs with President Gerlach and Doolin.
Bill Gossett and Dr.
Byron Bagby; two legendaries meet.
Bill Gossett made history at this past 2021
commencement completed an Associate of Arts Degree at age 97. He was
awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2020. Gossett's
formal education had been cut short when he joined the Army Air Corp
in WWII, and on his return to the states he again had to forgo his
education in order to run the family dry cleaning business due to
his father's illness. Bill served many years on the LC Board of
Trustees and is now trustee emeritus.
In his opening remarks, Bagby also appreciated LC Executive
Assistant Amy Gallagher, saying that executive assistants of college
presidents keep colleges running smoothly; and complimented
President Gerlach for his role leading LC.
Bagby met with five student groups while on the LC campus and of
Student Government President Klaudia Blaszczy he said, she brings
experience leading her peers about “governance and leadership that
will pay many dividends down the road.”
Bagby thanked all the college family who made the event and various
activities happen and the Gerlach's for their gracious hospitality.
He also thanked Trustee David Clapp, who hails from the same home
town as Clapp and connected him to Lincoln College.
The ceremony concluded with the LC alma mater song lead virtually
and closed in prayer.
[Jan Youngquist]
Past related
11/12/2020 -
Lincoln College awards Bill Gossett with
Honorary Doctorate
11/12/2020 -
Caravan honors Dr. Bill Gossett at Lincoln
College - slideshow
05/18/2021 -
Lincoln College Student Crosses Commencement
Stage at Age of 97
William “Bill” Gossett Earns Associate of Arts Degree
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