Davis & Elkins College proudly welcomes three distinguished keynote speakers during events taking place amid Commencement Weekend on Friday, May 9, and Saturday, May 10. During the College’s Nurses’ Pinning Ceremony, Baccalaureate Service, and Commencement, Deborah Tysor, Rev. Goodwyn Bell, and Nikki Bowman Mills will serve as honored guests and speakers, respectively.
Commencement Weekend culminates with the College’s 116th Commencement ceremony, held on Saturday, May 10, in Harper-McNeeley Auditorium. Nikki Bowman Mills will serve as keynote speaker for the graduates of the Class of 2025. Mills graduated magna cum laude from West Virginia University, receiving a Bachelor of the Arts in Slavic Studies and International Studies, with a minor in Russian and History. She also holds a Master of Arts in Writing/Publishing from DePaul University, and she is the founder, president, publisher, and editor of New South Media (NSM) since 2008. NSM is responsible for such magazines as WV Living, WV Weddings, Wonderful West Virginia, and D&E’s own Forward Magazine.
“Being invited to speak at Davis & Elkins College’s Commencement is not just an honor – it’s an opportunity to celebrate the College’s student-centric focus and the hard work and vision of a new generation poised to shape the future,” says Mills. “I am truly humbled and excited to be part of such a transformative moment in their lives.”
The College’s Baccalaureate Service takes place on Friday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m. in Harper-McNeeley Auditorium. Rev. Goodwyn “Goodie” Bell will serve as keynote speaker for the event. Rev. Bell is an ordained Minister of Word & Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), serving as the senior pastor of Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church in Durham, N.C. since 2024. Goodie is a native of Memphis, TN and is a graduate of the University of Richmond and Duke Divinity School. Prior to seminary, she spent five years as a campus minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at the University of Richmond. She served the congregation at Blacknall as an associate for 10 years, working with young adults, small group ministry, and Christian education before her call to serve as senior pastor.
“Rev. Bell comes to D&E with an abundance of experience as a Presbyterian pastor working alongside institutions of higher learning in Durham, North Carolina,” says D&E’s Benfield-Vick Chaplain, Dr. Franklin Tanner Capps. “I can’t think of a better person to help our new graduates and their families celebrate their accomplishments this spring through worship. As someone who’s heard her preach many times, I’m eager for this community to hear Rev. Bell’s baccalaureate message.”
Deborah “Deb” Tysor serves as keynote speaker for D&E’s 47th annual Nurses’ Pinning Ceremony on Friday, May 9 at 4:00 p.m. in Senate Commons within the Myles Center for the Arts. Tysor holds nationwide licensure, coordinating care for cancer patients across the country, and remains committed to establishing connection with organizations geared toward growth and sustainability within the state of West Virginia. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing Leadership from WV Wesleyan College and is an alumna of D&E, graduating summa cum laude.
“My favorite quote, especially geared toward the field of nursing, is to ‘be the change you wish to see in the world,’” says Tysor. “You cannot just wait for others to do this; you must be actively engaged and committed to making our world a better place.”
“Commencement Weekend is a celebration of the mission of Davis & Elkins College and the accomplishments of the Class of 2025,” shares D&E President Chris A. Wood. “We are blessed by each of our keynote speakers whose extraordinary life experiences will inspire our graduates as we celebrate this significant milestone in their lives. Joy shall abound on the campus of Davis & Elkins College!”
