Mitchell Tolle, a pastor and artist, will deliver the keynote address at Lee University’s summer commencement ceremony on Saturday, July 27, at 10:30 a.m. in the Conn Center. 

Tolle is a popular speaker around the country, sharing his personal story and exploring the power of art in everyday life.  He has spoken to Lee students on two previous occasions, and Lee President Paul Conn calls him “one of the most engaging and inspiring speakers I’ve ever heard.” 

Tolle is an ordained bishop in the Church of God and currently serves as senior pastor of the Man O’ War Church in Lexington, Kentucky. Prior to pastoring, he gained an international reputation as an artist painting the scenes and people of Appalachia and has been described as “one of America’s most beloved artists.” 

After being drafted into the U. S. Army and serving in Vietnam, Tolle’s work as an artist began in earnest, and he developed a large following. His painting of President Jimmy Carter raised a quarter of a million dollars for Habitat for Humanity through the sale of prints, and a gallery in Berea, Kentucky, devoted exclusively to his work, has drawn over 20,000 visitors from 80 countries.   

Tolle is married to Linda, and together they have three children and 10 grandchildren. 

Lee’s summer commencement is one of three graduation ceremonies held each year at the university. Of the 115 degrees set to be conferred in the Saturday morning ceremony, 27 are master’s degrees and nine are doctoral. 

Prior to the Saturday commencement, a commissioning ceremony will be held Friday, July 26, at 6:30 p.m., also in the Conn Center. The commissioning service is a special occasion for students and their families to reflect on student experiences at the university. During the event, there will be five student speakers who will share brief stories about their time at Lee. Each graduate will also be presented with a personalized Bible in a traditional walk across the Conn Center stage.    

A hooding ceremony for recipients of master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degrees will take place Friday, July 26, at 4:30 p.m.    

The hooding, commissioning, and commencement ceremonies are ticketed events. For those who wish to view the events online, live streaming will be available at leeu.live.    

For more information about commencement exercises, contact the Academic Events Office at [email protected], (423) 614-8117, or visit leeuniversity.edu/academics/graduation-info/.