Samford University School of the Arts Dean to speak at Shorter's commencement exercises December 7, 2011 - Dr. Joseph Hopkins, dean of the School of the Arts at Samford University, will be the featured speaker at Shorter University’s December 2011 commencement exercises. Shorter will hold three ceremonies: the first on Friday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m., and the second on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 10 a.m. The final ceremony is planned for Saturday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. Dr. Hopkins will deliver a message titled “What Can I Give Him?” during all three ceremonies. Dr. Hopkins holds degrees from Shorter College, Baylor University, and Indiana University with additional studies at Harvard University.  He served as dean of the Petrie School of Music at Converse College and chair of the Department of Music at the University of Evansville.  Dr. Hopkins founded and directed the Harlaxton Music Festival in Lincolnshire, England, and served on the faculty of the Operafestival di Roma (Italy).  Performances include leading opera roles with the Operafestival di Roma (Rome, Italy) and the Dallas Lyric Opera and Artist-in-Residence at the Wildwood Opera Theatre and Performing Arts Center.

He was featured as soloist for the Mozart Requiem with the State Symphony Orchestra of St. Petersburg and Moscow State Philharmonic, in concerts with the International Chamber Orchestra of Rome, and in concerts and recitals in the United States, Africa, Canada, Europe, and Asia.  Recordings include The Songs of Richard Faith, a collaboration with the composer for Leyerle publications; Canciones, a collection of Spanish songs performed with guitarist Renato Butturi; and contemporary Christian recordings with his wife, soprano Suzanne Hopkins. 

Recent and upcoming performances include recitals and concerts in the United States, Madrid, Atelier Chamber Music Series (Paris), St. Martin in the Fields Church (London), and a Hong Kong recital broadcast on Chinese National Radio.

The Hopkins met at Shorter where both were voice performance majors and members of the Shorter Chorale.  They are parents of two boys, Joseph and Vance. Joseph is an ordained Baptist minister and serves as minister of music at McElwain Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala.

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christian university committed to excellence in education. The Princeton Review annually includes Shorter on its lists of best value and best Southeastern colleges.The university offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 48 major areas as well as undergraduate degree programs for working adults, the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Education and the Master of Arts in Leadership. General education and calculus courses are offered in an online format, and Shorter recently launched online programs that lead toward the Associate of Science, the Bachelor of Business Administration, and the Master of Accountancy degrees. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.

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