By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO– The University of Montevallo celebrated its 118^th Founders Day Thursday, Oct. 9 at the Palmer Auditorium and notable alumni, students and professors were on hand to take in this annual tradition.

The convocation kicked off the start of a weekend that will be filled with events running through Saturday.

Mark Brandon, a 1975 UM graduate and current dean of the University of Alabama School of Law, was the speaker for the convocation and discussed his educational experience and also gave advice to the seniors preparing to enter the real world.

“Whether were lucky or unlucky, life is unpredictable and what you can hope for is that you have the resources to make the best of your opportunities and to overcome challenges and limitations,” said Brandon. “But we cannot fully know in advance what those opportunities and challenges and limitations will be.”

Numerous awards were handed out at the convocation, which saw multiple members of Montevallo’s faculty and alumni recognized.

One of the main traditions of Founders Day is the robing of the senior class as they enter their last Founders Day as students.

Marion Brown, director for university events, discussed what Founders Day was all about and the history behind the life raft event that took take place later that night.

“The life raft debate is based around a debate where there is a fake apocalypse coming and there is only one spot left on a boat,” said Brown. “This year, the president is going to be in the debate along with faculty and six other contestants. There are normally around 700 people who attend and it’s a very interactive debate.”