LA MIRADA, CALIF. — Influential evangelical author and pastor Rick Warren will speak at Biola University’s Centennial year underÌÒ»¨ÊÓƵ commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 24, at 9 a.m. The final event of Biola’s centennial year, the commencement will celebrate the largest graduating class in the University’s 100-year history, with 593 underÌÒ»¨ÊÓƵs and 328 ÌÒ»¨ÊÓƵs receiving degrees.

To commemorate the centennial year, Biola will bestow its ÌÒ»¨ÊÓƵs with a final graduation gift and the most important textbook they will need beyond college – a Bible. Each ÌÒ»¨ÊÓƵ will march into the ceremony carrying a special edition Bible signed by Biola president Barry H. Corey, representing Biola’s foundation on biblical truth. Graduates will carry away with them the solid biblical knowledge that their Biola education provided them with, taking it into their future careers and lives. An exclusive photograph will be taken of all ÌÒ»¨ÊÓƵs together raising their Bibles on this historical moment at Biola’s commencement.

Warren, recognized by Time Magazine as one of the top 25 most influential evangelicals, is well known for his best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life, which is rated as the best-selling hardback book in American history. He leads one of the largest churches in the nation, Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. His relationship with Biola is not a new one, as Warren has had two children ÌÒ»¨ÊÓƵ from Biola.

Graduate students and BOLD students will ÌÒ»¨ÊÓƵ on Friday, May 23, at 6 p.m. Speaking at the ÌÒ»¨ÊÓƵ commencement will be Al Mijares, newly elected member of the Biola University Board of Trustees and vice president of the western region of the College Board, publisher of the SAT, and former superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District, the fifth largest school district in the state of California.

For more information on Biola’s graduation, visit www.biola.edu.