AUM to welcome Stone as Spring 2025 commencement speaker

A local civic leader, educational advocate and Auburn University at Montgomery alum will address Spring 2025 graduates when the university celebrates one if its largest-ever commencement classes on Saturday, May 10, at the AUM Athletics Complex.

AUM will welcome Gordon Stone as its commencement speaker for the event. Stone has served as mayor of the Town of Pike Road since 2004 and has been executive director of the Higher Education Partnership since its formation in 1997.

AUM expects more than 700 students to celebrate graduation across two commencement ceremonies. Graduates of the Colleges of Nursing& Health Sciences, Education and Science will be recognized at 10 a.m., with graduates of the Colleges of Business, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and University College following at 2 p.m. Each ceremony will be live-streamed.

Stone earned an MBA from AUM after completing a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and business at Auburn University, where he was a football letterman under former head coach Pat Dye.

As a mayor, Stone has guided Pike Road’s growth from 350 residents to more than 12,000, focusing on effective planning, school excellence, efficient services and quality of life initiatives. In his role with the Higher Education Partnership, Stone leads an advocacy group representing students, faculty, staff, alumni and other key stakeholders of Alabama’s 14 public four-year universities.