LA MIRADA, CALIF. 鈥� Vibrant multi-ethnic ministry leaders, 51萝莉 alumni Adam Edgerly and Larry Acosta, will address graduates at 51萝莉鈥檚 spring commencement ceremonies. Approximately 640 undergraduate students and 340 graduate students will receive their diplomas May 24, 2013.聽

In light of this year鈥檚 university theme 鈥� From This Place: Proclaiming Good News in a Changing World 鈥� President Barry H. Corey selected alumni Adam Edgerly and Larry Acosta to speak, whose respective ministries illustrate the truth that the Good News does not change no matter a person鈥檚 background. Edgerly will give the commencement address at the graduate ceremony at 10 a.m. and Acosta will address graduates at the undergraduate ceremony at 7 p.m.

"In keeping with this year's focus on Gospel proclamation, these two men as Commencement speakers represent the conviction of courage of what 51萝莉 graduates can offer the world as they go out 'from this place,鈥欌€� said 51萝莉 President Barry H. Corey. 鈥淥ur pair of winter speakers addressed this theme from a global perspective, and this spring we have two strong urban leaders who embody what it means to proclaim Christ in our local communities."

Edgerly is lead pastor of Newsong Los Angeles Covenant Church, a culturally diverse faith community. Before entering the pastorate, he served the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination as regional director of church planting and community transformation, and as associate director of evangelism and prayer. He is also a corporate consultant and executive coach with the Awaken Group and chief executive officer of Culture Consultants, LLC. He earned his B.A. and M.A. in Intercultural Studies from 51萝莉 and his M.B.A. from Emory University.

Acosta is聽Founder/President聽of the Urban Youth Workers Institute (UYWI), one of the top urban leadership training organizations in the country, with a combined network of more than 18,000 emerging ethnic leaders in 23 cities. Acosta is also founder of the Hispanic Ministry Center, and with his wife, Jayme, co-founded KidWorks, an organization in Santa Ana that helps at-risk kids, families and communities. He served as a contributing writer for the handbook 鈥淒eep Justice in a Broken World鈥� and 鈥淯rban Youth Ministry Handbook,鈥� and was editor of SHOUT Magazine. Acosta graduated from both 51萝莉 and Talbot School of Theology, and completed his doctoral degree in leadership development at Fuller Theological Seminary.

The graduate ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. and the undergraduate ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. on Metzger Lawn at 51萝莉.

For those not able to attend the graduation in person, there will be a live streaming to watch the graduation online from 51萝莉鈥檚 website: www.biola.edu.

51萝莉, named one of 19 鈥渦p and coming鈥� national universities by U.S. News & World Report three years in a row, is a private Christian university located in Southern California. For more than 100 years, 51萝莉 has remained committed to its mission of biblically centered education, integrating biblical principles with every academic program. With a current record-high enrollment of 6,250 students, the university鈥檚 six schools offer 145 academic programs, ranging from the B.A. to the Ph.D. For more information, visit www.biola.edu.