ALUMNI

2023 Distinguished Alum of the Year: Shannon Rogers Duckworth, Class of 1993

The Rt. Rev. Shannon Rogers Duckworth was ordained and consecrated the 12th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana on November 20, 2022. She is the first woman to serve as bishop since the diocese was formed in 1838.

Bishop Duckworth is a native of Mississippi. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English and History from Millsaps College graduating with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1997. She was ordained a priest in 2001 after receiving her Master of Divinity from The General Theological Seminary. In the years since her ordination, she has served in many roles including curate, vicar, school chaplain, associate rector, and canon to the ordinary of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana.

Bishop Duckworth is married to James Duckworth and has two sons, Nicholas and Tucker. She enjoys walking and hiking and spending time with her husband at their home in New Roads, LA.

Digital Extra:

Watch the 2023 Jackson Prep graduation ceremony here.

The Distinguished Alum delivers the graduation address:

Back when the woolly mammoth roamed the region around the present-day state of Missouri, the Osage tree provided food and shelter for these wandering herds. And, as time passed, and their tracks replaced by those of humans, the Osage remained a tree of prime importance. Yet, in these later days, the focus shifted from its fruit to its wood.

...However, if you take a look at this bow [and I have brought one with me today] it doesn’t look like one might expect. The wood is strong, but it is challenging for the bowyer. The Osage tree is crooked and its trunk is rife with twists that lead from one knot to another.

Yet, anyone who truly understands this particular tree sees that its strength and beauty reside deep within what might be falsely seen as an imperfection. In the process of crafting a bow, a tree is carefully chosen, felled and then split down its length. The wood (called a stave) is then scraped carefully with attention to every detail. The knots are meant to be embraced… and the twists...within them the trained eye will see opportunity…careful not to violate the growth rings that serve as your guide as you carefully craft the bow.

...So, why did I feel like it was important to share this? The answer is in this bow. I want you to know that, like this bow, the twists and turns of life are something that make it what it is…and what makes you who you are.