The Record Online

Fall 2001

Jars of Clay Among Those Receiving Diplomas

The 109th commencement ceremonies at Greenville College May 19-20 brought a sense of completion in more ways than one. There was the usual feeling of closure for graduates and parents that comes with earning a college degree, but there were other significant milestones as well.

Greenville College, the birthplace of the wildly popular Christian music band Jars of Clay, took the unusual action last weekend of granting honorary bachelor’s degrees to its most famous dropouts. President V. James Mannoia, Jr. presented honorary Bachelor of Creative Arts degrees to the four members of Jars of Clay, Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Steve Mason, and Matt Odmark.
Jars of Clay began at Greenville College during the 1993-94 school year. After winning a national talent competition in Nashville, the band left college early, at the end of that year, to sign with a record company and begin touring. One of the four original members left the group at that point and was replaced by Matt Odmark, the only current member with no previous Greenville College connections.

Odmark can now call himself a Greenville alumnus, however, after receiving the honorary bachelor’s degree. All four are glad to have degrees in hand, finally, from Greenville College.

Jars of Clay performed two songs at Greenville during the baccalaureate service, “Love Song for a Savior,” and “Worlds Apart,” both from their debut album Jars of Clay (1995, Brentwood Music). That album has sold more than 2 million copies (certified double platinum), and was nominated for a Grammy for Rock/Gospel Album of the Year.

Since 1994, Jars of Clay has sold more than 4.5 million records and won two Grammy Awards for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album (Much Afraid, 1997, and If I Left the Zoo, 2000). The band has earned numerous Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and has logged an impressive thirteen #1 songs.
Dr. Karen Longman, vice president for Academic Affairs, joined in the special presentation. “While Greenville College graduates have distinguished themselves in all fields, Jars of Clay’s influence has been among the widest. They have represented the college, and more importantly our Lord and Savior, literally around the world,” she said.

President Mannoia added, “I have been impressed by the spirit of your character. That combination of character and service I believe you want to offer to the Christian community and to the kingdom of God is precisely what we pray for all our Greenville College graduates.”

Before performing, Jars’ lead singer Dan Haseltine referred to the sermon that had just been preached by Rev. Kay Cole of the Greenville Free Methodist Church. “Earthly accomplishments,” said Haseltine, “really mean very little. Hearing the list of things that have been accomplished through Jars of Clay, it’s probably right for us to say that it doesn’t mean much at all unless we truly do seek Christ in that, and not our kingdom.”

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Last updated: November 1, 2001