It's tassel time for metro Atlanta college students

By KENNETH MUSISI

For the AJC

Several Atlanta colleges have managed to snag high-profile commencement speakers for their approaching graduation ceremonies. Ambassador Susan Rice will speak at Spelman College, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will speak at Emory University, and Energy Secretary Steven Chu will keynote at Georgia Tech. Here's a closer look at graduations for major colleges, universities and technical schools in metro Atlanta, with number of graduates and commencement speakers, where available.

Friday, May 7

Atlanta Metropolitan College

Speaker: Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed

10:15 a.m. Physical Education Building

Graduates: About 260

Brenau University (Women's College)

6 p.m. Georgia Mountains Center, Gainesville

Georgia Institute of Technology

PhD and Master’s Ceremony

Speaker: Secretary Steven Chu, U.S. Department of Energy

7 p.m. Alexander Memorial Coliseum

Graduates: About 1,040

Medical College of Georgia

2 p.m. James Brown Arena

Saturday, May 8

Agnes Scott College

Speaker: Madeleine K. Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State

9:30 a.m. Campus

Graduates: 192 students earning BA and MAT degrees

Berry College

2:30 p.m. Memorial Library Lawn

Graduates: About 290

Brenau University

Evening and Weekend college & Online college (undergraduate & graduate)

10 a.m. Georgia Mountains Center, Gainesville

Clayton State University

School of Business, College of Health, College of Information and Mathematical Sciences, All Bachelor of Applied Science majors

9 a.m. Athletics & Fitness Center

College of Arts & Sciences

Noon Athletics & Fitness Center

Graduates: About 740

Georgia College & State University

9 a.m. Front lawn, main campus

Georgia Institute of Technology

Undergraduate ceremony for the Colleges of Architecture, Computing, Management, Sciences, and the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

Speaker: Brook Byers, Managing Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

9 a.m. Alexander Memorial Coliseum

Graduates: About 770

Undergraduate ceremony for the College of Engineering

Speaker: Bill Nuti, Chairman & CEO, NCR Corporation

3 p.m. Alexander Memorial Coliseum

Graduates: About 990

Georgia Southern University

9 a.m. Paulson Stadium, Statesboro

The Interdenominational Theological Center

Speaker: Dr. Charles E. Blake, Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ

8:30 a.m. Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College

Graduates: 98

Mercer University (Atlanta campus)

Pharmacy

9 a.m. Sheffield Student Center

Graduates: About 163

Nursing

Noon Sheffield Student Center

Graduates: About 70

Oglethorpe University

9 a.m. Academic Quadrangle

Southern Polytechnic State University

Speaker: Michael Sizemore, Founder of Sizemore Group and Architect of the SPSU Library

Ceremonies at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the campus gymnasium

Graduates: About 69 graduate students and 298 undergraduates

University of Georgia

Speaker: Alton Brown, Nationally recognized chef & television personality

6:30 p.m. Sanford Stadium

University of West Georgia

Speaker: Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin

Undergraduate ceremonies for College of Arts & Science and Richards College of Business

9 a.m. UWG Coliseum

Undergraduate ceremonies for College of Education, School of Nursing and Graduate school

2 p.m. UWG Coliseum

Monday, May 10

Emory University

Speaker: Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Governor

8:00 a.m. The Quadrangle

Tuesday, May 11

Kennesaw State University

All graduate degrees

7 p.m. Convocation Center

Wednesday, May 12

Kennesaw State University

Wellstar College of Health & Human Services, College of Science & Mathematics

10 a.m. Convocation Center

College of The Arts, Bagwell College of Education, and University College

3 p.m. Convocation Center

Thursday, May 13

Kennesaw State University

Coles College of Business

10 a.m. Convocation Center

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

3 p.m. Convocation Center

Friday, May 14

Georgia Perimeter College

Business Administration, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Dental Hygiene, Engineering, Fire Science Management, Geology, Health Sciences, Mathematics, Nursing, Physics, Pre-Dentistry, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Pharmacy

10 a.m. Gymnasium on the Clarkston Campus of Georgia Perimeter College

Anthropology, Art, Communications, Criminal Justice, Teacher Education, English, Film, Foreign Language, General Studies, Health & Physical Education, History, Homeland Security & Emergency Management, Journalism, Library & Information Science Technology, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sign Language Interpreting, Sociology, Social Work, Theatre

2 p.m. Gymnasium on the Clarkston Campus of Georgia Perimeter College

Graduates: About 926

Saturday, May 15

Georgia State University

Ph.D commencement & hooding ceremony

9 a.m. The Rialto Center for the Arts

Bachelor, Master & Specialist commencement ceremony

2 p.m. The Georgia Dome

LaGrange College

Speaker: James Leach, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities

8:30 a.m., Residential Quadrangle

Mercer University (Macon)

College of Continuing and Professional Studies

2:30 p.m. University Center, Macon

Graduates: About 150

Morehouse School of Medicine

Speaker: Donna Brazile, Veteran Democratic political strategist and television commentator

9 a.m. Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel

Morris Brown College

Speaker: Michael V. Roberts, Sr., J.D. Chairman and CEO, The Roberts Companies

4 p.m. John Lewis Gymnasium

Graduates: 22

Sunday, May 16

Morehouse College

Speaker: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates

8 a.m. Century Campus

Graduates: 500

Spelman College

Speaker: Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations

3 p.m. Georgia World Congress Center

Monday, May 17

Clark Atlanta University

10:00 a.m. Georgia World Congress Center Building A-Exhibition Hall A1

Saturday, May 22

Mercer University (Atlanta)

Theology ceremony 11 a.m. Sheffield Student Center

Graduates: About 43

Education Undergraduate ceremony 1 p.m. Sheffield Student Center

Graduates: About 150

Education Graduate ceremony 3 p.m. Sheffield Student Center

Graduates: About 164

Business ceremony 5:30 p.m. Sheffield Student Center

Graduates: About 157

Friday, May 28

Georgia Gwinnett College

Speaker: Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island

7 p.m. Quad in front of Building B

Graduates: 60

Saturday, May 29

Savannah College of Art and Design

Savannah

Morning ceremony, time tba, Savannah Civic Center, Martin Luther King Jr. Arena

Atlanta

Late afternoon ceremony, time tba, Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia Ballroom, Building C

Thursday, June 10

Gwinnett Technical College

7:30 p.m. Gwinnett Center, Duluth

Thursday, June 17

Chattahoochee Technical College

10 a.m. Location tba

Friday, June 18

Atlanta Technical College

Speaker: Michael Thurmond, Georgia Labor Commissioner

7:00 p.m. Atlanta Civic Center

Life University

Speaker: Dr. Guy F. Riekeman, President of Life University

1 p.m. Sport Health Science Building Auditorium

Saturday, July 17

DeKalb Technical College

Speaker: Michael Thurmond, Georgia Labor Commissioner

10 a.m. Mt. Carmel Christian Church, Stone Mountain