Higher Education
Georgia’s 2018 commencement schedule and speakers
April Lewis, 64, wears her mortarboard that says “40 PLUS YRS” during fall 2017 commencement exercises on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017 at Georgia State University’s Perimeter campus. Lewis, 64, and her sister Mae Brown, 67, began their college careers in the 1970s, but it’s taken them a few years to graduate. Their studies were interrupted by jobs, childbirths, family illnesses, etc. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM
By Eric Stirgus
April 19, 2018There’ll be some star power coming to some of Georgia’s largest colleges and universities in May for commencement ceremonies.
The list includes star musicians, the “fly jock,” a high-profile CEO, Georgia’s governor, Atlanta’s new mayor and an Emmy award-winning actor.
Here’s the current undergraduate schedule for various Georgia colleges and universities and some featured speakers:
- University of Georgia: Fri., May 4, 7 p.m. at Stanford Stadium. Commencement speakers are UGA alumns Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood of the multi-platinum musical group Lady Antebellum.
- Fort Valley State: Sat., May 5, 9 a.m. on campus. The speaker is two-time Super Bowl champion cornerback Tyrone Poole, who began his college education at Fort Valley State and is receiving his degree at the commencement.
- Georgia Tech: Commencement ceremonies are scheduled for various schools on Fri., May 4 and Sat., May 5. Speakers include Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and former astronaut Jan Davis.
01/02/2018 -- Atlanta, GA, - Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms gives her acceptance speech during the 60th Atlanta mayoral inauguration at Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Tuesday, January 2, 2018. In addition to Keisha Lance Bottoms being sworn into the city of Atlanta, Felicia Moore was sworn in as Atlanta city council president, the Atlanta municipal court judges took oath and so did the Atlanta city council. ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM
- Kennesaw State: Commencement ceremonies are scheduled for various schools on Wed., May 9, Thu., May 10 and Fri., May 11.
- Georgia State University: Commencement ceremonies are scheduled for various schools on Wed., May 9, Thu., May 10 and Fri., May 11.
- Augusta University: Fri., May 11, 2 p.m. at the James Brown Arena. The scheduled commencement speaker is Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.
- Mercer University: Sat., May 12, 8:30 a.m. for the Atlanta campus at Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus. Gov. Nathan Deal will speak at the law school's commencement on Sat., May 12, 10 a.m. on its Macon campus. State Rep. Terry England, R-Auburn, will speak at the medical school's commencement, scheduled for Sat., May 5, 2 p.m. on its Macon campus.
3/29/18 - Atlanta - Gov. Nathan Deal and First Lady Sandra Deal are greeted with a standing ovation as they enter the House where Deal addressed them for his last Sine Die. Thursday was the 40th and final day of the 2018 General Assembly. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM
- Oglethorpe University: Sat., May 12, 9 a.m. on campus. Actor-songwriter Christopher Jackson is the keynote speaker.
- Agnes Scott College: Sat., May 12, 9:30 a.m. Singer/songwriter Jennifer Nettles, a 1997 graduate, will give the commencement address.
Jennifer Nettles.
- Emory University: Mon., May 14, 9 a.m. The keynote commencement speaker is Michael Dubin, co-founder of CEO of Dollar Shave Club, an Emory alumnus.
Dollar Shave Club founder Michael Dubin’s humorous YouTube video for his brand went viral and led to overnight success. Photo by Dan Krauss for ‘The Wall Street Journal’
- Morehouse School of Medicine: Sat., May 19, 9 a.m. at Morehouse College's Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel. Health equity advocate and law professor Dayna Matthew is the commencement speaker.
- Morris Brown College: Sat., May 19, 4 p.m. at Big Bethel A.M.E. Church in Atlanta. Radio personality and philanthropist Tom Joyner is the commencement speaker.
- Morehouse College: Sun., May 20, 8 a.m. on campus. U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., a Morehouse graduate, is the scheduled speaker.
- Spelman College: Sun., May 20, 3 p.m., Georgia International Convention Center. Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Rosalind Brewer, a Spelman alumna, is the speaker.
- Clark Atlanta University: Mon., May 21, 8 a.m. at CAU Panther Stadium. CNN anchor Don Lemon is the commencement speaker.
- Savannah College of Art and Design: The Atlanta campus commencement is scheduled for Sat., June 2, 3 p.m. at the Georgia World Congress Center.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
