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Leah Seupersad, 404-413-1354
University Relations
Georgia State University will honor its largest graduation class ever during the 96th commencement ceremony this Saturday, May 7, at 2 p.m. in the Georgia Dome. In total, more than 3,300 students will graduate from Georgia State this semester.
“Georgia State has already set records this year for best academically prepared freshman class and highest retention rate in school history, but this is the record that means the most,” said Timothy Renick, Georgia State’s associate provost for academic programs and chief enrollment officer. “Our record-size graduating class is the result of not only a lot of hard work on the part of the students, but also on the part of the whole GSU community. This is why we are here.”
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| Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will deliver the commencement address May 7. |
Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, will serve as Georgia State University’s spring commencement speaker at the 2 p.m. bachelor, master and specialist degree ceremony.
Carter, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his international conflict resolution efforts, served as president from 1977 to 1981. He is the author of 25 books and is the founder of the Carter Center, a nonpartisan and nonprofi t center that addresses national and international issues of public policy.
“Carter’s leadership on a variety of global issues, his passion for education and his devotion to Atlanta and Georgia make him an excellent choice to provide wisdom and guidance to our graduates,” GSU President Mark Becker said.
Hal McAlister, a Regents’ Professor of Astronomy who has taught at GSU since 1977, will deliver the keynote address at the Ph.D. commencement and hooding ceremony at 9 a.m. May 7 at the Rialto Center for the Arts.
McAlister is director of the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy and director and CEO of the Mount Wilson Institute.
This semester, 2,844 degree candidates are expected to participate in the bachelor, master and specialist degree ceremony, while 100 doctoral candidates will participate in the Ph.D. commencement and hooding.
May 2, 2011