MACON/ATLANTA — More than 1,700 graduates will participate in Mercer University commencements during May in Macon and Atlanta, including more than 1,000 in the University’s first campus-wide outdoor commencement in Atlanta. The Atlanta ceremony, now the University’s largest, consolidates the commencement schedule on the Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus from a high of seven ceremonies last year to one. The University will confer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees during four commencements, consolidated from 10 ceremonies last year.
On Saturday, May 14, the Atlanta campus will hold its combined outdoor commencement at 9 a.m. on the upper fields. The ceremony includes graduates from the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, McAfee School of Theology, and the Atlanta-area graduates from the Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics, Tift College of Education and College of Continuing and Professional Studies. Mercer Chancellor Dr. R. Kirby Godsey will deliver the keynote address.
In Macon, the School of Medicine will hold the University’s first 2011 commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 7, in the University Center Arena at 5 p.m. Physician and author Dr. William Rawlings Jr. will deliver the commencement address.
On Saturday, May 14, the Walter F. George School of Law will hold its commencement at 10 a.m. in the University Center Arena. Federal Circuit Court Judge Karen Nelson Moore will deliver the commencement address.
The University’s final commencement ceremony on May 14 will include graduates from the Macon campus as well as the Eastman Regional Academic Center and Savannah campus, and takes place in the University Center Arena at 3:30 p.m. For the first time, the ceremony will include graduates from the College of Continuing and Professional Studies, as well as graduates of the Stetson School of Business and Economics, Tift College of Education, School of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and the Townsend School of Music. Alberto Ibargüen, president and chief executive officer of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, will give the commencement address.
Below is the complete listing for Atlanta and Macon commencement dates, times and speakers.
Atlanta – Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus
Atlanta Commencement – College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, the Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics (Atlanta, Henry and Douglas), McAfee School of Theology, Tift College of Education (Atlanta, Douglas, Henry and Newnan) and College of Continuing and Professional Studies (Atlanta, Henry County and Douglas County)
Speaker: Dr. R. Kirby Godsey, Mercer chancellor and author
Saturday, May 14, 9 a.m.
Upper fields – Atlanta campus
Candidates for degrees: 1,017
Macon
School of Medicine
Dr. William Rawlings Jr., physician, author and historian
Saturday, May 7, 5 p.m.
University Center
Candidates for degrees: 131
Walter F. George School of Law
The Honorable Karen Nelson Moore, circuit court judge of the United States Court of
Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m.
University Center Arena
Candidates for degrees: 131
Macon Commencement – College of Liberal Arts, Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics (Savannah and Macon), School of Engineering, Tift College of Education (Macon and Eastman), Townsend School of Music and College of Continuing and Professional Studies (Macon and Eastman)
Alberto Ibargüen, president and chief executive officer of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Saturday, May 14, 3:30 p.m.
University Center Arena
Candidates for degrees: 501
About Mercer University
Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University enrolls more than 8,200 students in 11 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing and continuing and professional studies – on major campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah and at four regional academic centers across the state. Mercer is affiliated with two teaching hospitals — Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah and the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, and has educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta. The University operates an academic press and a performing arts center in Macon and an engineering research center in Warner Robins. Mercer is the only private university in Georgia to field an NCAA Division I athletic program. For more information, visit www.mercer.edu.
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