TIFTON – Two hundred and sixty-seven new graduates of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will receive their diplomas in two ceremonies during the school’s commencement exercises on Dec. 14.
Campus Communications Coordinator Jordan Beard, who coordinates the ceremonies, said the 10 a.m. event will include graduates from the School of Nursing and Health Sciences and the School of Arts and Sciences. The 3 p.m. event includes graduates from the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Stafford School of Business.
The School of Nursing and Health Sciences will hold its pinning ceremony at noon.
All commencement exercises and ceremonies will be held in Gressette Gymnasium.
“Graduation day is one of my favorite days of the year,” said ABAC President Tracy Brundage. “It’s a special day for the graduates, for their families, and for all of us. I’m looking forward to presenting their diplomas as a reward for their hard work in the classroom.”
A total of 123 graduates are scheduled to participate in the morning ceremony, while 106 graduates are expected to participate in the afternoon ceremony.
Cathy Cox, President of Georgia College and State University and ABAC alumna, will be the commencement speaker at both ceremonies. She earned her associate degree at ABAC before attending the University of Georgia and then Mercer Law School. She practiced law in Bainbridge and Atlanta for 10 years, during which time she was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives and was the first woman to be elected as Georgia’s Secretary of State.
ABAC Student Government Association President Brooke Patry will also speak at the commencement exercises.
Other participants in the ceremonies will include Dr. Amy Willis, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs; Dr. Jeffrey Ross, Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences; Dr. Matthew Anderson, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Mark Kistler, Dean of the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources; and Dr. Renata Elad, Dean of the Stafford School of Business.
Melissa Pierzchajlo, President of the ABAC Alumni Association, will induct the graduates into the Association. Director of Public Relations Emeritus Mike Chason will call the graduates’ names as they receive their diploma. The ceremonies can be viewed online at watch.abac.edu and the ABAC Facebook page. Spring semester classes will start on Jan. 9, 2024.
