South Carolina Superintendent of Education Molly M. Spearman will give the address for Coastal Carolina University's fall commencement exercises. Two ceremonies are scheduled, the first on Friday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 8:30 a.m. at the HTC Center on campus. A total of 592 students are eligible to receive their degrees at the ceremonies.

Graduate candidates from the Spadoni College of Education, the College of Science and University College will be recognized at the Friday event, and candidates from the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration and the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts will be recognized on Saturday.

Spearman, who will receive the honorary degree Doctor of Public Service, was elected as the 18th South Carolina State Superintendent of Education on Nov. 4, 2014. From Saluda County, Spearman was a public school music teacher for 18 years and then served as an assistant principal. In 1993, she was elected to the S.C. House of Representatives where she served four terms. She was named Legislator of the Year by the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and the American Legion. Prior to her election as superintendent, Spearman was deputy superintendent for six years, and for 10 years she was executive director of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators.

She holds a bachelor's degree in music education from Lander University, a master's degree in education supervision from George Washington University and an education specialist degree from the University of South Carolina. The ceremonies will also include the presentation of awards to outstanding graduates for academic achievement.

CCU's commencement ceremonies will be presented in a live web stream at http://livestream.com/coastalcarolinauniversity/events/4515775. Overflow seating is available in Wheelwright Auditorium.