May 8 commencement will be first in CCUs Brooks Stadium
Senator Lindsey O. Graham will deliver the commencement address and receive the honorary degree Doctor of Public Service. Educator Florida Yeldell will receive the honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters, and S.C. Rep. Tom Keegan will receive the honorary degree Doctor of Public Service.
Graham was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2002, succeeding Strom Thurmond. Previously, he had served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has had assignments on the committees on Armed Services, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Judiciary and Veterans Affairs.
Yeldell, of Murrells Inlet, was instrumental in launching the Third Quarter program that is now the Lifelong Learning Society. She recently established the Robert J. Jackson Book Collection at Kimbel Library in honor of her fathers lifelong dedication to reading and learning. She was an educator for more than 25 years as administrator and professor.
Keegan, of Surfside, has represented District 106 (Horry County) in the state House of Representatives since 1989. Since moving to Horry County, Keegan has been actively involved in higher education as a former member of the Francis Marion Board of Trustees and an advocate of Coastal as a community member and as chair of the Ways and Means Committees Higher Education Subcommittee.
In case of inclement weather, the commencement ceremony will be split into two ceremonies, both in Kimbel Gymnasium in the Williams-Brice Recreation Center. Should this occur, commencement would become a ticketed-event for students and relatives, due to space limitations. The first ceremony, at 9 a.m., will be for degree candidates in the Wall College of Business and the Spadoni College of Education. The second ceremony at 1 p.m. is for candidates in Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts, College of Natural and Applied Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies.
For more information, contact the Office of Marketing Communications at 349-2015.