Savannah State University News May 3, 2023 On Friday, May 5, the 202nd commencement ceremony of Savannah State University (SSU) will be held at T. A. Wright Stadium located on the university's campus. The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. and will also be live-streamed. Over 350 students will receive master's, bachelor's, and associate degrees. Georgia State Senator, Sonya M. Halpern will provide the commencement address. Senator Halpern was elected in 2020 and is currently serving in her second term in the Georgia State Senate. Representing neighborhoods across the five cities of Atlanta, including the City of South Fulton, College Park, East Point, and Union City, District 39 is one of the most socio-economically diverse districts in the state of Georgia and the country. Though she is a relatively new legislator, she has authored / sponsored more than 10 bills that are now Georgia state law. With a passion for the arts, education, and politics, Senator Halpern has dedicated her civic and philanthropic engagement in these areas over the past two decades. In 2014 President Obama appointed her to the committee on the arts, national board of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., making her the first African-American and first Georgian to serve in this capacity since PACA's inception in the 1950's. With decades of fundraising, marketing and event production experience in for-profit and non-profit environments, she launched Whiskey In A Teacup Consulting in 2019, a cultural consultancy and communications firm. Early in her career she held critical advertising sales roles at several of the country's leading media companies including ESPN, Inc., The Walt Disney Company, and Cox Enterprises. Senator Halpern earned her Masters in Business Administration from the University of Hartford's International MBA Program and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and three children. During the commencement ceremony, Savannah State University President, Kimberly Ballard-Washington, will take a moment to acknowledge the hard work of a very special 'non-traditional' student. Mr. Kevin Flowers, who is receiving a long overdue Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies from the College of Education will finally be joining his siblings as an SSU alumnus at the age of 77. Mr. Flowers left Savannah State University in 1969 to join the military. After serving his country and decades of dreaming of finishing his higher education, Mr. Flowers will walk across the stage to receive his degree on Friday. President Ballard-Washington will also be acknowledging the contributions and steadfast dedication of the Class of 1973 over the last 50 years. Students and guests may choose to wear masks during the graduation ceremony based on preference and assessment of personal risk. More information about graduation exercises is available online by visiting savannahstate.edu/commencement<https://savannahstate.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c0bee8b5044418ee52558b367&id=176e81b419&e=4b9fe7b33e>. About Savannah State University Established in 1890, Savannah State University is the oldest public Historically Black college or University in Georgia and the first institution of higher learning in the city of Savannah. Students select majors from 30 undergraduate and five graduate programs in four colleges - Business Administration, Education, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Sciences and Technology. For more information, visit savannahstate.edu<https://www.savannahstate.edu/>. LaTasha Denard Executive Assistant at HBCU Library Alliance<http://hbculibraries.org/> Phone: (678) 210-5801 ext. 102 Web: hbculibraries.org<http://hbculibraries.org/> Email: ldenard@hbculibraries.org<http://mailto:ldenard@hbculibraries.org/> Follow us on our social media: [cid:image001.png@01D97EA1.447A23F0] [cid:image002.png@01D97EA1.447A23F0] [cid:image003.png@01D97EA1.447A23F0] [cid:image004.png@01D97EA1.447A23F0] Sandra Phoenix Executive Director at HBCU Library Alliance<http://hbculibraries.org/> Office: (678) 210-5801 ext. 101 Mobile: (404) 702-5854 Web: hbculibraries.org<http://hbculibraries.org/> Email: sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Seek justice, honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. [cid:image005.gif@01D97EA1.C693F500]<https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/> [cid:image006.gif@01D97EA1.C693F500] <https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance> [cid:image007.png@01D97EA1.C693F500] <https://www.instagram.com/hbcu_library_alliance/> [cid:image008.gif@01D97EA1.C693F500] <https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/>