Savannah State University Holds 202nd Commencement Ceremony

On Friday, May 5, the 202nd commencement ceremony of Savannah State University (SSU) was held at T. A. Wright Stadium located on the university’s campus. The ceremony was live-streamed. Over 350 students received master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees. Georgia State Senator, Sonya M. Halpern provided the commencement address. Senator Halpern was elected in 2020 and is currently serving in her … Continue reading "Savannah State University Holds 202nd Commencement Ceremony" The post Savannah State University Holds 202nd Commencement Ceremony first appeared on The Savannah Tribune.

Savannah State University Holds 202nd Commencement Ceremony

 
 

On Friday, May 5, the 202nd commencement ceremony of Savannah State University (SSU) was held at T. A. Wright Stadium located on the university’s campus. The ceremony was live-streamed. Over 350 students received master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees.

Georgia State Senator, Sonya M. Halpern provided 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, took a moment to acknowledge the hard work of a very special ‘non-traditional’ student. Mr. Kevin Flowers, who is received a long overdue Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies from the College of Education finally joined 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 walked across the stage to receive his degree on Friday.

President Ballard Washington also acknowledged the contributions and steadfast dedication of the Class of 1973 over the last 50 years.

The post Savannah State University Holds 202nd Commencement Ceremony first appeared on The Savannah Tribune.