MGA To Graduate Record Number Of Students At Fall Commencement

Author: News Bureau
Posted: Friday, December 3, 2021 12:00 AM
Categories: School of Arts and Letters | Pressroom | Students | School of Aviation | Faculty/Staff | School of Business | School of Computing | School of Health and Natural Sciences | School of Education and Behavioral Sciences | Honors/Awards

Macon, GA

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The December 2021 ceremonies will again feature “pod” seating arrangements for graduates and their guests after proving popular during pandemic 

 

A record number of students are candidates for fall graduation from Middle Georgia State University,  with commencement ceremonies scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 8 and 9, at the Recreation & Wellness Center on the Macon Campus.

Of the estimated 803 candidates for graduation, about 110 will receive master’s degrees while nearly 550 are completing bachelor’s programs. The rest are receiving associate’s degrees or certificates in career programs. The number of graduates is the highest for MGA’s fall commencement ceremonies.

While masks are still encouraged, and a socially distanced section of seating will be available, the December 2021 ceremonies mark a return to relative normalcy following two virtual graduations and modified in-person ceremonies that MGA held during the pandemic.

One pandemic-era feature MGA is retaining for this fall’s ceremonies is the “pod” seating that proved so popular during spring 2021 graduation. Graduates will again have the choice of sitting with up to three invited guests in their pod. If they prefer, graduates can sit in regular seating sections with their classmates. Additional guests invited by students also will sit in conventional seating sections.

“For many students, sitting with their families or friends during the ceremony proved to be very moving experiences,” said Jennifer Jones, operations manager for Academic Affairs and chair of MGA’s graduation committee. “We’ve had a number of people ask if we could offer that option this fall and we decided it would add a special touch to the upcoming ceremonies.”

Scheduled commencement speakers are Steve Daugherty, CEO of Piedmont Macon and Piedmont Macon North (1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8); Charise M. Stephens, executive director of the Macon-Bibb County Office of Small Business Affairs (4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8); Capt. Patrick Burns, vice president of Flight Operations and system chief pilot, Delta Air Lines (10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 9); Lori Brewer, EVP and general manager, SimpleNexus (1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9); and Dax Lopez, attorney and former DeKalb County State Court judge (4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9).

The student speaker will be Tesia Baker, health services administration major and president of MGA’s Student Government Association.

The ceremony schedule is:

Wednesday, December 8

1:00 pm
School of Health & Natural Sciences

  • Department of Nursing
  • Department of Respiratory Therapy
  • Department of Rehabilitation Sciences

4:00 pm
School of Health & Natural Sciences

  • Department of Natural Sciences

School of Business

  • Department of Accounting & Finance
  • Department of Management & Marketing
Thursday, December 9

10:00 am
School of Business

  • Department of Health Services Administration

School of Aviation

  • Department of Aviation Science and Management
  • Department of Aviation Maintenance and Structural Technology

1:00 pm
School of Computing

  • Department of Information Technology
  • Department of Mathematics and Statistics

School of Arts & Letters

  • Department of Media, Culture and the Arts

4:00 pm
School of Arts & Letters

  • Department of English
  • Department of History

School of Education and Behavioral Sciences

  • Department of Teacher Education and Social Work
  • Department of Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice

All ceremonies will be livestreamed at mga.edu/live