Graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Pharmacy will earn their degrees during Commencement ceremonies Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11.

Commencement for the 136th College of Arts and Sciences ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 11 on the West Plaza. The ceremony will be held in Templeton Gymnasium if it rains.

In addition to the conferring of degrees, Lesley Preston, professor of theatre, and Broxton Lance Harvey Jr. will be recognized as Professor of the Year and 2019 Outstanding Senior, respectively. Both will provide speeches during the ceremony.

The President’s Reception will follow Commencement at Alumni Green.

Friday’s Ceremonies

On Friday, May 10, graduates from the PC School of Pharmacy will receive their diplomas during the Pharmacy Hooding and Commencement at 10 a.m. The event will take place in Belk Auditorium.

The ROTC Commissioning Ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. in Edmunds Hall. ROTC cadets will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the US Army during the ceremony. Several prestigious awards will be presented to cadets, including the Wysor Saber Award, the Kimberly Hampton Leadership Award and the Spirit of the Claymore Award. Cadets who receive these awards have distinguished themselves while participating in the ROTC program.

The newest member of the PC ROTC Hall of Fame will also be inducted during the program.

The Teacher Induction Ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. in Kuhne Auditorium in Neville Hall. Carissa Messer, the 2019 Laurens County School District 56 Teacher of the Year, will address the education graduates during the event.

The Baccalaureate Service will be held later that evening at 6 p.m. in Belk Auditorium. The Rev. Dr. Brad Smith, senior pastor of Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Columbia, will provide the speech, “More Than Enough.”