Education Notebook: MGSU set to hold first fall graduation
Middle Georgia State University will establish a new tradition when it holds commencement ceremonies on Thursday.
It will be the first fall commencement in the history of the institution. Historically, the college held commencement only in the spring at the Macon Coliseum or at Morris Gymnasium on the Cochran campus.
The fall ceremonies will take place in the university's Recreation and Wellness Center on the Macon campus. More than 450 students are candidates for graduation, including more than 295 who will receive bachelor's degrees.
Two ceremonies will be held. The first, at 10 a.m., is for students graduating from the College of Arts & Sciences and the School of Education. The second, at 3 p.m., is for candidates graduating from the Schools of Aviation, Business, Health Sciences and Information Technology.
The keynote speaker for the 10 a.m. ceremony will be Larry Walker, a member of the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents. For the 3 p.m. ceremony, University System Chancellor Hank Huckaby will be the keynote speaker.
BIBB BOE EARNS STATE HONOR
The Bibb County Board of Education received the Georgia School Boards Association's 2015 Quality School Board recognition. The recognition program was designed to showcase best practices in school governance and leadership.
GSBA recognizes good school board governance to foster educational community cultures in order to advance student learning and achievement.
The Bibb school board met and/or exceeded the criteria set forth by GSBA to earn this honor of a 2015 Quality Board.
HOUSTON COUNTY SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR TEACHER HALL OF FAME
The Houston County Board of Education is seeking nominees for the 2016 Houston County Teacher Hall of Fame. This program honors extraordinary teachers who made a significant difference in the lives of their students.
Nominations must be received by Jan. 30 to be considered for the eighth induction. Those making nominations must complete an official nominating form to be accompanied by letters of recommendation and the nominee's chronological biography and photograph.
A committee of former Houston County educators and school system graduates are working to obtain nominations.
The committee members are: Mark Scott, superintendent of schools; Robin Hines, David Carpenter and Danny Carpenter, former superintendents; Thomas "Boot" Hunt, Perry High Class of 1959; Herman C. Ragin, Perry Training School Class of 1945 and first principal of Kings Chapel Elementary; Linda Horne, former assistant superintendent of school operations; and Beth McLaughlin, Warner Robins High graduate and the district's director of community & school affairs.
Nomination forms may be downloaded from the teacher hall of fame webpage. Forms may also be obtained from committee members, schools or the Board office located at 1100 Main St. in Perry.
MERCER PROFESSOR HONORED WITH FELLOWSHIP
George Hayhoe, professor of technical communication in Mercer University School of Engineering, has been named a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
The IEEE grade of fellow, which dates back to 1912, is conferred by the organization's board of directors, and the total number selected in any one year does not exceed one-tenth of one percent of total voting membership.
This distinction is reserved for select IEEE members whose extraordinary accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest are deemed fitting of this prestigious grade elevation.
MERCER NAMES DEAN FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONS COLLEGE
Dr. Lisa Murphey Lundquist, who as interim dean has led Mercer University's College of Health Professions since its founding, has been appointed dean, effective Jan. 1, Mercer Provost Scott Davis announced.
Lundquist was named interim dean, effective May 1, 2013, two months prior to the College of Health Professions opening as the University's 12th academic unit.
The launch of the college consolidated programs in physical therapy, physician assistant studies and public health that were previously housed in Mercer's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences -- now known as the College of Pharmacy -- as well as the School of Medicine.
BUSINESS PROFESSOR HONORED AS CGTC's TOP INSTRUCTOR
Casie Bridges, a business administrative technology instructor at Central Georgia Technical College's Milledgeville campus, has been named the College's instructor of the year for 2016. She received the local Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction during the fall semester awards day ceremony and will now move on to the region and state competitions.
Telegraph writers Jeremy Timmerman and Oby Brown contributed to this report.
This story was originally published December 13, 2015 at 9:53 PM with the headline "Education Notebook: MGSU set to hold first fall graduation ."