Record Number of Diplomas to be Conferred at Summer Commencement
JONESBORO – For the third straight year, a record number of diplomas will be awarded to students during Arkansas State University’s 2018 summer commencement ceremony, Friday, Aug. 3, at 7 p.m. in the First National Bank Arena, 217 Olympic Drive, in Jonesboro.
Chancellor Kelly Damphousse will confer 1,231 diplomas upon students representing the College of Agriculture, the Neil Griffin College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science, College of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Liberal Arts and Communication, College of Nursing and Health Professions, and College of Sciences and Mathematics. This number exceeds the previous record of 1,096 in 2017 and 952 awarded in the summer of 2016.
Ethan Cooper of Portageville, Mo., will address the gathering on behalf of the graduating class. He is receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and is graduating summa cum laude. He is a student in the Honors Program and a six-time member of the Chancellor’s List.
Dr. Jacob Caton, associate professor of philosophy, will bring remarks on behalf of the faculty. Caton is the winner of the Faculty Achievement Award for Teaching and is known for using an “on call” system in an honors philosophy course, making students randomly responsible for leading class discussion on a given day, and “science in the news” to help create more interest for non-science students.
Following the commencement ceremony, there is a reception for all graduates and families at the north mezzanine with punch and cookies.
Arkansas State’s commencement ceremony will be streamed live at AState.edu/livestream.
