U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Cedric D. George, deputy director of Resource Integration at USAF Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and a former commander of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex, will be the keynote speaker Thursday, May 14, at Middle Georgia State College’s final commencement ceremonies as a state college.

The college, which will become a state university on July 1, will hold two ceremonies — one at 10 a.m.and another at 2 p.m. – at the Macon Coliseum. More than 1,200 students are candidates for graduation.

George is responsible for the planning, programming, and budgeting of weapons systems sustainment, equipment, logistics and installations. George earned a master of science in management from Troy State University in Alabama early in his career while serving as a project engineer at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts. A graduate of the ROTC program at Norwich University in Vermont, he has held key leadership positions at the wing, major command and Air Staff levels, has been awarded several military awards and decorations, and was named the 2014 USAF Stars and Stripes Black Engineer of the Year.

The 10 a.m. ceremony will include graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Information Technology, and GAMES (Georgia Academy of Aviation, Mathematics, Engineering and Science). The 2 p.m. ceremony will include graduates of the School of Aviation, School of Business and School of Health Sciences.

Joining George in addressing this year’s graduates will be Nadine Julia Epperson of Kathleen, the 2015 President’s Scholar at Middle Georgia State College, who earned her bachelor of arts in new media and communications. Each year, the student speaker is selected by the president based on exceptional academic achievement, involvement in student life and promise of a successful future. Epperson graduates summa cum laude with a 3.97 GPA and is also an honors program graduate. She served as editor-in-chief of The Statement student newspaper for two years, demonstrating excellent leadership abilities. In 2014, she received the award for Outstanding Academic Excellence in New Media and Communications, presented by the Department of Media, Culture and the Arts. She currently is a marketing intern for WinShape Camps in metro Atlanta. This fall, she will transition to the position of restaurant marketing director for a Chick-fil-A in Atlanta.

Epperson and her fellow graduates will be the final graduating class of Middle Georgia State College — and the first MGA Knights to hold a “Reunion Zero” in collaboration with Macon’s College Hill Alliance. The inaugural graduation week events – held so graduates can celebrate their time at MGA and in the Middle Georgia community, as well as this milestone in their lives – will include live music, food at Lake Tobesofkee, an outdoor movie on campus and activities in downtown Macon.

Of the approximately 1,233 candidates for graduation, 714 are set to receive bachelor’s degrees:

College of Arts and Sciences: 441

Bachelor of Arts: 48
Bachelor of Science: 158 
Associate of Arts: 95

Associate of Science: 139

Certificate: 1

School of Aviation: 86

Bachelor of Science: 40

Associate of Applied Science: 24

Associate of Science: 9

Certificate: 13

School of Business: 207

Bachelor of Science: 138

Associate of Science: 69

School of Education: 93

Bachelor of Science: 71

Associate of Science: 22

School of Health Sciences: 304

Bachelor of Science: 177

Associate of Science: 127

School of Information Technology: 84
Bachelor of Science: 82
Associate of Science: 2

GAMES (Georgia Academy of Aviation, Mathematics, Engineering and Science): 18
Associate of Science: 18

Additional details on 2015 commencement for Middle Georgia State are available at:http://www.mga.edu/graduation/default.aspx