MSU Spring Commencement is May 12

Morehead State University will hold its 2018 Spring Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 12, at the Academic-Athletic Center. During the two programs, President Joseph A. (Jay) Morgan will confer degrees on nearly 1,200 graduate and undergraduate students.

The first commencement program will start at 10 a.m. Candidates from the College of Education and Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences will participate.

Jeffery Tyler Syck of Pikeville will be the morning commencement speaker for the Caudill College. He is the oldest son of Jeffery and Laura Syck. He is a candidate for a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and history.

At Morehead State, Syck was awarded a full academic scholarship through the George M. Luckey Jr. Academic Honors Program. He has served for three years as president of the honors student body, as a founding member and vice president of the Cicero Society, as the founding president of the Residence Hall Association, and in various roles in the Student Government Association.

He has been active in undergraduate research under the mentorship of Dr. Jonathan Pidluzny since his freshman year. His research has focused on American political thought and American political development. Since receiving the fellowship, he has presented at eight conferences including the Midwest Political Science Association and the Southern Regional Honors Conference. Because of his research, Syck has been invited to two separate colloquiums on American political thought in Philadelphia hosted by the Liberty Fund.

After graduation, Syck plans to attend graduate school at the University of Virginia and pursue a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Political Science. His ambition is to become a professor so that he can mentor future generations of students.

The afternoon commencement program will start at 2 p.m. Students in the College of Business and Technology and the College of Science will participate.

Maggie Fleming Pollitt of Hillsboro will be this year’s afternoon commencement speaker for the College of Science. She is the daughter of Jackie and Nina Pollitt of Hillsboro.

She is a candidate for a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical sciences.

Pollitt has been active in undergraduate research under the mentorship of Dr. Kurt Gibbs studying spinal cord injury for three years.

A first-generation college student, Pollitt has retained a cumulative GPA of 4.0 and has made the dean’s list every semester.

She has been an active member of the Chi Omega sorority for the past four years, serving as an executive board member in the positions of treasurer and recruitment chair. A former student advisor for the Upward Bound Math and Science program, Pollitt has given back to the community via the Make-A-Wish Foundation and by volunteering in various service activities throughout her time at Morehead State.

Pollitt traveled to the Dominican Republic for two weeks during the winter break of 2016 to learn about health facilities. In the Dominican Republic, she volunteered at a local orphanage and participated in learning experiences to examine the underlying causes of health care disparities.

At Morehead State, she was a member of the George M. Luckey Jr. Academic Honors Program. She presented research at the Kentucky Honors Roundtable, Southern Regional Honors Conference, and MSU’s Celebration of Student Scholarship. She was chosen as the representative for the College of Science for the Idea Festival in 2015.

After graduation, she plans to attend law school at the University of Cincinnati where she has been awarded a full-tuition scholarship as a member of the inaugural class of the Taft Scholars Program.

For the commencement exercises, the grand marshal and mace bearer will be Dr. Janelle M. Hare.

Faculty marshals will be Dr. Frances L. Helphinstine, professor of English and Dr. Julia Ann Hypes, associate professor of sports management.

Student marshals will be:

• Kennedy Victoria Haught and Aaron Phillip Zucherman Graduate Programs
• Sarah Jane Elam and Kimberly Brooke Meade, College of Science
• Allie Marae McKenzie and Benjamin Walker Moore, College of Business and Technology
• Morgan Diana Caldwell and Nathaniel Scott Juniper, College of Education
• Ross Michael Haney and Miranda Kay Johnson, Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Matthew Hammond will sing the national anthem and Dr. Eric Brown will lead the alma mater.

ROTC students will be commissioned as part of each program.

Following the ceremony, the newest alumni will be inducted into the MSU Alumni Association, Inc. by its president, Jason Rainey.

No large bags or backpacks will be permitted in the AAC during the ceremonies and commuter buses will run from the U.S. 60 lot to the AAC.

Additional information on spring commencement exercises is available by calling 606-783-2008 or visit www.moreheadstate.edu/graduation.

View Live Stream of Commencement Ceremonies