Commencement exercises for Lander University’s spring graduating class of 2023 will be held on Wednesday, May 3, in Finis Horne Arena.
Graduates from the College of Business, College of Education, and the School of Nursing will be awarded their degrees during an 11 a.m. ceremony. Arena doors will open for guests at 10 a.m. and close 15 minutes before the ceremony begins.
Graduates from the College of Arts & Humanities, College of Behavioral & Social Sciences, College of Science & Mathematics, and the Interdisciplinary Studies program will be awarded their degrees during a ceremony at 3 p.m. Arena doors will open for guests at 2 p.m. and close 15 minutes before the ceremony begins.
South Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor, Pamela S. Evette, will serve as the keynote speaker for the 11 a.m. ceremony. Evette has served under Governor Henry McMaster since 2018. Prior to taking office, she was a member of the South Carolina Small Business Regulatory Review Committee, which carefully reviews proposed regulations and their potential impact on small businesses in the state. As Lt. Governor, she has dedicated her time and talents to highlighting the state’s thriving small business ecosystem and attracting new businesses to South Carolina.
Dr. Lucas McMillan, dean of Lander’s College of Behavioral and Social Sciences will serve as the keynote speaker for the 3 p.m. ceremony. A professor of political science, McMillan teaches courses in American and international politics and is the recipient of the 2011 Young Faculty Scholar Award and the Stranch Endowed Professorship for Teaching Excellence from 2012 to 2014. He received a “Stars Under 40 Award” from the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and is a former trustee of The Self Family Foundation. A former president of the South Carolina Political Science Association, McMillan currently serves on the boards of the Alston Wilkes Society and South Carolina Humanities.
Tickets are required to enter Horne Arena. Latecomers and those without tickets will be directed to the Abney Cultural Center Auditorium, where the ceremony will be broadcast via livestream. Official graduation tickets are provided free of charge to graduates by the Registrar’s Office. The University does not sell tickets, and any “virtual tickets” purchased online are not valid.
To accommodate those unable to attend in person, the University will livestream both ceremonies on the Lander website at www.lander.edu.
Parking is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests with limited mobility or physical disabilities may be dropped off at the Willson Street entrance.
The University’s clear bag policy will be enforced in both Finis Horne Arena and the Abney Cultural Center Auditorium. Metal detectors will be used at entrances and all items are subject to search. Guests are encouraged to arrive early in order to allow time for parking, security screening and seating. For more information, see www.lander.edu/graduation.