LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — First lady Michelle Obama will speak at Eastern Kentucky University commencement ceremonies in May and also receive an honorary doctorate, the school said Thursday.
Obama is one of three speakers for the commencement at the school’s Richmond campus May 11. The other two are Kentucky author Silas House and former University of Kentucky President Charles Wethington.
The first lady will address graduates from the College of Education and the College of Business and Technology in the last three ceremonies of the day. She will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, EKU said in a news release.
A news release from the White House said EKU was chosen as part of Obama’s efforts to support veterans and military families. EKU has numerous programs and services in place designed to help veterans further their education.
“It is very gratifying to know that Eastern’s national reputation for supporting veterans and military families has been recognized by the White House,” said Doug Whitlock, who is retiring this year as president of EKU.
EKU is home to more than 1,200 veterans and their dependents, the school said. It earned a No. 1 national ranking in 2010 and 2012 from Military Times magazine in its annual “Best for Vets: Colleges” issues.
The three ceremonies will recognize a total of 2,428 degree candidates. EKU has about 16,000 students.
Obama is scheduled to speak at 7:30 p.m. EDT, and the ceremony will be restricted to those holding tickets, the school said. Graduating students, in addition to receiving one ticket each for personal use, will receive six additional tickets for use by family members; remaining tickets will be distributed by general lottery.
Those who wish to submit a request for general lottery tickets must complete a form at http://registrar.eku.edu/lottery by May 3. The submissions will be randomly selected, EKU said.
The ceremony, as well as two earlier in the day, will be streamed live from www.eku.edu.
The White House also announced that Mrs. Obama will address graduates at Bowie State University in Bowie, Md., on May 17. She’s also speaking to graduating seniors at the Martin Luther King Academic Magnet High School for Health Sciences and Engineering in Nashville, Tenn., on May 18.
Wethington, president at UK from 1990 to 2001, will speak at a 9 a.m. ceremony for the Colleges of Health Sciences and Justice & Safety. The EKU graduate and Casey County native will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
House, an author, educator and environmental activist, will speak at a 1:30 ceremony for the College of Arts & Sciences. The Laurel County native, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English from EKU in 1993, is the author of “Clay’s Quilt,” ”The Coal Tattoo” and other novels. He will be given an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.
