FORT VALLEY, Ga. — It got several 'degrees' hotter at Fort Valley State University Saturday morning as the graduating class of 2023 walked across the stage in Wildcat Stadium.
The 82nd spring commencement ceremony began with the national anthem, and featured other songs like 'Lift Every Voice.'
The featured speaker was William F. Pickard, the founder and executive chairman of Global Automotive Alliance Manufacturing and Chain management.
Pickard is a native of LaGrange, Georgia, and Black Enterprise honored him as one of the 50 most influential Black entrepreneurs over the past 50 years.
69 students graduated with honors, and the Valedictorian of the class was Marian Perez, who is a plant science biotech major with a 4.0 GPA.
The oldest graduate was Roger M. Green, who is 82-years-old. He received his 4th bachelor's degree, and is from Des Moines, Iowa.
FVSU was named the top public HBCU in Georgia by the US World Report for the 5th consecutive year, and their Veterinary Technology program is the only one in Georgia.