University of Arkansas – Fort Smith will host its 107th Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, December 17, with more than 600 students slated to cross the stage.
Graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences will be honored at 10 a.m., and graduates of the College of Business and Industry and the College of Health, Education, and Human Sciences will be honored at 1 p.m. Both ceremonies will be at the Stubblefield Center on the UAFS campus at 5402 Kinkead Ave.
The commencements will be live-streamed on the UAFS YouTube channel.
Arkansas Rep. and Senator-elect Justin Boyd will be the guest speaker for both ceremonies. Boyd will be sworn in as a senator in the 94thGeneral Assembly of the Arkansas Legislature on Jan. 1. A graduate of UAFS, class of 1995, Dr. Boyd is the owner and pharmacist at Coleman Pharmacy of Alma. He earned an MBA at the Walton College of Business. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy at the UAMS College of Pharmacy.
Among the 600 students crossing the stage at Saturday’s commencement, 708 degrees and certificates will be awarded: 3 master’s degrees, 299 bachelor’s degrees, 292 associate degrees, 24 technical certificates, and 90 certificates of proficiency.
One of those bachelor’s degrees will be awarded to Emilee Hatwig of Alma, who will graduate with a degree in English with Teacher Licensure. Reflecting on her time at UAFS, she noted that “sometimes learning happens outside of the classroom.”
“Beyond the content material, I’ve learned how important having a balance of the various facets of my life is,” Hatwig said. “To be an effective teacher or student, I need to take care of myself as a person. That way I can help others more effectively.”
