Teresa MacCartney keynote speaker at Georgia Southwestern commencement

AMERICUS — Georgia Southwestern State University will hold its fall 2024 commencement ceremonies Thursday in the Convocation Hall of the Student Success Center, also known as the Storm Dome.

Graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Computing, and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences will be recognized during a 10 a.m. ceremony, while graduates from the College of Education will be honored at a 2 p.m. ceremony. These ceremonies celebrate the achievements of more than 600 students, with approximately 415 graduates from the fall and summer 2024 semesters walking in the ceremony.

The commencement speaker will be Teresa MacCartney, chief operating officer of the University System of Georgia and former interim president of GSW. She currently oversees the system’s overall operations for all 26 of USG’s public colleges and universities. This includes defining and evaluating solutions for USG objectives in the departments of information technology, cybersecurity, real estate and facilities, legal affairs, human resources, safety and security, leadership and institutional development, as well as strategic implementation.

MacCartney previously served as USG’s executive vice chancellor for administration (2019-2021) and as acting chancellor (2021-2022). Before joining the USG, she served as Georgia’s chief financial officer as well as executive director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. She has held a number of leadership roles throughout state government, including with the Georgia Student Finance Commission and Georgia Department of Education. In the past, she has served on various boards, including as chairman of Leadership Georgia and on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Lottery Corporation. Currently, she serves on the board of the Georgia Higher Education Facilities Authority.

MacCartney earned both a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a Master of Public Administration degree from Georgia Southern University. She lives in Cobb County with her family.

Guests are encouraged to arrive up to an hour before the ceremony to allow ample time for parking and seating arrangements. Doors to the inside of the Convocation Hall will close five minutes before the ceremony begins. Accessible parking and seating accommodations will be available for those in need. Overflow rooms will be available for late-comers and guests with restless children.

The ceremony will be live-streamed on GSW’s YouTube channel for those unable to attend at www.youtube.com/GeorgiaSouthwestern. Visit gsw.edu/graduation for more information on GSW’s commencement ceremony, including directions on where to park.

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