April 30, 2004

For information contact: Kimberly Stark (901) 333-4024 or (901) 489-4771 -- Marilyn Duncan (901) 333-4247

THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL EDITOR WILL BE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER TO 1,061 SOUTHWEST GRADUATES AT MAY CEREMONY

Southwest Tennessee Community College will hold its annual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 8, 2004 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mid-South Coliseum. This year’s graduating class consists of 1,061 students.

The graduating class includes 603 candidates for the Associate of Applied Science Degree, 17 candidates for the Associate of Arts Degree, 154 candidates for the Associate of Science Degree, and 287 candidates for Technical Certificates.

This year the graduates include 61 students who will graduate Summa Cum Laude for achieving a grade-point average of 3.8 through 4.0. There are 126 students who will graduate Magna Cum Laude for achieving grade-point averages of 3.50 through 3.79 and another 148 students gradating Cum Laude for achieving grade-point averages of 3.25 through 3.40.

Chris Peck, Editor of The Commercial Appeal, will be this year’s commencement speaker. Peck is a journalist who knows the newspaper business from the floor up; he started his career at age 11 as the janitor at his family-owned newspaper. During his career, Peck has moved seamlessly between practicing journalism roles on the editorial side and a variety of education, advisory and organizational positions to enhance and elevate standards and practices of the journalism profession.

During the ceremony awards will be presented for Academic Excellence, Alumni of the Year, William W. Farris Faculty Service Award that the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy.

Southwest, Tennessee’s largest two-year college, serves more than 12,000 students in Memphis, Shelby and Fayette counties, and the Tri-State area.

Southwest offers 39 programs for career studies and transfer, 37 two-year programs leading to immediate career entry through the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree, and more than 40 areas of interest in traditional university transfer programs through the Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree and the Associate of Science (A.S.) degree.

In addition, Southwest offers Academic Certificate and Technical Certificate programs in 28 areas. Technical certificates are usually completed in no more than one year, and prepare students for immediate entry positions in high-demand, specialized fields.

Southwest, a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.