Graduation Ceremony
Arrival/Assembly for Academic Procession
Graduates must present themselves in cap and gown, with pronouncer card, promptly at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, May 5, 2012, at the Landers Center, formerly the DeSoto Civic Center. Graduates only should enter the Landers Center through the West [Nissan] entrance. College marshals will help direct graduates to the appropriate line-up areas and lead the procession into the commencement ceremony beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Seats cannot be held for graduates who arrive late. Graduates are prohibited from using mobile phones or other communication devices during the procession and ceremony.
Graduates will line-up in alphabetical order with their pronouncer card which will be distributed at the GRAD Fair.
Etiquette
Alcoholic beverages, musical instruments, noisemakers, balloons, streamers, silly string, camera tripods, and celebratory food items are prohibited in the Landers Center and may be confiscated by the Landers Center staff. No one carrying, or under the influence of alcoholic beverages will be allowed entry to the ceremony.
Cell Phones
The use of cellular phones is disruptive to both participants and guests. Please refrain from using all phones.
Smoke Free
The Landers Center is a smoke-free environment. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.
Speaker(s)
Commencement Speaker-Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell
Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell was born in Jackson, Tennessee and spent his early years in Bells, Tennessee. He moved to Memphis as a teenager and graduated from Bartlett High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Union University and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Memphis.
His first job after college was teaching history at Bradford County High School, Starke, Florida. He served two years in the Army, stationed in Louisiana, Texas and Germany. Returning to Memphis, Mayor Luttrell began his career in criminal justice at the Shelby County Penal Farm serving as the vocational training director.
He joined the United States Bureau of Prisons in 1977 and served with that organization until his retirement in 1999. He also served as warden of federal prisons in Texarkana, Texas, Manchester, Kentucky and Memphis, Tennessee. He was then appointed Director of the Shelby County Division of Corrections and served there until his election as Sheriff in 2002 and again in 2006.
During his tenure, the Shelby County Jail men's and women's divisions were removed from federal court oversight and went on to receive national accreditation by the American Corrections Association. The jail medical units also received separate national accreditation certifications.
Additionally, the law enforcement division of the Sheriff's Office was also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies. As sheriff, he graduated from the FBI National Executive Institute (NEI) and in 2009 was named "Sheriff of the Year" by the National Sheriffs' Association. He was also selected as Lawman of the Year for the Kiwanis' Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee Districts.
Now Mayor Luttrell continues his desire to help Shelby County become one of the most effective and efficient governments in the nation.
He is a member of the Germantown Kiwanis Club and serves as a board member of the Memphis-Shelby Crime Commission, Operation Safe Community, Memphis Second Chance, University of Memphis Arts and Sciences Advisory, Union University Alumni Advisory and a member of Second Baptist Church.
Mayor Luttrell is a Leadership Memphis graduate and a distinguished recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award of the University of Memphis, College of Arts and Sciences.
He and his wife, Pat, have three children; Lynnette, Mark and Margaret and five grandchildren.
Student Speaker-Erin Mullinax
To be successful, it is said that one needs to have stability, determination, and a goal. For most, stability means attending similar schools, meeting friends at a favorite hangout, and developing bonds that last a lifetime. This was not the path of student speaker Erin Mullinax who will address Southwest Tennessee Community College's Class of 2012 during the commencement ceremony on May 5, at 10:30 a.m. at the Landers Center in Southaven, MS.
Life began in Saratoga Springs, New York. Around age nine, the military family moved to California, to Georgia, and eventually overseas to Belgium where Mullinax graduated from SHAPE American High School. Moving to be near her parents, she met her husband in Virginia and later moved to Memphis. Finally some stability, until she was laid off due to the recession.
This year's student speaker will graduate with an Associate of Science, University Parallel Engineering degree. Mullinax has served Southwest as President of the Honors Academy, Vice President of Service for Phi Theta Kappa, and a member of the Service Learning Club. Because of her involvement, Mullinax has received numerous awards and accolades including, a Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise scholarship, a member of the All-TN USA Academic Team, Tennessee Regional Honors Conference presenter, St. Jude Marathon first place in College fundraising (Southwest) team member, and a National Community College Aerospace Scholar for NASA.
After graduation, Mullinax will pursue a dual bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and mathematics and has applied to several universities including the Rochester Institute of Technology and Yale. Her ultimate goal is to earn a doctorate degree in electrical engineering and open her own engineering firm. Mullinax says it took a couple of years to find her way to college and her journey has been rewarding. She hopes to continue on her chosen path with the same level of achievement that she experienced at Southwest.
Rehearsal
There will be no rehearsal for commencement. Caps, gowns, and graduation information will be distributed at the GRAD Fair which will be held May 1-2, 2012.
Diplomas
Diplomas are inscribed with the College name, degree title, graduates name, date of award, and academic honor. On all diplomas with Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, the major and concentration are listed on the diploma. All diplomas with University Parallel Associate of Arts (A.A.) or University Parallel Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees will list the respective Associate of Arts or Associate of Science. Diploma covers are presented at commencement. All graduates will receive notification via U.S. mail indicating the dates and times for diploma pick-up.
Photographs
A photo will be taken as you receive your diploma. Mangiante Photography, will contact you directly about your proofs several weeks after the ceremony. Please include correct contact information on the pronouncer card that you pass to the announcer. If you need to contact Mangiante Photography, call 901-767-6555 or 866-690-PICS (7427).
Graduation Honors
Graduation honors for the ceremony are determined by using college level grade point average for coursework through the fall semester. Graduates who are attending the ceremony and are eligible for academic honors will be given gold tassels when they pick up their cap and gown.
Graduates who are members of Phi Theta Kappa and are interested in purchasing Phi Theta Kappa regalia must do so by contacting Phi Theta Kappa Recognitions Services. Orders may be made by telephone at 800-946-9996, or online, at Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society Recognitions Online. Graduates are free to wear any of the regalia items sold. To order regalia, graduates must provide their membership number. If you are unsure of your membership number, please contact your Phi Theta Kappa or Alpha Beta Gamma advisor. If you are a member of the Honors Academy, please contact Doug Branch at 901-333-4483.
Services for Students with Disabilities
Graduates with special needs are asked to contact Verties Sails, III at 901-333-4223 or 901-333-5116, in Student Disability Services (SDS) no later than April 20, 2012.
Commencement Seating for Guests with Disabilities
Guests who are hearing impaired or who arrive in their own wheelchairs may be seated in specially designated seating sections of the Landers Center. An interpreter will be present to accommodate individuals with hearing impairment. The Landers Center does not provide loaner wheelchairs.
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