May 7—ALBANY — Albany State University held its 2023 spring commencement on Saturday, and more than 870 students turned their tassel as they became official alumni of the institution. There was excitement in the air at the Albany Civic Center, where the ceremony was held, as families and friends traveled from all around the country to attend the celebration.

Students from the College of Arts and Sciences; the Darton College of Health Professions; the College of Business, Education, and Professional Studies, and the Graduate School participated in the ceremony.

In her opening remarks, ASU President Marion Fedrick urged students to continue to lean upon the knowledge learned during matriculation as they move into the next phase of their lives.

"Each of our students has shown remarkable development in their academic and personal lives," Fedrick said. "We encourage them to continue to uphold excellence as they pursue their goals and never forget the strength that lies within their learning."

Georgia Sen. Sonya M. Halpern, served as the commencement speaker. In her role as senator, she is also the vice chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus and chair of the Fulton County Senate delegation. She has authored/sponsored 10 bills that are now Georgia state law.

Halpern encouraged students to continue learning, saying, "Your life's journey may not be a straight line, but it will be full of opportunities to learn, grow and reinvent yourself. Be someone who embraces the journey and creates your own singular path to success."

During the ceremony, members of the class of 1973 were recognized in celebration of their 50th graduation anniversary.

Many of Saturday's graduates already have secured job offers and graduate school acceptance.

Christian Herrera, a biology graduate, will attend the Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. program at the University of California, Irvine.

MaKya Daniels, a forensic science graduate, will serve as a mental health counselor at Rutledge State Prison.

Cory Calhoun, a nursing graduate, has accepted an emergency room nurse position at Piedmont Macon Medical Center.

Following the conferring of degrees, three ROTC students were commissioned into the U.S. Army as second lieutenants.

Earlier in the week, more than 160 nursing and health sciences students, and 18 education students were pinned in their respective pinning ceremonies. The class of spring 2023 also included dual-enrollment and fully online students.

Family and friends who were unable to attend the commencement in person were provided the opportunity to access the recorded ceremony on the university's YouTube Channel.