National radio talk show host named summer commencement speaker

Self-described as a "militant moderate" and "voice of reason," radio talk show host Jim Bohannon will share his wit and wisdom to a sea of graduates during two summer commencement ceremonies at 9 a.m. and noon at the University of North Georgia (UNG) July 29 in Memorial Gym on the Dahlonega Campus.

During the 9 a.m. ceremony, Bohannon will speak to graduates of the College of Arts and Letters, College of Science and Mathematics, University College, and the Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis. At the noon ceremony, he will address graduates of the Mike Cottrell College of Business, College of Education, and the College of Health Science and Professions.

Bohannon is a veteran broadcaster, nationally syndicated through Westwood One Radio Network with The Jim Bohannon Show. On his program – which can be heard Monday through Friday on more than 300 radio stations across the nation – Bohannon talks about a unique mix of topics spanning politics and pop culture, interesting features and informative reports.

His 50-plus-year career has garnered him several accolades. Bohannon has been voted one of “The 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts in America” by TALKERS Magazine three years in a row. He was nominated for the National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Radio Award for the Network Syndicated Personality of the Year. He is a recipient of a First Amendment Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association and was named by the TALKERS magazine editorial board as the 2013 recipient of the publication’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2003.

Tickets are required for each commencement ceremony. Students who have applied for summer graduation can pick up graduation packets, which include the designated amount of tickets, at their home campus bookstore the week before graduation. Graduates are instructed to read through all information and instructions given in the graduation packets, and should arrive 45 minutes prior to graduation to prepare and line-up for the ceremony. Graduates and guests should allow extra time for traffic and parking when arriving for the ceremony.

Graduates and guests are asked to share their success via social media using #UNG17grad; posts and photos using the hashtag can be viewed before, during and after the weekend’s ceremony at UNG17grad.

Separate commissioning ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, July 28, for members of the Corps of Cadets entering the armed forces as second lieutenants. Individual commissioning ceremonies for the 18 cadets will recognize their service and leadership, and formally mark their entry into the U.S. armed forces.

To find more information about summer commencement, including details and instructions for graduates and guests, visit UNG's commencement web page.