American Bar CEO, education leader to address graduates

The University of North Georgia (UNG) will honor almost 800 graduates in two commencement ceremonies Dec. 17 at the Convocation Center on UNG's Dahlonega Campus.

Jack L. Rives will address graduates of the College of Arts and Letters, University College, College of Science & Mathematics, and Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis at the 10 a.m. ceremony. Dr. Belle Wheelan will serve as keynote speaker for graduates of the Mike Cottrell College of Business, College of Health Sciences and Professions, and College of Education at the 2 p.m. ceremony. 

Rives is the executive director of the American Bar Association (ABA), which is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. He oversees an ABA staff of more than 1,000 and a consolidated budget of more than $200 million.

Rives is a University of Georgia alumnus, having received both his Bachelor of Arts in political science degree and law degree there. Following graduation from law school, he began a 33-year career in the United States Air Force as a military attorney, or judge advocate (JAG). He served as The Judge Advocate General of the United States Air Force, the senior U.S. Air Force attorney, and was the first military attorney to attain the three-star rank of lieutenant general. Rives led some 4,600 legal professionals worldwide, including 2,600 active-duty, reserve-component and civilian lawyers. Among his many military awards and decorations are the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Defense Superior Service Medal.

Wheelan is the first African-American and the first woman to serve as president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, a position she has held since 2005. Her career spans more than 40 years and includes the roles of faculty member, chief student services officer, campus provost, college president, and Virginia Secretary of Education. In several of those roles, she was the first African-American and/or woman to serve in those capacities.

Wheelan received her bachelor's degree from Trinity University in Texas with a double major in psychology and sociology; her master's from Louisiana State University in developmental educational psychology; and her doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin in educational administration with a special concentration in community college leadership.

She has received numerous awards and recognition, including six honorary degrees.

Graduate and ticket information

To accommodate the process, graduates are encouraged to arrive one hour before their ceremony dressed in their gown and cap with its tassel.

To attend, all guests 2 years old and older must have a ticket. Each graduate is issued up to six tickets, which can be printed or shown electronically.

Students who do not use their allotted tickets can donate them by emailing University Events at universityevents@ung.edu. After the ticket-claiming period ends at 11:55 p.m. Nov. 9, any unclaimed or unused tickets will be electronically distributed to graduates who requested additional tickets. More ticket information is available on the commencement website.

For those unable to attend the in-person event, the ceremonies will be streamed live on UNG's Facebook page and the commencement website. UNG encourages everyone to celebrate their graduates with the hashtag #UNG22grad on social media.

Individual commissioning ceremonies for 27 members of the Corps of Cadets entering the U.S. Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve will be held Dec. 16 at the Pennington Military Leadership Center. The events will recognize their service and leadership and formally mark their entrance into the military as second lieutenants. These graduates will also be commissioned collectively during the commencement ceremony.