Southgate Confers Degrees on Largest Graduating Class in University History

Southgate University conferred degrees on 2,140 undergraduate and graduate students Saturday at its 132nd commencement ceremony, held on the Great Lawn under clear skies. The class was the largest in university history, reflecting five consecutive years of enrollment growth.

President Marianne Okafor addressed graduates alongside commencement speaker Dr. Louis Farraday, a Southgate alumnus and epidemiologist who led public health response efforts in three states. Farraday urged graduates to "choose the harder, more honest path" in their careers.

The ceremony also recognized the first cohort of graduates from the university's accelerated nursing program and the second class to complete the five-year B.S./M.B.A. dual-degree track offered jointly by the College of Arts & Sciences and the Templin School of Business.

Provost Steven Aldrete noted that nearly a third of the graduating class had participated in undergraduate research or a capstone project during their time at Southgate. "That's the kind of learning that stays with you long after the degree," he said.