Chattanooga, TN --- International education consultant, Dr. Anthony O. Fisher will address Chattanooga State Community College graduates during Commencement on May 11^th at 10 a.m. at Memorial Auditorium.

Dr. Fisher is the director of external relations and head of the International Office of the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies in Barbados. He negotiates study abroad agreements and exchange partnerships with other universities. In addition, he acts as a liaison with international organizations, the diplomatic community, and the private sector to create value centers on the Cave Hill campus.

Chattanooga State will award 499 associate of art (AA), associate of science (AS), and associate of science in teaching (AST) degrees; 720 associate of applied science (AAS) degrees; 294 embedded certificates, and 225 technical certificates for a total of 1,738 degrees and certificates in the college division. There are 94 summa cum laude, 120 magna cum laude and 138 cum laude graduates in the Class of 2013. The majority of the graduates, 58 percent, are female.

The largest number of graduates, 449, are in transfer programs. Many of them will continue their education at a four-year college to earn a Bachelor’s degree. The engineering technology and nursing programs are second and third, respectively, on the list of most graduates. Emergency medical technician basic EMT leads the way in conferring the most technical certificates at 54. While the most embedded certificates are in advanced process technology, which has 125.

Middle College High School at Chattanooga State has a total of 59 graduates with 22 of those graduates simultaneously receiving an associate degree. Jessica Paige Coonely is valedictorian. Amy Michelle Fricks and Keegan S. Spranker are co-salutatorians.

Several Chattanooga State faculty and staff members will retire this year. The list includes Fran Beaver, technical clerk, Distributed Education; Larry Bray, counselor, Career Services; Tina Burks, custodian, Plant Operations; Joyce Campbell, associate professor, Nursing; Deed Carroll, maintenance worker, Plant Operations; George Copeland, computer lab technician, IT Services; Paula Cureton, cook lead worker, Food Services; Leon Daniel, assistant professor, Business & Information Technologies; Wilkie Green, associate professor, Social & Behavioral Sciences; Connie Hitchcock, associate professor, Business & Information Technologies; Tisa Houck, librarian 1, Library Services; Sharon King, library assistant 1, Library Services; Regina Kivelipoor, secretary 3, Middle College High School; Sara Kuhn, professor, Humanities & Fine Arts; Quinetta Norma, secretary 3, Advising; Jeronnie Phillips, specialist, Learning Support; Janice Smith, account clerk 3, Business Office; Cynthia Swafford, professor/dean, Nursing; Elaine Swafford, vice president, Student Affairs; Glenda Varner, secretary 3, Business & Information Technologies; Kathy Veal, instructor, LPN-TTC, and Laura Young, assistant librarian 1, Library Services.

Chattanooga State Community College is a comprehensive, regionally accredited community college, governed by the policies and guidelines as set forth by the Tennessee Board of Regents.  Chattanooga State’s mission is to transform the lives of individuals and to develop the capacities of the business and industrial communities through technical and postsecondary education.  Founded in 1965, the college serves a six-county area in Southeast Tennessee and offers more than 50 educational programs. You can become our friend on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ChattState, or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ChattStateCC.