The speaker for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s 170th commencement ceremony will be James L. Moore III, the assistant director for the directorate for STEM Education (EDU) at the National Science Foundation, according to a news release.
The ceremony will be at 10 a.m. Dec. 14 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. The processional starts at 9:45 a.m. The graduation will also be livestreamed on YouTube.
With an annual budget of more than $1 billion and personnel oversight for nearly 200 employees, he serves as the senior leader for EDU, which supports science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) projects focusing on K-12 education, undergraduate and graduate education, workforce and human resource development, and learning in formal and informal settings.
Prior to his NSF appointment, Moore served for more than five years as The Ohio State University’s vice provost for diversity and inclusion, chief diversity officer and head of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
In addition, Moore is nationally recognized for his work to improve the education of African American males, having served on The Ohio State University’s faculty since 2002. He is the first executive director for the Todd Anthony Bell National Resource Center on the African American Male and is the inaugural College of Education and Human Ecology Distinguished Professor of Urban Education at The Ohio State University.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Moore received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English education from Delaware State University and both his master’s degree in education and doctorate in counselor education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
COMMENCEMENT DETAILS
For guests needing mobility accommodations at the convention center, an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant seating section is reserved for guests needing accessible seating and one additional guest.
ADA parking and seating are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is encouraged. Guests who need to be seated in a wheelchair during the ceremony should bring a one, as they will not be provided for use throughout the ceremony.
The convention center doors will open at 7:30 a.m., and guests should allow extra time for entry. Doors will close once the processional begins at 9:45 a.m. and will not reopen until the graduates are seated in the arena. Metal detectors will be located at the main entrance.
All carried-in items will be searched by security personnel prior to entering the convention center. Prohibited items must be returned to the owner’s vehicle or discarded. Items left at the entrance will be discarded. Any unlawful items are subject to confiscation, and the person in possession of such items is subject to arrest.
The convention center’s clear bag policy will also be enforced. Backpacks, fanny packs and handbags are prohibited. The following items are allowed:
Clear plastic bags (1 per person) no larger than 12″x6″x12″;
One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags (1 per person);
Nontransparent clutch purses or wallets no larger than 1″x4.5″x 6.5″ (1 per person).
Details: UAPBcommencement.com or Registrar Aretha Lacefield at registrar@uapb.edu.