As we welcome our new students, we will soon be graduating many of our seniors and graduate students this fall. Graduate School Commencement is set for Friday, December 13, and the Undergraduate Ceremony is on Saturday, December 14. Plenty of career and other events are planned between now and then to get our fall graduates ready for the next steps in life. Also, Grad Finale, the one-stop shop to purchase regalia and other items, is set for October 1-2 in the VSU Bookstore on campus and online. Discounts are available for those who purchase their cap and gown during Grad Finale. You can learn more about Commencement and Grad Finale at the links below.

Home football games at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium this fall are full of fun and free food for VSU students. It begins on the Friday before the game with a pep rally at noon at Converse Square by the Student Union. Then on Friday night, students can head to downtown Valdosta for Blazers Downtown. Businesses will be offering discounts to students who present their VSU ID from 6 – 10 p.m. Transit stops will allow students to be transported downtown and back to campus. Then on game day, the student tailgate kicks off four hours before each home game at the UC Grass Lot on the corner of Stater Street and Brookwood.

This past weekend was Family Weekend, and I saw many families spending time on campus with their student. The schedule was packed full of great events and tours like at the Copeland African American Museum, catching a show at the Planetarium, experiencing the AFROTC Flight Simulator, enjoying the Student Recreation Center, and so much more. The stands at Saturday night's football game against Fayetteville State were packed with families, and I hope you all enjoyed the big 34-0 win!