Hartsville, S.C. --  Coker College’s 99th commencement will be held  on Saturday, May 5 beginning at 9 a.m. in the Courtyard at Davidson Hall at the center of campus. United States Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) will deliver the keynote address and receive an honorary doctorate of law. More than 190 students are expected to participate in the commencement ceremony.

Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002, Graham serves on five committees: Armed Services, Judiciary, Budget, Veterans Affairs, and Agriculture. He is known for being an independent leader committed to conservative reform. Graham has fought to balance the federal budget, provide tax relief, keep the military adequately funded and prepared, and return control of education back to parents and teachers.

Graham grew up in Central, S.C., graduated from D.W. Daniel High School, and earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina. In 1992, after four years of private law practice, Graham was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. Two years later, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first Republican to represent the state’s Third Congressional District in Washington, DC, since 1877.  Graham lives in Seneca, S.C.

Graham is the only U.S. Senator currently serving in the National Guard or Reserves. He is a colonel assigned to the Air Force JAG School as a Senior Instructor. During the first Gulf War, Graham served as Staff Judge Advocate at McEntire Air National Guard Base in Columbia, S.C., earning a commendation medal for service.

During Coker’s 99th commencement, the college faculty will present the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for excellence of character and service to humanity to Anna White Hill of Hartsville and graduating senior Ashley Schaum of Columbia. Hill has a long record of service to the community and Schaum is a campus leader, accomplished student-athlete and a community volunteer. The Class of 2007 will also announce the Master Professor and the Staff Person-of-the-Year awards.

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April 25, 2007