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East Tennessee State University will celebrate 2,012 members of the Class of 2025 at its commencement exercises May 9-10.

“Commencement is a highlight of the academic year because it celebrates both achievement and potential,” said ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland. “Our graduates leave ETSU ready to lead, serve and innovate. Their success reflects the strength of our university and its mission to improve the quality of life for the people of the region and beyond.”

On Friday, May 9, Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy (10 a.m.) and Quillen College of Medicine (2 p.m.) will hold their hooding and commencement ceremonies for the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and Medical Doctor (M.D.) graduates at the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts.

Graduates from the remaining colleges will celebrate on Saturday, May 10, in ETSU’s Ballad Health Athletic Center.

“This year’s May 10 commencement ceremonies will feature two extraordinary keynote speakers whose deep ties to ETSU are matched only by their far-reaching impact on education,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

On Saturday, May 10, the 10 a.m. ceremony will honor graduates of the Clemmer College of Education and Human Development and the colleges of Public Health and Arts and Sciences. Missy Testerman, the 2024 National Teacher of the Year, is the keynote speaker for the morning ceremony.

A Tennessee native and first-generation college graduate, Testerman holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and a Master of Arts in reading education from ETSU. She is a kindergarten through eighth grade English as a Second Language teacher and program director at Rogersville City School, where she also directs their summer camps program.

The 2:30 p.m. ceremony will honor graduates from the colleges of Nursing, Health Sciences, and Business and Technology, as well as graduates receiving a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy studies or a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences. Dr. Nancy Dishner, a lifelong champion for educational access and excellence, is the keynote speaker at the afternoon ceremony.

Dishner is president and CEO emeritus of the Niswonger Foundation board. Her legacy includes transformative leadership at ETSU and statewide influence through organizations dedicated to literacy and early education.

The inaugural class of ETSU’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.) program will also be among this year’s May graduates.

As guests and graduates prepare to enjoy these special celebrations, please take note of the following event details:

• Doors open to both guests and graduates 60 minutes before each ceremony.

• Plan to come early to give yourself enough time to park and go through security.

• A clear bag policy is in place, similar to football games, so plan ahead and do not bring gift-wrapped packages.

Ceremonies will be streamed live. Both ceremonies can be viewed on ETSU’s commencement website: www.etsu.edu/commencement.