Contact: Dr. Donna M. Simon (304) 766-3363 dsimon@wvstateu.edu

INSTITUTE, W.Va. – More than 260 students will graduate from West Virginia State University (WVSU) on Saturday, May 11, during two commencement ceremonies to be held on the school’s Main Lawn at the Institute campus.
The first ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. and will be for students graduating from the College of Professional Studies, the largest of the four colleges at WVSU.
The second ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. and will be for students graduating from the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business and Social Sciences and the College of Natural Science and Mathematics.
Both commencements will take place on the Main Lawn south of Ferrell Hall. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremonies will occur in the P. Ahmed Williams Auditorium, which is located on the second floor of Ferrell Hall.
Kanawha County Delegate Doug Skaff Jr. will be the commencement speaker for both ceremonies. He serves as the managing partner for his family owned business — Building & Remodeling Warehouse in Nitro, which distributes building material products to contractors, remodelers and do-it-yourself homeowners with a focus on selling products made in West Virginia. Skaff also serves as the vice president of Skaff Development Co. in South Charleston, where he works with his father in commercial and residential development.
Skaff was first elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2008. He currently serves as Chairman of the Small Business & Economic Development Committee, and he also serves on the Finance Committee and Roads & Transportation.
In addition, during the 10 a.m. ceremony two WVSU ROTC Cadets, Ashley J. Bish and John D. Smith Jr., will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army.
The WVSU Band, under the direction of Scott Woodard, will provide music at both commencement ceremonies, and the WVSU Choir will also be performing.
WVSU holds commencements in December and May of each year.