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Lee University will hold its 190th commencement ceremonies May 3-4. Dr. David Ramirez, assistant general overseer for the Church of God, will deliver the commencement address on Saturday morning at 9:30.

Ramirez has served as Third Assistant General Overseer for the Church of God since being elected to the post in 2016. A native of Chile, he previously served in a number of leadership capacities, including field director for the Church of God in South America, president of South Cone Ministerial Seminary in Buenos Aires, and founder of Seminario Ministerial Sudamericano (SEMISUD) in Quito, Ecuador, serving from 1992–2006 as president and professor of church growth.

He was elected to the Church of God international executive council for two four-year terms and has participated with numerous denominational and global ministry boards and committees. Since 2016, he has also served as the liaison to the Lee University Board of Directors from the Church of God International Executive Committee.

Ramirez holds a Doctor of Ministry from Asbury Theological Seminary (Beeson Scholar), a Master of Divinity from the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, and two honorary doctoral degrees recognizing excellence in Christian leadership. 

Graduation festivities will begin with a hooding ceremony for students earning graduate degrees. This service is a ticketed event and will take place in Pangle Hall on Friday, May 3.

Following the Friday hooding ceremony, all graduates will march in the commissioning service on the South Campus Quad Lawn. During commissioning, a special occasion for students and their families to reflect on their experiences at the university, five student speakers will share brief stories about their time at Lee. Students will also lead in the invocation, special music, and the benediction. Each graduate will be presented with a personalized Bible in a traditional walk across the stage.

On Saturday morning, there will be 420 undergraduate and 87 graduate students receiving degrees during the ceremony. Of the 87 graduate students, eight are doctoral students. 

Saturday’s commencement ceremony is the official conferral of degrees and recognition of academic achievement. Each graduate will cross the stage and be congratulated by Lee President Dr. Mark Walker as Provost Dr. Debbie Murray recognizes each student by name.

The commissioning and commencement services will not require tickets unless inclement weather shifts the ceremony inside of the Paul Dana Walker Arena, where seating is limited. Climate-controlled overflow seating for both services will also be available.

The hooding, commissioning, and commencement ceremonies will be available for livestream viewing at leeu.live.

For more information about commencement exercises, contact the Academic Events Office at [email protected] or visit leeuniversity.edu/academics/graduation-info/.