TIFTON — Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper will address nearly 400 graduates during two commencement ceremonies at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Thursday, May 11.

The ceremonies will be held at the school’s Gressette Gymnasium, college officials said in a statement.

Jordan Beard, campus communications coordinator, said the 10 a.m. event will include graduates from the School of Nursing and Health Sciences and the School of Arts and Sciences.

The 3 p.m. event includes graduates from the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Stafford School of Business.

A total of 166 graduates are scheduled to participate in the morning ceremony, while 175 more are expected to be a part of the afternoon graduation.

The total of 397 is a 20% increase from the number of graduates in the 2022 spring ceremonies, college officials said.

It will also be the first spring commencement ceremony for ABAC President Tracy Brundage, who took office in August of last year.

“This is always the most special day of the year,” Brundage said. “It is exciting to me that at ABAC, these graduates received a fantastic education at an affordable price. We know they are ready for whatever their next step will be. They’ve worked hard for this achievement and we can’t wait to celebrate with them.”

Harper, an Ocilla native, is an ABAC alumnus who served as a Georgia state senator until 2022 when he took over as agriculture commissioner. He also serves on the ABAC Foundation Board of Trustees.

Caleb Bagley, the outgoing president of ABAC’s Student Government Association, will also address students at both ceremonies.