MEDIA ADVISORY

USC Aiken Students Graduate this Week

Aiken, SC (12/12/2017) — The University of South Carolina Aiken will conduct its December Convocation and related events on campus, this Thursday, Dec. 14.

Media outlets are invited to cover the following events Thursday, Dec. 14:

Nurse Pinning Ceremony - 1 p.m., in the Etherredge Center

Almost 50 students will receive their bachelor of science in nursing pins, signifying their successful completion of the USC Aiken nursing program. Additionally, several awards will be presented during this unique ceremony, which includes a candle lighting ceremony honoring Florence Nightingale, known as "the lady with the lamp." Afterward, the degree candidates will recite the "Nightingale Pledge."

Convocation Ceremony - 6 p.m., in the USC Aiken Convocation Center

The University of South Carolina Aiken will confer graduate and undergraduate degrees on almost 250 graduates, majoring in myriad disciplines.

Kelley F. Cornish, Class of '89, will be the keynote speaker.

Cornish received her bachelor of science degree in business administration from USC Aiken and earned a masters in human resources from Webster University.

She currently serves as TD Bank's Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. Diversity and Inclusion. In this role, Cornish works closely with the Diversity Leadership Team (DLT) to define and enable TD Bank's diversity strategy. She has more than 25 years of diversity and inclusion leadership and human resources experience. Prior to joining TD, Cornish led the Diversity and Inclusion initiative at AmeriHealth Caritas, where she shaped the vision and developed workforce initiatives programming.

The USC Aiken alumna led the board of directors for the Philadelphia chapter of The Society of Human Resource Management and managed human resource strategic planning for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.