Philanthropist Ayers to speak at Austin Peay State University commencement on May 6th

Clarksville, TN – Janet Ayers, a nationally recognized business leader and president of the philanthropic Ayers Foundation, will deliver the keynote address at Austin Peay State University’s 87th Spring Commencement on May 6th.

The Ayers Foundation was created in 1999 to sustain and/or significantly improve the quality of life in Tennessee. The organization accomplishes this mission through financial support for college scholarships, medical services for children, research into pre-cancer detection and diagnosis, continuing education for teachers, mental health research and other initiatives.

Janet Ayers earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration and her Master of Professional Studies/Strategic Leadership from East Tennessee State University.

She has served on the Tennessee State Board of Education and the Tennessee Transformational Leadership Advisory Council, and she has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Jack Massey Leadership Award, the Nashville YWCA Women of Achievement Award, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Philanthropist of the Year Award and the Tennessee Health Care Association Distinguished Association Service Award.

Ayers will speak at both commencement ceremonies, at 9:00am and 2:00pm, on May 6th, in the APSU Dunn Center. In 2008, APSU began hosting two graduation ceremonies to accommodate the University’s growing number of graduates.

The first ceremony will feature candidates from the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Science and Mathematics and the School of Technology and Public Management. The second ceremony will honor degree candidates from the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, the College of Business and the Martha Dickerson Eriksson College of Education.

APSU offers a free live webcast of each commencement ceremony. A link to the webcast will be made available within 24 hours of each ceremony. The ceremonies also will be broadcast live on Magic 91.9 WAPX-FM, a broadcast service of the APSU Department of Communication.

For more information, visit www.apsu.edu/commencement