Dr. Carla Sanderson
Dr. Carla Sanderson, vice president of Chamberlain College of Nursing, will deliver the address at Lee University’s winter commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 10:30 a.m. in the Conn Center.
Dr. Sanderson is the vice president of accreditation and professional regulation at Chamberlain College of Nursing. Previously, she served for 32 years as provost and executive vice president for strategic initiatives at Union University. While at Union, she also served as chief academic officer and chief operating officer and launched several programs, now accredited, in engineering, pharmacy and nurse anesthesia. Additionally, she aided the Kurdistan Regional Government in the implementation of accreditation standards for its new higher-education system.
Dr. Sanderson has authored several book chapters on academic leadership and ethical decision-making in nursing. She earned her doctorate from the University of Florida, masters in nursing from the University of Tennessee, and a bachelor’s in nursing from Union. She serves on the boards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and of Southern College of Optometry.
Lee’s winter commencement is one of three graduation ceremonies held each year at the university, the others being held in the spring and summer. The winter ceremony combines the music and decorations of the Christmas season with traditional commencement activities. 238 graduates will receive degrees in the Saturday morning ceremony.
Prior to the Saturday commencement, a commissioning ceremony will be held Friday, Dec. 11, at 6:30 p.m., also in the Conn Center. The commissioning service is a special occasion for students and their families to reflect on their experiences at the university. During the event, there are six student speakers who share brief stories about their time at Lee. Each graduate is presented with a personalized Bible in a traditional walk across the Conn Center stage.
A hooding ceremony for recipients of master’s and education specialist degrees will take place Friday, Dec. 11, at 4:30 p.m. in the Lee University Chapel.
For those wishing to view each of the three events, live streaming will be available at www.leeuniversity.edu/video/. The hooding, commissioning, and commencement ceremonies are ticketed events.
For more information about commencement exercises, contact the Office of Academic Events at 614-8117 or academicevents@leeuniversity.edu, or visit www.leeuniversity.edu/academics/graduation-info/.