Dr. Dolly Jenkins-Mullen will give the commencement address

UNC Asheville will hold its December Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, located in the Asheville Civic Center. Some 207 students are candidates for bachelor's and Master of Liberal Arts degrees. A reception for graduates and their families will be held in the Civic Center lobby immediately following the ceremony. No tickets are required. The event is free and open to the public.

The commencement address will be given by Dolly Jenkins-Mullen, UNC Asheville Political Science chair and associate professor and winner of the University's 2009 Alumni Distinguished Faculty Award. Jenkins-Mullen, who joined the faculty in 1984, is recognized by students and faculty alike as an engaging and exceptional teacher, mentor and advisor – both in and out of the classroom. Jenkins-Mullen holds a doctorate in political science from Clark Atlanta University and is a noted expert on social programs and their impact on the African-American community.

Special event and weekend parking rates will be in effect at all City of Asheville parking garages during Commencement. Fees range from $7 at the Civic Center Garage on Haywood St. to $1 at the Rankin Avenue Garage, located one block from the Civic Center. All City garages accept cash only. In addition, on-street, metered parking is also plentiful around the Civic Center. Most meters cost $1 per hour, and accept nickels, dimes and quarters.

In case of extremely severe winter weather, the ceremony will be canceled; information concerning cancellation will be posted on UNC Asheville's homepage at www.unca.edu and on the University's Snowline at 828/259-3050.

For more information about UNC Asheville's December Commencement Ceremony, call the Provost's Office at 828/251-6470 or click on www.unca.edu/commencement/.