Dr. Tim Clipson, Stephen F. Austin State University professor in the Department of Business Communication and Legal Studies and SFA 101 Freshman Success coordinator, will offer the commencement address during the university’s spring graduation ceremonies Saturday, May 13.
Clipson has served SFA for 36 years in various roles and was recently named professor emeritus in the Department of Business Communication and Legal Studies. He will retire from SFA May 31.
“Dr. Clipson is one of the best-known and beloved professors on campus. His leadership has helped move the university forward, and his legacy will leave a lasting impact on generations of Lumberjacks,” said Dr. Baker Pattillo, university president.
In 1998, Clipson was named coordinator of the SFA 101 Freshman Success program, which seeks to introduce incoming freshmen to life at SFA in a supportive environment. Within the Rusche College of Business, Clipson teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses. During the past decade, the majority of his curriculum has focused on business leadership.
“I often say being a university professor is by far one of the best jobs anyone could ever have. For me, it has allowed me to fulfill what I believe I was called to do,” Clipson said.
Prior to joining the Lumberjack family, Clipson taught at Oklahoma State University for two years and in public school at the junior high and high school levels for seven years. He is president of Leadership Is For Everyone (LIFE!), a professional leadership and communication consulting firm.
Clipson received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southern Nazarene University, his Master of Education from the University of North Texas, and his doctoral degree with a specialization in business communication/training and development for business and industry from Oklahoma State University.
In 2016, Clipson was the recipient of the Meada Gibbs Outstanding Teacher-Scholar Award for the Association for Business Communication and received the Outstanding Educator Award for the Federation of Business Disciplines.
Clipson’s additional accolades include: Distinguished Paper Award for Association for Business Communication-Southwestern U.S., Teaching Innovation Award and Marlin C. Young Teaching Excellence Award from the Rusche College of Business, SFA Teaching Excellence Award and Distinguished Professor.
Candidates from SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education and College of Fine Arts will participate in a 9:30 a.m. ceremony. Candidates from the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, the Rusche College of Business, the College of Liberal and Applied Arts, and the College of Sciences and Mathematics will participate in a 2 p.m. ceremony. Both ceremonies will be held in Johnson Coliseum on the university campus.
Approximately 1,496 degrees are expected to be awarded, including 1,166 bachelor’s, 320 master’s and 10 doctoral degrees. More than 350 students are expected to graduate with honors, including 122 cum laude, 113 magna cum laude and 116 summa cum laude. Also, there will be approximately 78 students graduating with university scholar honors.
Master’s and doctoral candidates will graduate with their respective colleges, and Clipson will provide the commencement address at both ceremonies.
