State Sen. Bryan Hughes will offer Stephen F. Austin State University’s commencement address during SFA’s fall graduation ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 16, in Johnson Coliseum.
Hughes is serving his first term in the Texas Senate, representing the 16 counties of Senate District One in Northeast Texas. Previously, he represented District Five in the Texas House of Representatives for seven terms.
He has received numerous awards for his work in the Legislature, including the Taxpayer Champion Award from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, the Horizon Award from Texas Right to Life and “Defender of the American Dream” from Americans for Prosperity.
Hughes, a native of East Texas, attended Tyler Junior College and graduated cum laude from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1992 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in economics. Hughes is the first member of his family to receive a bachelor’s degree.
He later attended Baylor University School of Law and received his law degree in 1995. Hughes served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge William Steger of Tyler from 1995-97.
Additionally, Hughes is a small businessman, church leader, Red Cross disaster relief volunteer, and active in civic and community organizations.
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.
An estimated 976 degrees will be awarded, including 842 bachelor’s degrees, 132 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. More than 200 students will graduate with honors, including 76 cum laude, 63 magna cum laude and 64 summa cum laude. Twenty-eight students will graduate with the university scholar designation.
Master’s and doctoral candidates will graduate with their respective colleges, and Hughes will provide the commencement address at both ceremonies.
By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.
