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DURANT ­— Dr. Cordell Adams (‘82) will be the guest speaker at Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s Fall Commencement.

Two ceremonies will be held on Saturday, December 15, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Bloomer Sullivan Arena. A reception for all graduates, their families and friends is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Visual & Performing Arts Center.

Commencement Speaker: Dr. Cordell Adams

The schedule is as follows:

10:00 – 11:00 a.m. School of Education & Behavioral Sciences

John Massey School of Business

Master of Business Administration

Master of Arts (Clinical Mental Health Counseling)

Master of Education

Master of Arts (Teaching)

Master of Science (Sports Studies and Athletic Administration)

Master of Science (Aerospace Administration and Logistics)

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Commencement Reception (VPAC)

2:00 — 3:00 p.m. School of Arts & Sciences

Master of Technology

Master of Science (Occupational Safety and Health)

The second ceremony, which begins at 2 p.m., is starting an hour later than in previous years in order to allow for smoother traffic flow.

Adams is a board-certified practicing ophthalmologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, with a subspecialty in glaucoma. He has been in private practice for 17 years, and is a three-time recipient of the Physician Recognition Award from the American Medical Association.

He has distinguished himself for more than 30 years, first as a student at Southeastern, as chief resident in his ophthalmology residency, in his solo medical practice, and as a member of his community, professionally and socially. Adams was in the upper third of his class in medical school and his research, while in residency, fellowship, and private practice, is published in scholarly journals.

In 2009, Adams was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus of Southeastern.

At Southeastern, he was a Presidential Honors Scholarship recipient and earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He was involved in numerous campus activities, including Student Senate, the American Chemical Society, the University Players, and as an undergraduate research participant in Minority Biomedical Sciences. Adams graduated Summa Cum Laude.

His hobbies include fine arts, music, intramural sports, fitness training, community activities, and recently number one on the list, creative writing. From this last endeavor, Adams has embarked on a literary career, and his first novel, Light Bread, was ranked No. 1 for local paperback fiction in the Dallas Morning News, in which he pays homage to his maternal grandmother’s wit, wisdom, and insatiable curiosity.

His father, the late Claude Adams, was an assistant professor of English at Southeastern.