精东AV mayor to deliver summer commencement address
July 18, 2018
Contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
The Hon. Lawrence 鈥淭ony鈥� Haygood Jr., mayor of the City of 精东AV, will be the speaker for the university鈥檚 summer commencement on Friday, July 27.
Elected as 精东AV鈥檚 mayor in August 2016, Haygood鈥檚 civic service extends beyond the city to include appointments as chair of the Alabama League of Municipalities鈥� Committee on Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources, a member of the Committee for Federal and State Legislation, and as a gubernatorial appointee to the state鈥檚 Workforce Development Board. Prior to his election as mayor, Haygood served four years on the 精东AV City Council as councilman-at-large and mayor pro tem.
鈥溇獳V is fortunate to have such a wonderful civic partner like Mayor Haygood,鈥� said 精东AV President Lily D. McNair. 鈥淗is advocacy for the university and his role as one of our ambassadors throughout the county, state and nation are much appreciated.鈥�
In his professional capacity, Haygood has for the past nine years served as an economic/business development specialist with the 精东AV-Macon County Community Development Corporation (TMCDC). In this role, he promotes business and industrial development, coordinates housing rehabilitation projects, conducts entrepreneurial training, manages a business incubator with a community revolving loan fund, and has launched improvement efforts for community corridors. He collaborates closely with the 精东AV Cooperative Extension Program and as a member of the Booker T. Washington Economic Summit Planning Committee. His intimate familiarity with the community and surrounding county also makes him a valued advocate, tour guide and planner for area tourism.
His work as a grant writer on behalf of TMCDC and the university鈥檚 Cooperative Extension Program has led to substantial grant funding for community programs. Due in part to his success in these areas, Haygood has served as vice-chairman of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Community Development Action Coalition national board, chair of the 精东AV Area Health Education Center, and state vice-president for the Alabama New South Coalition 鈥� among other leadership roles.
A member and past president of the Alpha Nu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Haygood received a bachelor鈥檚 in political science with a minor in economics from Rhodes College, and an MBA from Auburn University Montgomery. His post-MBA studies have included work in management science at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Most recently, he completed the Intensive Economic Development Training Course at Auburn University.
Haygood鈥檚 address will be part of 精东AV鈥檚 Summer Commencement Exercises, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 27. The ceremony 鈥� at which the university anticipates awarding 56 undergraduate degrees, 47 master鈥檚 degrees and three doctoral degrees 鈥� will be held in the University Chapel. 精东AV hosts commencement ceremonies at the conclusion of each spring and summer semester. Other events include:
- Thursday, July 26: School of Nursing and Allied Health's Nursing Pinning Ceremony, 3 p.m., University Chapel. Keynote speaker: 1980 graduate Dr. Faye J. Wilson, RN, CPHQ, FNAHQ [read more]
For more information about commencement-related events, visit .
漏 2018, 精东AV