Justice Clarence Thomas Savannah State University will hold its 176th commencement ceremony at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 8, 2010, in Tiger Arena. Approximately 300 students will receive undergraduate and graduate degrees. Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, will be the guest speaker.

Born in the Pinpoint community near Savannah, Ga., Thomas briefly attended Conception Seminary College in Missouri and received a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Holy Cross College in 1971. Following graduation from Yale Law School in 1974, Thomas was admitted to practice law in Missouri, and served as an assistant attorney general of the state from 1974 until 1977; an attorney with the Monsanto Company, 1977-1979; and legislative assistant to former Sen. John Danforth, 1979-1981.

After serving one year as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Thomas became chairman of the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission in 1982, a position he held until 1990 when he became a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Pres. George H. W. Bush nominated him as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and he took his seat Oct. 23, 1991.

Also during the ceremony, an SSU undergraduate will be presented with the President’s Second Mile Award, given each year during May commencement. The award recognizes stellar leadership on campus and in the Savannah community.