South Dakota's Secretary of Education, Melody Schopp, will present this year's commencement address at Dakota State University's fall commencement on Saturday.
The ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. in the DSU Fieldhouse. A total of 36 master's, 69 baccalaureate and 14 associate degrees will be awarded.
Speaking on behalf of the students are Jayne Peterson-Leusink, a business education graduate from Tea, and Emily Ann Robinson, a digital arts and design graduate from Yankton.
Schopp brings more than three decades of experience to her position as secretary of education. She started her career teaching in a country school and most recently served as the state's director of accreditation and teacher quality, deputy director and then interim secretary. She was appointed to her current position in April 2011.
Schopp's accomplishments include overseeing creation of the South Dakota Virtual School, coordinating development of an online application system for teacher certification, and leading the work to establish teaching standards in South Dakota.
She earned her master's degree in elementary education from the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D., and her Ph.D. in Educational Studies and Higher Education from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
The ceremony will also be streamed live online and can be accessed through the DSU website (www.dsu.edu).
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