Spring 2025 Commencement Speakers

We are honored to welcome four distinguished speakers who will join us in celebrating this significant milestone for our graduates. Their biographies are included below for your reference. We look forward to the thoughtful and inspiring remarks they will offer as we proudly send our newest class of Bobcat graduates into the next chapter of their lives.

College of Health Sciences - Friday, May 9, 2 p.m.

Speaker: Dr. Joy L. King (’10, ’15, ’17) DNP, FNP-C, MBA, APRN

Dr. Joy L. King is a nurse practitioner, healthcare leader and integrative medicine fellow dedicated to advancing health equity and empowering communities. She serves as President-Elect of the Georgia Nurses Association, works full-time with Devoted Health and teaches part-time at Georgia College. With a DNP, MBA and ongoing PhD research focused on sleep and obesity in rural Black women, Dr. King blends clinical expertise with a passion for advocacy and education. She co-founded the Rayceen and George King Endowed Nursing Scholarship and helped launch the BeeWell Clinic in Baldwin County. Honored as a Georgia Trend 40 Under 40 and a 2025 Woman of Impact, she’s also an ultramarathoner, obstacle course racer and wellness ambassador who inspires others to live healthier, more balanced lives.

John H. Lounsbury College of Education - Friday, May 9, 7 p.m.

Speaker: Honorable Nathan Deal, Former Governor of Georgia

Governor Nathan Deal, a native of rural Georgia, grew up on a farm near Sandersville with parents who were both educators. After earning his law degree from Mercer University and serving as a U.S. Army captain, he built a career as a prosecutor, judge and longtime public servant. He represented northeast Georgia in Congress for 17 years before serving two terms as Georgia’s Governor from 2011 to 2019. As Governor, Deal prioritized criminal justice reform and economic development, while supporting First Lady Sandra Deal’s mission to promote childhood literacy. Following her passing in 2022, he continues her legacy through The Deal Foundation and his work as an author, educator and advocate for literacy.

J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology - Saturday, May 10, 9 a.m.

Speaker: Mr. Cade Joiner, Founder, Shred-X Corporation

Mr. Cade Joiner is a successful entrepreneur who founded Shred-X Secure Document Destruction in 2002, just a year after earning his BBA in Marketing from the University of Georgia. Under his leadership, Shred-X became one of the largest independent shredding companies in the Southeast and was recognized as one of Georgia’s fastest-growing businesses. He has held prominent leadership roles, including Chairman of the NFIB of Georgia, and currently serves on the University System of Georgia Board of Regents and several boards supporting education, research and entrepreneurship. Joiner also advises multiple healthcare and tech startups nationwide and is passionate about helping fellow entrepreneurs thrive. A longtime advocate for small businesses, he chaired the Georgians First Commission and frequently appears in national media discussing economic and business issues.

College of Arts & Sciences - Saturday, May 10, 3 p.m.

Speaker: Mr. Christopher Eby (’11) Attorney, King & Spalding

Mr. Chris Eby graduated summa cum laude from Georgia College & State University in 2011 with degrees in history and philosophy and earned his law degree cum laude from The University of Chicago in 2015. He clerked for federal judges on both the district and appellate court levels, contributing to landmark rulings, including those defending Sanctuary Cities, and upholding the 2020 election results. In private practice, he represents clients in high-stakes litigation, including recent successful defense trials involving pharmaceutical claims. Eby is deeply committed to pro bono work, securing asylum for clients and advocating in criminal appeals and wrongful conviction cases. A strong proponent of the rule of law and sound science, he continues to champion justice in and out of the courtroom. Eby is also the 2025 recipient of the GCSU Honors College Alumni Achievement Award.