Regent University Announces Nikki R. Haley as 2023 Commencement Speaker
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (April 10, 2023) – Nikki R. Haley, former governor of South Carolina and former ambassador to the United Nations, will be the keynote speaker at Regent University’s 43rd Commencement Ceremony on May 6, 2023.
“We are honored and thrilled to have Nikki Haley join us to celebrate our outstanding Class of 2023,” said Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson, founder, chancellor, and CEO of Regent University. “Haley has lived an accomplished life, with a fervent commitment to public service and her country. As a trailblazer, we know her words will inspire the next generation of Christian leaders to change the world.”
Ambassador Haley served for two years as the 29th United States ambassador to the United Nations and as the 116th governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017. Under Haley’s leadership, South Carolina’s economy flourished due to her recruitment of corporations, which resulted in the creation of 85,000 jobs and secured a record low unemployment rate.
Ambassador Haley was the first governor in America to sign legislation combatting the anti-Israel Boycott, Divest and Sanction, or “BDS”, movement. In 2015, Haley forged unity and consensus in the wake of tragedy at Charleston’s Emanuel A.M.E. Church and the removal of the Confederate flag from South Carolina’s Statehouse grounds.
Ambassador Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, frequently attributes her success to hard work and the favor of God. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge that will enrich her remarks and inspire Regent’s Class of 2023 towards greatness.
“Ambassador Haley’s impressive journey in leadership enables her to share reflections with our graduates about what they may encounter as leaders in a challenging world,” said Dr. William L. Hathaway, executive vice president for Academic Affairs at Regent University. “Her experience is an invaluable example of what can be accomplished when you allow God to use your life for His glory.”
The commencement ceremony will take place at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 6, 2023, in the library’s outdoor plaza at the Virginia Beach campus. For more information, visit regent.edu/commencement.
Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s Premier Christian University, with more than 13,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University has been ranked the #1 Best Accredited Online College in the United States (Study.com, 2020), the #1 Safest College Campus in Virginia (YourLocalSecurity, 2021), and the #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for 11 years in a row (U.S. News & World Report, 2023).
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