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ITTA BENA, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Valley State University will honor two blues legends during commencement Saturday, as more than 450 students graduate.
The school will give honorary doctorates to blues composer and singer Bobby Rush and to late rhythm and blues artist Otis Clay during ceremonies at the Leflore County Civic Center. Clay, a Mississippi native, died in January.
Gary McGaha, a 1972 MVSU alumnus who is now president of Atlanta Metropolitan State College, will address graduates.
McGaha was the first African American to teach political science courses and receive a doctorate in political science from the University of Mississippi.
A career administrator, he previously worked at Kentucky State University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Georgia Perimeter College. Under his leadership at Atlanta Metropolitan, enrollment has increased by 86 percent since 2006.
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