HAMPTON ROADS — Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC) announced Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones will be guest speaker for its 2023 graduation ceremony.
The event is set for May 12 at 2 p.m. at Liberty Live Church in Hampton.
Sworn in on January 10, Jones, the 27th mayor of Newport News, is also the city’s youngest-elected mayor.
Over the last decade, Jones has served in leadership roles in the public and private sectors. As a Marine Corps infantry officer, he led Marines to support peacekeeping and security cooperation missions on multiple continents. As a management consultant with a leading global firm, he advised Fortune 500 companies, municipalities, and nonprofits on strategy, marketing, organization, and operations across all industries, according to VPCC.
Hampton City Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeffery Smith, who retires July 1, will receive the Dana B. Hamel Award. Named in honor of the first chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges, the award acknowledges individuals or entities for their outstanding public service, fostering access to higher education, and promoting an understanding of workforce development’s role as an essential part of the college’s mission.
Graduates should arrive by 12:30 p.m. and guests by 1 p.m. The processional will start at 2 p.m. Seating is first come, first-served, but overflow seating will be available.
Visit vpcc.edu for more details about Virginia Peninsula’s commencement exercises.
