Judge Lillie Blackmon Sanders to serve as commencement speaker

A total of 746 (preliminary number, to be verified by the Registrar) undergraduate and graduate students of Alcorn State University, will participate in Commencement ceremony on the institution’s main campus in Lorman, Mississippi, on May 8, 2010, beginning at 8:30 a.m. All schools of the university will be awarding degrees on that day.

“We live in a highly competitive world fueled by a global economy,” says Alcorn Interim President Norris Edney. “Higher education is critical to one’s success in such an environment. Obtaining graduate or professional school credentials can provide added value in building a successful and productive career and life.”

As members of Alcorn State’s Class of 2010 weigh their continued academic choices on May 8, they will do so while listening to Judge Lillie Blackmon Sanders, the first female Circuit Court judge in the state of Mississippi. Sanders was selected Circuit Court judge in the November, 1994 election for the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court District, state of Mississippi (consisting of Adams, Amite, Franklin and Wilkinson counties), thus making her the first African American Circuit Court Judge in the sixth judicial circuit court district.

In 1989, Sanders was appointed Circuit Court judge by the former Governor Ray Mabus to serve an unexpired term. Her work experience includes Municipal Court Judge, Fayette, MS; Adams County Youth Court Public Defender, Natchez, MS; state of Mississippi Department of Human Services, Natchez, MS; Southwest Mississippi Legal Services Corporation, Natchez, MS; and a partner in Sanders Law Firm, Natchez, MS.

Sanders is a graduate of Vaiden High School, Alcorn State University and the University of Mississippi School of Law. She was the first female elected Student Government Association President at Alcorn State University, 1975-1976.

Sanders is one of eleven siblings (the first daughter) of Mrs. Leola Blackmon and the late Mr. Percy Blackmon of Black Hawk, Mississippi; five of which are graduates of Alcorn State University. She is the wife of Attorney Everett T. Sanders and the mother of Aisha and Keshia Sanders.

She is a member of Zion Chapel AME Church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; NAACP; Mississippi Judiciary Advisory Study Committee; the Mississippi State Bar; the Magnolia Bar Association; the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission; Mississippi Association Drug Court Professionals; Mississippi State Drug Court Professionals Advisory Planning Committee and various other organizations. Additionally, Judge Sanders served as a Girl Scout Leader for Troop 363. She formerly served as PTO president at Holy Family Catholic School. She is a board member and past president of the Boys and Girls Club of the Miss-Lou.

In addition to fulfilling her obligations as a Circuit Court judge she presides over the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court Adult Drug Court Program which was implemented in May, 2004.

The 139th Annual Commencement of Alcorn State University takes place on Saturday, May 8, 2010, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Jack Spinks Stadium on the institution’s main campus, which is located at 1000 ASU Drive in Lorman, Mississippi. Live feed of the ceremony will be available for the public at www.alcorn.edu . For more information, contact the Office of University Relations at (601) 877-6130.