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JONESBORO – Hundreds of students walked across the stage and turned their tassels during the annual 2025 spring commencement on Saturday, May 10, at First National Bank Arena on the campus of Arkansas State University. Approximately 2,800 were candidates for degrees.
Chancellor Todd Shields and Dr. Calvin White Jr., provost and executive vice chancellor, conferred the degrees during the 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. ceremonies.
Chancellor Shields complimented students for overcoming challenges and balancing responsibilities while pursuing their degrees.
“Earning your degree is a major achievement and something you will have for your lifetime. A degree can never be taken away from you! Your sacrifices and hard work were not made in isolation — your families and friends have been important partners in your educational success. Today is a celebration for them, as well,” said Shields.
During the morning ceremony, the university presented former Red Wolf and Grammy-winning country music singer and songwriter Ashley McBryde with an Honorary Doctorate in Music. When McBryde was an A-State student, the Arkansas native studied French horn and planned to become a band director, but was encouraged by a professor to pursue the music industry.
“Earning a degree in music has always been something that I’ve placed a lot of value in. It was something I felt I needed to accomplish. In my time here at A-State, I found my passion not only for performing, but for creating other musicians. The music education program is priceless. I’m so thankful for educators that pushed me to strive for excellence,“ said Dr. McBryde.
She has one Grammy and has been nominated six times for the award. She has also received three Academy of Country Music Awards, one Country Music Association Award, and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy.
“I have dedicated my life to the pursuit of and the magic of making music, and hopefully I will inspire others to do so. This stage became my classroom, the board proficiencies were in rooms of tens and then hundreds and then thousands. Those are hard to pass,“ she said. “I left this campus as a broke, guitar-playing, song-writing chick who played in bars for a living. And I stand here today as a Grammy Award winning songwriter, a member of the Grand Ole Opy.“
McBryde will return to touring across the country, including at the Grand Ole Opry, but with new letters in front of her name now.
“I look forward to being introduced on that sacred stage this week, as Dr. Ashley McBryde.”
The student speaker for the morning spring commencement exercise was Amber Yates,
R. E. Lee Wilson Award winner from Salem. She graduated in December with a degree in communication studies from the College of Liberal Arts and Communication.
“I am very proud of every single person in this room. A-State is made up of powerful leaders, and many of us are from smaller, rural towns. We know more than anyone that where we come from matters, and now A-State is a part of that story of where we come from, and where we are going,” said Yates.
The morning graduation featured students from the Neil Griffin College of Business, College of Liberal Arts and Communication, College of Nursing and Health Professions, and University College.
Sabrina Pierce served as student speaker for the afternoon commencement. She received a psychology degree from the College of Education and Behavioral Science with a 4.0 GPA and is from Maumelle. She was also named the 2024-2025 Bachelor of Science psychology student of the year.
“In front of me, I see so many future doctors, teachers, engineers and researchers. Even though we all come from different backgrounds and majors, and in about an hour we will all go our separate ways, one thing that we will always have in common is that we will forever be a part of the A-State family,” she said.
The afternoon ceremony included graduates from the College of Agriculture, College of Education and Behavioral Science, College of Engineering and Computer Science, and Beck College of Sciences and Mathematics. 
A-State Chancellor Todd Shields presents Ashley McBryde with her Honorary Doctorate in Music on May 10 at First National Bank Arena.
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