The 157th Fall Convocation of Saint Augustine’s University, marking the formal opening of the University, will be held on Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 10 a.m. Dr. Ricardo Phipps, Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs & Student Experience, Student Trustee Miles Beasley and Freshman Presidential Scholar Mah’Kiya Hargwood will serve as the keynote speakers. The ceremony will take place in-person in the Saint Augustine’s Chapel.

Dr. Phipps came to SAU on June 1^st to serve as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs after most recently serving as Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Stevenson University in Owings Mills, MD. Dr. Phipps is highly experienced in new program development, having recently spearheaded the development of a proposal for a new master’s program in counseling at Stevenson University. His experience with accreditation has included support of reaffirmation of accreditation of master’s counseling programs at institutions where he has served. Dr. Phipps has also had great success in building community partnerships for internships and other experiential learning opportunities, particularly securing clinical placements for students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he managed to increase the number of viable placements by 17%, with a 100% placement rate for students. Effective, September 1^st, Dr. Phipps now serves as the Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Experience.

Miles Beasley is a native of Rocky Mount, NC, and a senior majoring in Communications with a broadcast concentration. Beasley also serves as the Student Government Association Director of Constitutional Affairs and Chairman of the SAU Student Action Committee of the NC Black Alliance. In August 2023, Beasley was appointed to the SAU Board of Trustees as a student representative.

Mah’kiya Hargwood is a freshman majoring in biology from Long Island, NY. She is one of ten incoming members of SAU’s freshmen class who were awarded the Presidential Scholarship. Presidential Scholars are outstanding incoming first-year freshmen with at least a 3.8-grade point average (GPA) and a minimum of 1100 SAT (math and verbal) or a 22 ACT score.

The ceremony will take place in-person in the Saint Augustine’s Chapel. The event will also be livestreamed for all friends and family of SAU on the University’s Facebook and YouTube pages.