Auburn alumnus, Georgia Supreme Court Justice giving address at fall graduation ceremonies

Auburn University alumnus Harold Melton, presiding justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, will be the speaker at the university’s fall graduation ceremonies. Approximately 1,683 degrees will be conferred during the two ceremonies set for Saturday, Dec. 16, in Auburn Arena.

A 10 a.m. ceremony will be held for the College of Education; the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering; the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences; the College of Human Sciences; and the College of Liberal Arts. A 2 p.m. ceremony will be held for the College of Agriculture; the College of Architecture, Design and Construction; the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business; the College of Sciences and Mathematics; and University College.

Melton was appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia by Gov. Sonny Perdue on July 1, 2005, and was sworn in as presiding justice Jan. 6, 2017. Prior to joining the court, Melton served as executive counsel to Perdue. Before that, he spent 11 years in the Georgia Department of Law under two attorneys general where he dealt with issues ranging from the creation of the Georgia Lottery Corporation to the administration of Georgia’s tobacco settlement.

Melton, who was elected Auburn’s first African American SGA president in 1987, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in international business from Auburn in 1988. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia in 1991. He serves on the Board of Atlanta Youth Academies and is on the local and national board for Young Life youth ministry. A native of Washington, D.C., Melton currently resides in Atlanta with his wife, Kimberly, and their three children.

Auburn will award 78 doctoral degrees, 382 master’s degrees, eight educational specialist degrees, one pharmacy degree and 1,214 bachelor’s degrees. The bachelor’s degrees by college or school are: College of Agriculture, 63; College of Architecture, Design and Construction, 89; Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, 235; College of Education, 152; Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, 218; School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, 20; College of Human Sciences, 56; College of Liberal Arts, 252; College of Sciences and Mathematics, 105; and University College, 24.