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Eagle graduates to address GS commencement classes
Ceremonies set for Dec. 16 at Paulson, Dec. 17 at Hill Center
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Hannah Bolar, of Peachtree Corners, right, and Megan Stewart, of Covington, find family in the stands during Georgia Southern's 2024 Fall Commencement at Paulson Stadium. The 2025 Fall Commencement is set for Dec. 16 at Paulson. (SCOTT BRYANT/Herald file)

A 2014 Georgia Southern University graduate, Emmy Award-winning sports anchor Carla Metts will be the featured speaker for Fall 2025 Commencement ceremonies on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. inside Paulson Stadium.

The next day — Wednesday, Dec. 17 — at 6 p.m., Double Eagle graduate Jaime Weeks, an executive with the Wendy's Company, will keynote commencement ceremonies inside the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center.

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Kaitlyn Maldonado and Alyssa Le Tourneau celebrate their degrees in education by singing the Alma Mater at the conclusion of the 2024 Fall Commencement ceremony at Paulson Stadium. The 2025 Fall Commencement is set for Dec. 16 at Paulson. (SCOTT BRYANT/Herald file)

The Armstrong campus in Savannah will hold a commencement ceremony on Dec. 13. Approximately 2,200 students will graduate with associate, baccalaureate, master's, specialist or doctoral degrees at the three ceremonies.

Carla Metts

In addition to being an Emmy Award-winning sports anchor, Metts currently is the host of NASCAR Countdown Live for the NASCAR Xfinity Series on The CW network. 

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Carla Metts

She has built a career in sports broadcasting, working across NASCAR, the NFL, the NBA, college athletics and multiple national sports media platforms.

Before joining The CW, Metts served as sports director at FOX Charlotte, where she helped launch Charlotte Sports Live, a nightly sports show covering major professional and collegiate sports. She has also held broadcast roles with the Carolina Panthers, The CW's College Football and Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Dirty Mo Media.

Metts began her career at Midco Sports Network in South Dakota as an in-studio host and sideline reporter covering college football and basketball.

Metts earned a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in journalism. She was a four-year captain of the co-ed cheerleading squad from 2010 to 2014.

Jaime Weeks

Jaime Weeks is vice president and managing director at The Wendy's Company, a leader in the restaurant industry. Weeks brings more than 20 years of experience heading high-performing teams across the U.S., Canada and abroad.

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Jaime Weeks

At Wendy's, Weeks oversees operations services for nearly 6,000 locations and has helped shape operations strategy since joining the company in 2019. Earlier in her career, she gained international experience working in Japan with Marine Corps Community Services and later held leadership roles with GoTo Foods — the franchisor of Auntie Anne's, Cinnabon, Jamba Juice and Carvel.

A Double Eagle, Weeks holds both a bachelor's degree and an MBA from Georgia Southern.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Weeks said she is dedicated to philanthropy and community impact. She serves as a director on the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption — Canada's board, and is a longtime supporter of the Semper Fi & America's Fund. An advocate for wellness, she has completed all six major world marathons — Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.

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