Georgia Southern University will hold its Fall Commencement ceremony at 2 p.m. Tuesday inside Paulson Stadium.

All undergraduate and graduate students from each of the university’s colleges who wish to graduate in Statesboro are eligible to participate in the Dec. 17 ceremony. 

A 2011 graduate of Georgia Southern, sports media figure Bria Janelle will offer the keynote address to graduates.

Janelle, who earned a bachelor’s in general studies from Georgia Southern, serves as arena host for Notre Dame Football, the Chicago Bulls, Premier Soccer League, Overtime Elite, NBA, WNBA and the Atlanta Dream. She has been featured in USA Today, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Harper’s Bazaar and ELLE, among others. 

Janelle established the Bria Janelle Foundation, Inc. in 2022, which focuses on education, inclusivity and community development. In 2024, her foundation partnered with PGA REACH Georgia for “Her Shot,” a groundbreaking summer golf program aimed at young women of color, ages 11 to 18, in golf — a sport where less than 2% of women of color receive scholarships. 

Janelle’s hosting credits also include the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, the third annual NBA HBCU Classic, the McDonald’s All-American Game, the Jordan Brand Classic and the Premier League Summer.