Renee Tyler to deliver Westminster’s commencement address

Photo courtesy Westminster College
Renee Tyler, director of administration for Fulton. Tyler will deliver the commencement address at Saturday's Westminster College commencement ceremony.
Photo courtesy Westminster College Renee Tyler, director of administration for Fulton. Tyler will deliver the commencement address at Saturday's Westminster College commencement ceremony.

Westminster College is set to host the 2023 commencement ceremony on Saturday, with Renee Tyler delivering the commencement address.

Tyler is the director of administration for Fulton. She began this role in April of 2022.

Prior to serving in Fulton, she served in different public service capacities for the cities of Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Iowa; and Little Rock, Arkansas, a release states.

She has also previously served as chief of the staff for the speaker pro tempore in the New Jersey Assembly.

Tyler received a BA in social welfare from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville. She also received a master of public service from the University of Arkansas William Clinton School of Public Service.

In 2016, Tyler completed the Executive Leadership Institute sponsored by the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. In 2022, she successfully advocated for Transit Equity Day/Rosa Parks' Birthday. This was an initiative of Tony Evers, Wisconsin Governor.

In 2020, Tyler received the Public Service Award from the Clinton School of Public Service. In 2021, she received the National Community Involvement Award from the American Public Works Association.

She was raised in McGehee, Arkansas. She has one son, Michael; a Silky Terrier named Jordan; and an English Bulldog named Bob.

"Westminster College is truly looking forward to Ms. Tyler addressing the Class of 2023," Donald P. Lofe, Jr., president and chief transformation officer, said in a release. "With her extensive experience in both public service and executive leadership, she can offer our graduating class a great deal of insight into what it takes to succeed in today's competitive job market."

Events will begin on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with the Alpha Chi Induction ceremony in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury. This event is invite only.

From 10:30-11:30 a.m., baccalaureate will be in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury.

Lunch will be from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Backer Dining Room. The cost for the luncheon is $10 for adults and $7 for children under 10. Graduating seniors are complimentary.

Senior pictures will be available at Westminster Hall at 1:15 p.m.

The commencement ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. at Champ Auditorium. Doors for the ceremony will open for guests at 1 p.m.

Tickets are not required for this year's ceremony because of the size of the graduating class and the capacity of Champ Auditorium, Westminster's website states.

GradImages Photography will be present for the ceremony to take a photo of each graduating senior with their diploma. To learn more about GradImages, call 1-800-261-2576 or visit gradimages.com.

The last event of the day will be the Columns Ceremony starting at 4 p.m. This is a time-honored Westminster tradition, a release states.

Graduating students will bid farewell to the college by walking through the columns in the opposite direction they did when they first joined Westminster.