Speakers and Honorees

Baccalaureate Speaker

The Reverend Blair Tolbert ’06 graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion: Church Leadership from LaGrange College and a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt University.

Since 2015, she has been an ordained elder within the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Rev. Tolbert’s previous ministry experience included Associate Minister at First United Methodist Church of Marietta; Pastor-in-Charge at Shiloh United Methodist Church in Carrollton, Georgia; Associate Pastor at Carrollton First United Methodist Church; Pastor at Bethel United Methodist Church in West Point, Georgia; and Pastor at Long Cane United Methodist Church in LaGrange, Georgia.

In addition, Rev. Tolbert served as Chaplain and Dean of the Chapel from 2015-2019 at Young Harris College and Director of Student Ministries from 2012-2014 at LaGrange College, where she is currently a member of the Leadership Council and supports an endowed scholarship named after her parents, Jerry and Vickie.

During her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

Rev. Tolbert lives in Woodstock, Georgia, with her husband, Zach.

Commencement Speaker

Bishop Robin Dease is resident bishop of the Georgia Episcopal Area of the United Methodist Church, including the North Georgia and South Georgia conferences.

A native of New York, she received her bachelor’s degree at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry in Stewardship at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. In addition, Bishop Dease taught courses as an adjunct professor and then chair of the religion and philosophy department at Claflin University.

She made history in 2023 as the first African American bishop to serve the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Previously, Bishop Dease served as pastor and district superintendent in the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.

In 2024, she became bishop of the new Georgia Episcopal Area of the United Methodist Church. A year later, she received the Silver Torch Award, a national recognition presented to recipients who have given faithful service to The United Methodist Church at the regional, national or international level.

At LaGrange College, Bishop Dease serves on the Board of Trustees.

Distinguished Service Alumni Award

Spencer King ’00 graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from LaGrange College and has spent more than two decades since giving back to the college that shaped him.

At LaGrange College, King brings a steady and committed presence, serving as a current member of the Alumni Executive Council, past president of the Alumni Association, and an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees. As a student, he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, the Student Government Association and Hilltoppers.

For twenty-five years, King has worked at the Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center in Atlanta, where he has built a career in Information Technology, rising to Senior Principal Team Leader in the Infrastructure and Network group. He exudes the same spirit of servant leadership at his work, championing a people-first culture, mentoring his team and delivering results with integrity.

King extends his service into the community of Smyrna, Georgia, where he and his wife, Meg, are raising their three children, Hattie, Philip and Sam. He volunteers as a little league baseball coach and serves as an Elder and children’s church teacher at Smyrna Presbyterian Church.

Doctor of Humane Letters

Bobby Carmichael is a retired businessman whose guiding leadership played an instrumental role in the progress of LaGrange College and the broader community.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Auburn University and a graduate degree from Louisiana State University’s School of Banking.

Carmichael held key positions within the City of LaGrange, including executive director of both the Development Authority of LaGrange and the Downtown LaGrange Development Authority, from which he retired from in 2018. Prior to his city roles, he was the president of Commercial Bank and Trust for 22 years, a Certified Public Accountant for seven years and a Captain in the U.S. Army.

At LaGrange College, he first came onto the Board of Trustees in 1994 and served multiple terms as a member, vice chair and chair. Carmichael was an integral part of the college’s three most recent presidential search committees. He began his service at the College as a member of Leadership Council. He received the Honorary Alumni Award in 2022.

Carmichael’s volunteer work includes serving as chairman in the following organizations: LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce, West Georgia Health System, First United Methodist Church Council, United Way, LaGrange Development Authority, Downtown LaGrange Development Authority, LaGrange Rotary Club, West Georgia Tech Foundation, Georgia Bankers Association and Georgia Department of Human Resources. He was also a board member in the Private Colleges and Universities Authority of Georgia. Bobby Carmichael lives in LaGrange with his wife Molly.

Doctor of Humane Letters

Chris Joseph is a retired business owner and city leader deeply invested in the community of LaGrange, Georgia, where generations of his family have operated the Charlie Joseph’s restaurant for more than a century.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Auburn University.

Joseph built a 51-year career as a Certified Public Accountant, beginning at Lybrand, Ross, Brother & Montgomery now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers and then went on to co-found Gay & Joseph, CPA. in 1974 in LaGrange. He retired from the industry in 2021.  

Within city government, Joseph served as a councilman for 10 years and mayor for four years. His leadership extended into his previous volunteer roles as LaGrange Chamber of Commerce board president, LaGrange Kiwanis Club president, Highland Country Club president and founder of LaGrange Sports Authority’s “I Train in LaGrange” program during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Joseph also held membership positions on the LaGrange City Board of Education, Community Bank & Trust, Leadership Georgia, Georgia Municipal Association, the Governor’s Commission on Georgia Growth and the President’s Council at LaGrange College. For eight years he served on the College’s Leadership Council.

He devotes time to his faith as Finance Council Chair and Eucharistic Minister at St Peter's Catholic Church. Chris Joseph lives in LaGrange with his wife Emily.

Waights G. Henry Jr. Leadership Award

Zentrina Choice is an Elementary Education major with a minor in Servant Leadership.

She is president of Black Student Union, a Wilkinson Family Servant Scholar, a Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholar, a volleyball captain and a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Zentrina has volunteered with LaGrange Active Life and Yvette’s Little World, a local early learning center. She also participated in community outreach events with Black Student Union, including creating cards for a local nursing home and creating Halloween candy bags for Ethel Kight Elementary School.

As a Supplemental Instruction leader, she hosted collaborative learning sessions and created interactive activities for exams and quiz preparation.

Zentrina’s academic and athletic accolades include being named to the Vice President for Academic Affairs List and receiving the Collegiate Conference of the South’s All-Sportsmanship Team honor and the Education Department’s Ethyl Ault Service Award.

In the classroom, she has served as a student teacher at Hillcrest Elementary School, where she engaged with students during small group activities, created lesson plans and led whole group lessons.

After graduation, Zentrina plans to teach fifth grade at Riverdale Elementary School this fall.