More than 690 students graduated from Augusta University during the fall 2025 commencement ceremonies, held on December 10 and 11 at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center.
This year’s ceremonies were notable as they marked the first commencement overseen by Maggy G. Tomova, PhD, who serves as executive vice president for Academic Affairs and provost.
The undergraduate ceremony on December 11 featured State Representative Jon Burns (R-Newington), Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, as keynote speaker. Addressing graduates, Burns emphasized community service: “The most meaningful moments of your life won’t be personal accomplishments, big paychecks or other accolades. They’ll be the moments that you used your time and talents to lift up your fellow man. Our communities, our state and our nation are better places when we step up and do what Georgians do best – give a helping hand to our neighbors in need,” he said.
At the Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony on December 10, Zachary Powell, DMD—CEO and chief dental clinician of Georgia Smile Group and an alumnus of Augusta University’s Dental College—delivered remarks about serving others. “Our good works are how we shape the world. It’s how we leave our fingerprints and our footprints on places we may never see again. This my friends, is impact,” Powell said.
Student speakers Natalie Mseis-Jackson, PhD, and Landon Gilbert were selected through a process involving Augusta University’s Student Government Association. Both shared messages focused on perseverance and empathy with their peers.
“As we step into our professional roles, it is important to remember that not everyone will move at the same pace we do,” Mseis-Jackson told graduates during the hooding ceremony. “Not everyone learns the way we learn. We must remind ourselves we once struggled too, we once asked endless questions, we once relied on someone else’s guidance, patience and belief in us. Let’s extend to others the same understanding that helped us rise up.”
Gilbert addressed his classmates at the undergraduate ceremony: “When we obtain these degrees, a chapter in all of our lives will be closing, but a new one will emerge,” he said. “There will be points in all of our lives where we may think we can’t do this – I can’t achieve this. I’m here to say, do not get comfortable. Strive for more, apply for that job you think you have no shot at getting. Take the leap of faith! Sure, you may land at the bottom, and if it’s in my case, you’re going to land below the bottom. My friends, it’s only up from there.”
