Watch CBS News

First Lady To Address Graduates At Bowie State University

WASHINGTON (AP/WJZ) -- Michelle Obama's commencement speaking schedule is taking her to Kentucky, Maryland and Tennessee.

The White House announced Thursday that Mrs. Obama will address graduates at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond on May 11 and at Bowie State University in Bowie, Md., on May 17. She's also speaking to graduating seniors at the Martin Luther King Academic Magnet High School for Health Sciences and Engineering in Nashville, Tenn., on May 18.

"It is an extraordinary honor for Bowie State University and the Class of 2013 to welcome First Lady Michelle Obama as an honored guest at our Spring Commencement ceremony," said BSU President Mickey L. Burnim. "She is an outstanding role model who will add even greater significance to this celebration of achievement for our graduates and their families."

The commencement ceremony will be a ticketed event. This will be the first time that Mrs. Obama has addressed a Bowie State University audience. President Barack Obama has twice visited the campus, once as a Senator in 2006 and again as President in 2010.

This year commemorates Bowie State University's 148th anniversary as Maryland's oldest historically black university and one of the oldest in the nation.

Eastern Kentucky was chosen for its commitment to veterans' education. The MLK magnet school recently opened a community supported wellness center and students tend to a community garden. Veterans and health and wellness are causes of the first lady.

The magnet school has also been recognized for its curriculum and high graduation rate.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.