Mississippi Secretary of State Eric Clark will be the commencement speaker Dec. 13 for fall semester graduation at Mississippi State University.
Commencement exercises begin at 10 a.m. in Humphrey Coliseum. More than 1,100 students are candidates for degrees.
A Smith County native, Clark was elected to the office last year after four terms in the state House of Representatives. He holds a doctorate in history from Mississippi State.
He also received a bachelor's degree, with distinction, from Millsaps College and a master's from the University of Mississippi.