LAKELAND, Fla. (April 19, 2007) — Approximately 220 seniors from Florida Southern College’s Lakeland day program will receive diplomas during a graduation ceremony taking place April 28 at 1:30 p.m. in the Jenkins Field House on the FSC campus. A morning ceremony for approximately 62 students from the Lakeland evening, graduate and Orlando programs begins at 10:30 a.m. in Branscomb Auditorium.

Dr. Lou Saco, chairman and chief executive officer of the Watson Clinic and chairman of the Watson Clinic Foundation, will deliver the commencement address during the afternoon ceremony. Saco received his medical degree from Georgetown University and his master’s degree in business from the University of South Florida.  In addition to his duties at the Watson Clinic, he serves as medical director of the Lakeland Surgical and Diagnostic Center and as the team physician for the Detroit Tigers and Lakeland Flying Tigers baseball teams. He is a member of the Florida Southern College board of trustees and teaches a pre-med seminar on topics in medicine at the College. Saco will receive an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree for his dedication to his profession and years of service to the community.

Also to receive an honorary degree, the Doctor of Art, is Madame Shao Fang Sheng, renowned painter, musician, educator, former apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, and alumna of Florida Southern College, where she studied music and art. She has taught art at Florida Southern and the Chautauqua Summer School, and lectured extensively on art, interior design and Chinese cooking throughout the United States. Her art has been exhibited in galleries around the United States, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Chautauqua Institute.

Lynda Keever, publisher and chief operating officer of Florida Trend Magazine, will give the commencement speech at the morning graduation ceremony. Keever is a social sciences graduate of Florida State University. A dedicated advocate for a strong educational system in Florida, she received the 2004 Liberty Bell Award from the Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida for her contributions to education. Keever is a member of the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame and the only woman to serve as publisher of Florida Trend during its 48-year history.

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive, United Methodist college with a liberal arts core. The college maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 39 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 13:1 student/faculty ratio, provides strong student/faculty mentorship programs, boasts 25 NCAA Division II national championships, and is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the top ten Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelor’s institutions and by the Princeton Review as a “Best Southeastern College.” Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is the home of the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.