Ashley McBryde with Dr. Todd Shields (Photo courtesy of Arkansas State University)
Arkansas State University in Jonesboro held its annual spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday, and a special honor was given to an area native turned Grammy-winning country music singer and songwriter during the morning event. Ashley McBryde, originally from Mammoth Spring, was presented by Chancellor Dr. Todd Shields with an Honorary Doctorate in Music at First National Bank Arena on the university campus.
According to the university, McBryde was an A-State student who studied French horn and planned to become a band director, but she was encouraged by a professor to pursue the music industry. Since then, she has won one Grammy and has been nominated five other times for the award. McBryde has also received three Academy of Country Music Awards, one Country Music Association Award and a nomination for a Daytime Emmy. In addition, she is a member of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn.
During her speech, Dr. McBryde said, “Earning a degree in music has always been something that I’ve placed a lot of value in. It was something I felt I needed to accomplish. In my time here at A-State, I found my passion not only for performing, but for creating other musicians. The music education program is priceless. I’m so thankful for educators that pushed me to strive for excellence.”
Another area resident served as the student speaker during the morning commencement. R. E. Lee Wilson Award winner Amber Yates of Salem graduated in December with a degree in communication studies from the College of Liberal Arts and Communication.
Between both commencement ceremonies, nearly 2,800 students were candidates for degrees.
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