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More than 600 students will graduate at Georgia Gwinnett College’s fall commencement at 10 a.m., Dec. 7 at the Gas South Arena. The ceremony will feature Gwinnett County State Court Judge Veronica Cope as keynote speaker.

A North Carolina native, Cope practiced law in the Atlanta area for more than 19 years. Cope’s contributions to the community are extensive. She is a graduate of Leadership Gwinnett, GLANCE Gwinnett, Leadership DeKalb and the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia’s Leadership Academy. As immediate past president of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL), Cope worked to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that assist women and children in the legal system and in the community.

The event will also feature graduate speaker Morgan K. George. The 31-year-old Lawrenceville resident dropped out of high school at 16. After investigating career options, she joined the U.S. Army and served as a veterinary technician in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where she cared for military dogs. As an 18-year-old female in the combat zone, George assisted Army Rangers as a liaison between local Afghan women, who often would not speak to men, and the military units that entered their villages.

Morgan K. George

George’s second deployment took her to Japan on a humanitarian mission after the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami devastated the region.

After becoming a single mother at 22, George left the Army and transitioned into civilian life. George will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in environmental science.

Visit GGC’s website for more commencement information and stories about GGC graduates.