Dr. Thomas Kwasigroch will be the speaker during the 10 a.m. ceremony, and Janet Ayers will deliver the 2 p.m. address.

Kwasigroch is associate dean of ETSUs Quillen College of Medicine and a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, directing studies in medical and human anatomy and embryology. He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Physical Therapy in ETSUs College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences.

Kwasigroch joined the faculty of the Quillen College of Medicine at its inception in 1979 and has taught every graduate of the college since that time. He is the most awarded faculty member at the medical school, having received more than 50 awards. Among these are numerous Professor of the Year honors at Quillen and Gender Equity Awards from the American Medical Womens Association. He was recognized nationally as a McCann Scholar for Excellence in Mentoring and Teaching in 2005 and as the 2015 recipient of the Alpha Omega Alpha Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Award from the American Association of Medical Colleges.

Kwasigroch served with the 6th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and as a first lieutenant, infantry platoon leader, company executive officer and battalion liaison officer in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal.

He holds a B.S. degree from Niagara University and a Ph.D. in anatomy and embryology from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Freie Universitt-Berlin in Germany.

After receiving her bachelors degree in health care administration from ETSU in 1986, Ayers began her career as the administrator of Four Oaks Health Care Center in Jonesborough, where she remained for five years. She then assumed the administrator position at Erwin Health Care, where she remained for 15 years.

During her career as an administrator, Ayers was an active member of the Tennessee Health Care Association and received awards for distinguished professional and association service. She also served as commissioner of the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission for five years.

In 2007, Ayers became president of The Ayers Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the people of Tennessee with a special emphasis on Decatur, Henderson, Perry and Unicoi counties. The foundation believes this is best accomplished by providing grants for scholarships, counselors, programs and related projects for educational enhancement and innovative health care, and by supporting organizations dedicated to the preservation of natural resources and wildlife habitats for hunting and fishing.

Ayers, who resides in Nashville, is a member of the new ETSU Board of Trustees.

Complete information on commencement for graduating students and the public is available online at http://www.etsu.edu/reg/graduation/ceremony.php.

Individuals participating in or attending the 10 a.m. ceremony are advised to avoid State of Franklin Road in downtown Johnson City between East Main Street and Watauga Avenue, because this major artery and parts of the historic Tree Streets district will be closed for a road race.

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2000+ set to graduate from ETSU this spring - Johnson City Press (subscription)