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Fayetteville Technical Community College is honored to welcome James Sanders III as the keynote speaker for its 62nd Annual Commencement Exercises.

FTCC will honor this year’s graduates in two ceremonies at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. May 17 at the Crown Coliseum. Sanders will deliver the keynote address at both ceremonies. The public is invited to attend.

Sanders is a communications instructor at FTCC as well as a motivational speaker, a radio host, and a mentor in the college’s Y.E.S. Initiative (You + Effort = Success) for students. In all of his ventures, his goal is to educate, empower, and create opportunities for students and others, particularly those from underrepresented groups.

Sanders joined FTCC in January 2023 with more than two decades of experience in the classroom.

His presentations address a range of topics, including BIPOC Male Initiatives, conflict resolution, and interpersonal communication, and are infused with his passion for diversity and inclusion.

As co-host of “The Cross Over,” a Fayetteville radio program, he facilitates conversations that promote understanding and aim to bridge divides in today’s diverse world.

Sanders holds a Master of Arts in Communication and Media Studies from New York Institute of Technology, a Master of Arts in General and Special Education from Touro College, and a Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Old Westbury.

“My mission,” Sanders says, “is to inspire, empower, and transform lives through education and communication.”