TROY – Dr. Joe Morton, state superintendent of education, will give the fall commencement address at Troy University on Dec. 8, as approximately 350 students are scheduled to receive diplomas.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. in Sartain Hall on the Troy Campus. Students from 17 U.S. states, one U.S. territory and 12 foreign nations are scheduled to receive diplomas.

Dr. Morton was selected by the Alabama State Board of Education to be the state superintendent of education on July 13, 2004. He served as interim state superintendent from January 23, 2004 - July 13, 2004. Prior to the appointment as interim state superintendent of education, Dr. Morton served for eight years as deputy state superintendent of education.

He was previously superintendent of education of Sylacauga City Schools and of Sumter County Schools. Dr. Morton has a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a master’s and Ph.D. degrees from The University of Alabama.

Dr. Morton has been recognized by three different organizations as the outstanding superintendent of education in Alabama. He was selected by The Executive Educator magazine as one of the top 100 school executives in North America. Dr. Morton was a member of the first classes of Leadership Sylacauga and Leadership Alabama.

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