LAKELAND, Fla. (April 19, 2005) - Sarah D. McKay, president of McKay Enterprises and chair of the Board of Trustees of Florida Southern College, will receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service during the college's graduation ceremony on April 30. The commencement, at which approximately 266 Lakeland day students will receive their degrees, takes place at 1:30 p.m. in the Jenkins Field House on the FSC campus. 

"It is an honor to recognize Mrs. McKay for her outstanding leadership and dedicated service to Florida Southern College," said Dr. Anne B. Kerr, FSC president. "The college has been fortunate to benefit from her wise leadership and commitment to higher education."

A highly respected Lakeland businesswoman and community activist, McKay has a long history of service to Lakeland, the United Methodist Church, and Florida Southern College. She has made contributions through her leadership in the non-profit sector and her philanthropic support. Her civic board involvement includes service to the Lakeland Regional Medical Center Foundation, the Community Foundation of Greater Lakeland, the Polk Museum of Art and the Polk Theater. McKay is also an active member of the College Heights United Methodist Church, serving on the board of trustees. She was honored by Governor Lawton Chiles with the Florida's Finest Recognition Award and received the Walter E. Wolf Award from Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center. 


About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive, United Methodist college with a liberal arts core. The college maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 38 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student/faculty ratio, provides strong student/faculty mentorship programs, boasts 24 NCAA Division II national championships, and is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the top ten Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelors. Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is the home of the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.