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By: Amy Charles | April 23, 2026
The University of Pikeville (UPIKE) will honor students earning degrees in undergraduate, graduate and health professions on Saturday, May 2, at the Appalachian Wireless Arena in downtown Pikeville. The ceremony for the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Kentucky College of Optometry will take place at 9:30 a.m., and the ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences, the Coleman College of Business, the College of Nursing and Human Services and the Patton College of Education will take place at 2 p.m. Both events will be available for viewing via livestream on UPIKE’s YouTube channel.
The keynote speaker for the health professions ceremony is Robert Layman, O.D., a graduate of Ohio State University College of Optometry. He is a nationally recognized leader in the field with more than 35 years of service to the profession. He was elected to the American Optometric Association (AOA) Board of Trustees in 2013, served as president in 2021 and currently serves as chairman of the AOA Center for Independent Practice. Layman has chaired numerous AOA committees and task forces and has been widely recognized for his contributions, including being named the AOA’s Optometrist of the Year in 2006. An honoree among Ohio State Optometry’s 100 Notable Alumni, he has also received multiple awards from the Ohio Optometric Association. He is the owner of Pinnacle Eye Group in Lambertville and Great Lakes Vision Care in Monroe, Michigan, and is dedicated to volunteerism and mentoring future optometrists.
UPIKE alum and former student-athlete, Nicholas “Nick” Jamerson, will give the keynote address for the graduate and undergraduate ceremony. He is an acclaimed singer-songwriter from Eastern Kentucky known for his authentic storytelling and deep Appalachian roots. A co-founder of the band Sundy Best, Jamerson has released more than a dozen records over the past decade, both solo and in collaboration. Shaped by a lifetime surrounded by family and tradition, his music has taken him to renowned stages including the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium, as well as major festivals across the region. In addition to his work as a performer, Jamerson is committed to mentoring emerging artists through initiatives such as the Sleeping in the Woods Songwriter Festival. He continues to create work that connects personal experience with universal themes and is widely respected for helping redefine contemporary Appalachian and Southern music. For more information about the ceremonies, visit upike.edu/commencement.