The University announced to the Wheel on Tuesday that retired Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones will be speaking to seniors this year during the Class Day event, for which Emory brings in a well-known, student-selected speaker. Class Day, which will take place on Thursday, May 9 this year, aims to provide the senior class with a fun final memory before graduation.
We at the Wheel are glad the University chose Jones as the speaker this year, as this selection adds variety to the TV stars that have attended in the past few years: Adam Richman, Chelsea Handler and Mark-Paul Gosselaar. In fact, the University has not had an athlete give a speech at Class Day since Peyton Manning spoke in 2005.
Jones is an excellent Atlanta connection, having played his entire 19-year career on the Braves, retiring just last year. Jones had a distinguishing career, having received the National League's (NL) Most Valuable Player Award in 1999 and the NL's Silver Slugger Award in both 1999 and 2000. Many current Braves, and baseball fans, who are currently students at Emory likely saw Jones play during their childhoods.
In addition, students in the College, Goizueta Business School and Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing who participate in their schools' class gift campaigns will be entered into a raffle through which they can win four tickets for Jones' personal seats in the SunTrust section at an upcoming Braves game, as well as a baseball signed by him. These tickets, worth about $1,200, will include all-you-can-eat-and-drink privileges.
We are glad that Jones is providing this opportunity for students and feel that it is a great way to get them more involved in the Atlanta and Emory community.
The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel's editorial board.
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