Mississippi’s first woman Attorney General Lynn Fitch is the keynote speaker at the upcoming Master of Business Administration commencement ceremony on May 12.
Raised in Holly Springs, Miss., Fitch graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a law degree. With a career spanning more than 35 years, she has worked in both public and private practice as a lawyer.
In 2011, Fitch was elected treasurer of the state of Mississippi, a position she held until 2020. She served as vice president for the National Association of State Treasurers and as chair of the State Financial Officers Foundation while working as the state treasurer.
“In every step of my academic or professional career, I have found these five leadership skills can help you succeed in whatever it is you want to achieve: 1. support and empower each other; 2. collaborate with a team; 3. be a problem-solver; 4. be proactive and strategic; 5. stay true to yourself,” Fitch shared with The Daily Mississippian.
Ken Cyree, dean of the School of Business Administration, expressed excitement that Fitch would be speaking at the ceremony.
“We are looking forward to having Attorney General Fitch speak at our MBA ceremony. She is a native Mississippian, an Ole Miss Business School and Law School graduate and an experienced leader and public servant,” Cyree said. “She has faced adversity and challenges and has been able to overcome difficulties in her career and life, and her wisdom and experience should be an inspiration to our MBA graduates and the ceremony attendees.”
Fitch made national news in 2022 for her role in the overturning of Roe v. Wade, in her official capacity as attorney general. In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Mississippi’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks after pregnancy.
In a statement following the controversial decision, Fitch said, “this decision is a victory not only for women and children, but for the court itself. I commend the court for restoring constitutional principle and returning this important issue to the American people.”
Dr. Jaime Harker, director of the Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies, expressed her disagreement with Fitch’s politics, but nonetheless said that it is important to consider other points of view.
“I may not agree with every speaker on campus or every person who comes in, but I think it’s good if we can engage in conversation and figure out how to make counter arguments. You want to make sure you’re hearing multiple kinds of perspectives,” Harker said.
The MBA commencement ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. May 12 at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.
