CLEVELAND— From left, Eric Christopher Spencer, a Delta State University graduating senior with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, from Marion, Ark.; Sean Alan Nichols, a Delta State University graduating senior with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, from Bastrop, La.; Sarah Frances Moore, a Delta State University graduating senior with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, from Greenwood; and Darrell K. Dixon, a Delta State University graduating senior with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, from Clarksdale, were awarded the Second Diploma during Delta State University's 83rd Spring Commencement ceremony held Saturday, May 8, inside Walter Sillers Coliseum on campus. Not pictured: Madeline Frost Thomas, a Delta State University graduating senior with a Bachelor of Social Work degree, from Lexington.

Eric Spencer, a 6-foot-4 Marion, Ark. native, has made the most of his three years at Delta State University. A three-year letterman for coach Jason Conner and the Statesmen basketball team, Spencer closed his career this season with 928 career points, while leading the Statesmen to a combined 54-29 record.

Spencer came to Delta State from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. In his career as a Statesmen, he played in 81 games with 25 starts, scoring 928 career points in just three seasons for an 11.5 points per game average. He ranks eighth in career three-pointers made and ninth in career threes attempted in school history. He was named to the All-Gulf South Conference Second Team as a junior.

Spencer's exploits in the classroom are also quite notable. He is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-South Region selection and a two-time All-Gulf South Conference Academic Team pick - one of only four in men's basketball history.

The three-time Academic All-GSC Honor Roll recipient carries a 3.92 GPA in biology/chemistry. He is a member of five honor societies at DSU for his academic work and he was recently accepted into physical therapy school at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. Over 400 applied and only 30 were accepted into the 2011 class.

The Second Diploma is presented to the two-year graduating senior with the highest grade point average on a minimum of 62 hours of academic credit at Delta State University. This policy permits a transfer student with at least two years at Delta State to compete for this honor.