Virginia Supreme Court justice announced as Richard Bland College graduation speaker

Richard Bland College has chosen state Supreme Court Justice Cleo Powell as the keynote speaker for its spring graduation ceremony next month.

Powell, a former district and circuit judge in Colonial Heights and Chesterfield, became the first Black woman appointed to Virginia's highest court 10 years ago. The Brunswick County native also is the fifth woman to sit on the bench.

Just like last year with the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's RBC graduation on May 20 will be virtual.

In a statement announcing the choice of speaker, RBC president Dr. Debbie Sydow called Powell "a powerful role model and inspiration" for this year's graduating class. Sydow added, she was "honored" to have the judge take part.

“Graduation is a special time,” Powell said in the same statement. “It is a time for looking back and simultaneously looking forward. It is a time to reflect on the past and to anticipate the future."

Prior to her first judicial appointment, Powell practiced labor and employment law in Richmond, and was senior assistant attorney general for the Virginia Employment Commission.

She joined the district court in 1993 and seven years later was appointed to the circuit court for Colonial Heights and Chesterfield. In 2008, then-Gov. Tim Kaine appointed her to the Virginia Court of Appeals, where she served until her elevation to the Supreme Court.

She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the UVA School of Law.

Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is the news director of The Progress-Index, located in his hometown of Petersburg, Va. He is also the breaking-news coordinator and has been known to "nerd out" over political news coverage and history. Contact Bill at batkinson@progress-index.com, and follow him on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI, and subscribe to us at progress-index.com.