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John R. Thelin

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A student's personal message is conveyed on her cap during the undergraduate graduation exercises for Jackson State University's Class of 2016 at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss., Saturday, April 23, 2016. First lady Michelle Obama delivered the commencement address. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) (AP)

Long considered a high honor, the valedictorian tradition faces an uncertain future

John R. Thelin