April Wimberly Garrity, a 1994 graduate of Cathedral School in Natchez, received her doctor of philosophy degree during Louisiana State University’s Spring 2007 commencement exercises.

She completed her dissertation, “A Study of Auxiliary BE in African American English: A Comparison of Children with and without Specific Language Impairment,” under the direction of Dr. Janna Oetting in November 2006.

Garrity presently resides in Savannah, Ga., with her husband, James Byron Garrity Jr., formerly of Natchez, and their two children, Susanna Grace and James Byron Garrity III. She is an assistant professor at Armstrong Atlantic State University in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders within the College of Health Professions. Garrity is the daughter of Bob and Kaye Wimberly of Martin, La.