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ALBANY, GA. -- The former U.S. agriculture official whose firing earlier this year prompted a racial firestorm will offer the commencement address at Albany State University.

Shirley Sherrod will address more than 350 graduating students at her alma mater Saturday morning.

Sherrod, a native of Baker County, was forced out of her position as the USDA's Georgia Director of Rural Development when a conservative blogger posted video excerpts online of her speaking at an NAACP event suggesting she discriminated against a white farmer. The excerpts were later found to have been taken out of context. She was offered another position with the USDA, which she turned down.

Sherrod told the Albany Herald she wants to encourage the graduates "to do good."