The Nineteenth of December, Two-Thousand and Twenty-five Nine Thirty O’clock in the Morning Talmadge L. Hill Field House
Morgan State University
1700 E. Cold Spring Lane Baltimore, Maryland 21251 morgan.edu
ToOurGuests
Welcome to the 12th Fall Commencement Exercises of Morgan State University. The University solicits your cooperation in helping sustain this happy occasion’s dignity and solemnity. We respectfully request that you refrain from engaging in conversation as well as moving about while the Commencement Exercises are in progress. Once the exercises have begun, only members of the authorized working press and authorized photographers will be permitted on the arena floor.
We ask our guests to stand as the academic procession moves into the arena and to remain standing until after the singing of the Hymn.
Thank you.
Accessible Accommodations
Our guests who are deaf, have hearing loss or are otherwise hearing impaired may view the livestream of today’s Commencement Exercises on their device. The livestream broadcast will feature a visual communicator who will interpret the spoken and musical presentations of the program using sign language. To access the livestream, please scan the QR code at right.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us.
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
Anthem
LIFT EV’RY VOICE AND SING
Composed
by
James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson
Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast’ning rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet,
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
The Alma Mater
I.
Fair Morgan, we love thee, so tried and so true, Our hearts at thy name thrill with pride; We owe thee allegiance, we pledge thee our faith, A faith which shall ever abide.
–Chorus–
We pledge thee our love, we pledge thee our faith, Whatever the future may bring, And thus our devotion, fidelity too, And homage we pay as we sing.
II.
Fair Morgan, as onward the years quickly fly, And thou livest in memory sweet. We bring thee our laurels whatever they be, And lay them with joy at thy feet.
–Chorus–
Author: Flora E. Strout
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way.
Thou who has by Thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, Our God, where we met Thee.
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God, True to our Native land.
Alumni OathofAllegiance
I hereby solemnly pledge to faithfully fulfill my duties as a graduate of Morgan State University. I pledge to uphold the values, traditions, and mission of our esteemed university for the betterment of society and to continuously strive for personal and professional growth.
I promise to be active with the Morgan State University Alumni Association and remain connected with and support alma mater. I will commit to the highest standards of excellence and to be a proud ambassador for our university.
I will provide moral, intellectual, and financial support to alma mater, and I will encourage others to do the same. I promise to exemplify the high ideals thus implied, to bring honor and respect to Morgan State University.
Officers ofthe University
THE BOARD OF REGENTS
The Honorable Kweisi Mfume, Chair
Gen. (Ret.) Larry R. Ellis, Vice Chair
Mr. Carl W. Turnipseed, Secretary
Ms. Swati Agrawal
The Rev. Dr. Harold A. Carter, Jr.
Ms. Julissa Ferreras-Copeland
Dr. Linda J. Gilliam
Mr. John W. Henry III
Mr. Benjamin B. Klubes
Dr. Shirley M. Malcom
Mr. Champion Ojo, Student Regent
Mr. Brian D. Pieninck
Mr. William A. Sherman II, Esq.
Ms. Shelonda D. Stokes
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS
Dr. David K. Wilson, President
Dr. Hongtao Yu, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Sen. Joan Carter-Conway, Deputy Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs
Ms. Endia DeCordova, Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Ms. Dena Freeman-Patton, Vice President and Director for Intercollegiate Athletics
Ms. Julie D. Goodwin, General Counsel
Ms. Armada Grant, Special Assistant to the President
Mr. David LaChina, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
Dr. Willie E. May, Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Ms. Kim McCalla, Vice President for Facilities, Design and Construction Management
Dr. Timothy Summers, Vice President/Chief Information Officer for Division of Information Technology
Dr. Kara M. Turner, Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success
Dr. Don-Terry Veal, Vice President for State and Federal Relations and Chief of Staff to the President
Dr. Letitia Williams, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs
ACADEMIC DEANS
Dr. Abimbola Asojo, Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning
Dr. Oscar Barton, Jr., Dean of the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering
Dr. Royce Burnett, Dean of the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
Dr. Mark D. Garrison, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies
Prof. Jacqueline Jones, Dean of the School of Global Journalism and Communication
Dr. Anna McPhatter, Dean of the School of Social Work
Dr. M’bare N’gom, Dean of the James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Glenda Prime, Dean of the School of Education and Urban Studies
Dr. Kim Dobson Sydnor, Dean of the School of Community Health and Policy
Dr. Paul B. Tchounwou, Dean of the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Dr. Oluwatosin Adegbola, Dean of the Clara I. Adams Honors College
Dr. Nicole M. Westrick, Dean of the College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OFFICERS
Dr. Samia Kirchner, Chair
Dr. Maxim Bushuev, Vice Chair
Dr. Hyeon-Shic Shin, Secretary
Ms Chevaun Whitman, Parliamentarian
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
Tamani Grace, Student Government Association President Shaylen Bougere, Student Government Association Vice President
Order ofProcession
MARSHALS
Chief Faculty Marshal of the University
Dr. Milford A. Jeremiah
Associate Marshals
Prof. Darryl Green
Dr. Edwin T. Johnson
Dr. Ernest Brevard
Dr. Nilajah Nyasuma Sims
Marshals for the Faculty
Mrs. Natasha Lewis-Williams
Dr. Tyrone Stanley
Marshals for the College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies
Ms. Emma Minnis
Dr. Dionne Thorne
Marshals for the School of Graduate Studies
Dr. Virginia Byrne
Ms. Carol-Ann Hendricks
Dr. Sharlene Allen Milton
Marshals for the James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Inte’A DeShields
Dr. Amber Hodges
Dr. Stacey Stanley
Marshals for the School of Architecture and Planning
Ms. Tanya R. Shanklin
Dr. Lewis Waller
Marshals for the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
Dr. Tamera Farrar
Dr. Julaine Rigg
Marshals for the School of Community Health and Policy
Dr. Margaret Alston
Ms. Sheila Richburg
Marshals for the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Ms. Simon Nyaga
Dr. Ernest C. Steele, Jr.
Marshals for the School of Education and Urban Studies
Dr. Bryan Best
Dr. Richard Rhodes
Marshals for the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering
Mr. Dennis Glover
Dr. Dong Hee-Kang
Dr. Zhuping Sheng
Marshals for the School of Global Journalism and Communication
Ms. Angela Gaither-Scott
Marshal for the School of Social Work
Dr. Romyche Pierre
Dr. Joonwoo Moon
THE PROCESSION
ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATORS
FACULTY EMERITI
FACULTIES OF THE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE CANDIDATES
Doctorates Masters
UNDERGRADUATE CANDIDATES
College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies
Bachelors of Science
James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
Bachelors of Arts
Bachelors of Fine Arts
Bachelors of Science
School of Architecture and Planning
Bachelors of Science
Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
Bachelors of Science
School of Community Health and Policy
Bachelors of Science
School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Bachelors of Science
School of Education and Urban Studies
Bachelors of Science
Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering
Bachelors of Science
School of Global Journalism and Communication
Bachelors of Science
School of Social Work
Bachelors of Science
PLATFORM PARTY
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
PRESIDENT OF THE MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
CLERGY
REGISTRAR
PRESIDENT OF THE SENIOR CLASS
SPECIAL GUESTS
ASSISTANTS TO THE PRESIDENT
UNIVERSITY COUNSEL
CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE PRESIDENT
CHAIR OF MILITARY SCIENCE
CHAIR OF THE COMMENCEMENT COMMITTEE
HONORARY DEGREE CITATION READER
DEANS OF THE UNIVERSITY
VICE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY BOARD OF REGENTS
PROVOST AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS
CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY
ThePresidentialChainofOffice
he Morgan State University Presidential Chain of Office is bestowed upon each President of the University at an official inauguration ceremony and is worn by the President at Commencement and all official occasions requiring the wearing of academic regalia. It is a permanent insignia of office and is passed down to each succeeding president of the University.
The Morgan State University Presidential Chain of Office is cast in bronze with an antique patina and consists of a chain of 1 ½-inch medallions engraved with the names of the presidents of the institution and the four periods and dates in its evolution: Centenary Biblical Institute, Morgan College, Morgan State College and Morgan State University. The medallions for the current and past presidents drape around the front, and the medallions noting the periods in the history of the institution drape around the back of the academic regalia. Near the bottom of the Chain are two banners with laurel leaves, attached to two round medallions bearing the official logo of the University. At the bottom of the Chain is a banner, crested with laurel leaves, bearing the inscription President, below which sits the official Presidential Medallion, a 3-inch round medal with a double-faced design embossed relief with the Seal of the University and its colors on the front and engraved with the University logo on the verso plane. Below the Presidential Medallion is a banner inscribed with the name of the current President.
The Presidential Chain was designed by the Inauguration Committee for Morgan’s Tenth Inaugurated President, Dr. David Wilson, in collaboration with the Office of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, and crafted by Medallic Art Company of Northwest Territorial Mint in Dayton, Nevada, in 2010. It was donated by Dr. Clara I. Adams, Morgan State University Class of 1954, former Special Assistant to the President, and Mr. Wilbert L. Walker, Morgan State University Class of 1950.
TheMorganStateUniversityMace
The mace (Arabic, amūd; Latin, mascea) was originally a weapon: a short handle topped with a metal ball, its bludgeoning force eclipsed that of a club. A common sight in medieval armies, the mace also served as a symbol of authority, appearing on the seals of such monarchs as Edward the Confessor, Philip Augustus and Frederick Barbarossa. In academic settings, a bedellus (lay church official) processed with the mace during commencement; hence, it was adopted by colleges and universities throughout the West and, in the United States, is usually borne by the Chief Faculty Marshal in academic processions.
During its Sesquicentennial Celebration December 2016 through December 2017 Morgan State University retired its 60-year-old mace and replaced it with a longer mace that can accommodate the names of additional Presidents over the years and that displays more prominently the insignia of the four major periods of its development: Centenary Biblical Institute, Morgan College, Morgan State College and Morgan State University.
The new mace, crafted by the Medallic Art Company in Dayton, Nevada, has a 36-inch-tall fluted mahogany staff with 14 antique brass banners encircling it, the first 10 engraved with the names and terms of the inaugurated Presidents of the University. The mace head is a four-sided mahogany crown that bears images of three iconic Morgan structures and, on one side, the seal of the University, all in bronze, and, at its top the traditional flame of knowledge. The base of the mace is adorned with a tiered brass foot. The new mace was designed by the Sesquicentennial Celebration Coordinating Committee, and it is a Sesquicentennial Gift to the University from the Morgan State University Alumni Association.
CHIEF FACULTY MARSHALS OF THE UNIVERSITY
1914–1948 Dr. Milton L. Calloway 1974–2009 Dr. Clayton C. Stansbury 1948–1966 Dr. George H. Spaulding 2009– Dr. Milford A. Jeremiah 1966–1974 Dr. Nathaniel K. Proctor
TheDr.IvaG.JonesMedallionEmblem
Some colleagues and community friends of the late Dr. Iva Gwendolyn Jones, Professor Emerita of the Morgan State University Department of English, honored her as a scholar, leader and teacher, by extending as a gift to Morgan State University the Dr. Iva G. Jones Medallion Emblem, which is the conception of the late Assistant Professor Emeritus Samuel L. Green, who was one of the two designers of the symbol. The second co-designer, and medallion silversmith, was retired Associate Professor Kenneth Royster.
The Emblem fabric approximates in width the border of the master’s hood, is velvet and employs the University colors blue and orange. The detachable chain, which surmounts the emblem and helps to drape the wearer’s front and shoulders, bears silver mounts that hold the medallions in
Appraisers have assessed each silver medallion at more than 10 times the value of the United States silver dollar, which the emblem medallions which the Philadelphia Mint created exclusively for the Negro Commemorative display the images of African-American notables such as Crispus Attucks, Benjamin Banneker, Henry O. Tanner, Lorraine Hansberry, Mary Church Terrell, Alaine Locke and Ralph Bunche.
Annually, colleagues, employing University-approved criteria, select an individual to wear the Emblem. Those honored by this selection are persons who reflect vividly in their professional lives the qualities distinguishing the individual whose name the Emblem bears.
AWARDEES
2020–2021
Dr. Celeste Chavis, Associate Professor of Transportation and Urban Infrastructure Studies 2021–2022
Dr. Leah Hollis, Associate Professor, Advanced Studies Leadership and Policy, School of Education and Urban Studies 2022–2023
Dr. Golshan Javadian, Associate Professor, Business Administration, Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
For the full list of past awardees, please visit the following web page: https://commencement.morgan.edu/awards.
TheDr.SandyeJeanMcIntyreII InternationalAward
The Dr. Sandye Jean McIntyre II International Award, a sash designed and tailored specifically for this award, is inspired by the diplomatic sash customarily worn for formal occasions by ambassadors, consuls and other dignitaries. It is red satin accented with a traditional rosette and blue, white, yellow and green ribbons, representing the flags of the United States of America, France, Senegal and other countries with which Dr. McIntyre had contact in his diplomatic and academic careers. In the center front of the sash, a specially commissioned gold medal (struck by Charles Nusinov and Sons) features a world map enclosed by laurel wreaths and the name of the award.
The Award was established in 1997 and conferred upon Dr. McIntyre at the annual Founders Day Convocation in 1997. It is given to that member of the Morgan faculty who demonstrates extraordinary commitment to global learning and international understanding and who promotes international programs at Morgan.
AWARDEES
2019 Dr. Mingchao Cai, Associate Professor of Mathematics, School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
2021 Dr. Kimberly Warren, Associate Professor of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
For the full list of past awardees, please visit the following web page: https://commencement.morgan.edu/awards
TheAcademicRegalia
The traditional black caps and gowns worn by students and faculty in the academic procession have been the historic regalia of scholars since medieval times. Because many scholars of that period were members of monastic orders, the academic regalia probably represents an adaptation of ecclesiastical dress.
A uniform code for academic regalia was drafted by an intercollegiate commission in 1893 and has since been adopted by the majority of colleges and universities in the United States. Each of the three academic degrees bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral has its own distinctive gown and hood. The gown representing the bachelor’s degree is distinguished by its long pointed sleeve. The master’s gown has a longer, narrow, closed sleeve, extending below the knee. The arm is passed through a slit at the elbow. In contrast, the doctor’s gown is faced with wide velvet bands, which may be black or a color indicating the general field of learning of the wearer for example, dark blue for philosophy, green for medicine and purple for law.
The most colorful and distinctive item of the academic regalia is the hood, which passes around the neck and extends down the back. The doctor’s hood is the largest, and the bachelor’s hood is the smallest. Often the use of a bachelor’s hood is omitte d. The wearer’s field of learning is indicated by the color of the hood and the tassel. Among the colors of hoods are:
Architecture ........................................ Blue Violet Arts, Letters, Humanities ........................... White City Planning ....................................... Blue Violet Commerce, Accountancy, Business Drab Education Light Blue
Engineering ............................................... Orange Fine Arts ...................................................... Brown Human Ecology .......................................... Purple Journalism ............................................... Crimson
Library Science Lemon Medicine Green
Music ................................................................. Pink
Nursing ........................................................ Apricot Philosophy ................................................ Dark Blue
Physical Education Sage Green
Public Administration Peacock Blue
Public Health ....................................... Salmon Pink Science .............................................. Golden Yellow
Social Science ................................................. Citron
Social Work ................................................... Citron
Speech (Oratory) Silver
Theology and Divinity Scarlet
The colors of the silk lining exposed in the center of the hood are those of the college or university which conferred the degree. The tassel may be either black or the color of the field of learning. The tassel of the doctor’s cap is usually gold.
TheAcademicDegrees
The first known degree was a doctorate conferred by the University of Bologna in the middle of the 12th century. Originally, the doctor’s and master’s degrees were used interchangeably, each indicating that the holder was qualified to give instruction to students. The bachelor’s or baccalaureate degree indicated only entrance upon a course of study preparatory to the doctorate or mastership. Gradually, however, the bachelor’s degree came to mean successful completion of one level of study preparatory to the higher degrees.
Today, there are more than 1,600 different academic degrees conferred by colleges and universities in the United States. The advanced degrees granted by Morgan State University are the Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, Master of Architecture, Master of Landscape Architecture, Master of City and Regional Planning, Master of Engineering, Master of Public Health, Master of Social Work, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Engineering, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Public Health and Doctor of Business Administration.
THE DOCTORAL DEGREE
The doctoral degree or doctorate represents the most advanced degree conferred at institutions of higher education in the United States. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a doctor in the academic sense as “one who, in any faculty or branch of learning, has attained to the highest degree conferred by a university.”
There are two major types of doctoral degrees: earned doctorates and honorary doctorates. Earned doctorates are further divided into two distinct types: the research degree and the professional or practitioner degree. The distinguishing feature of the research degree is that it normally requires a lengthy scholarly dissertation, which is usually designed to constitute a substantial contribution to the existing body of knowledge in its field. The most important doctorate of the research type at institutions of higher education in the United States is the Doctor of Philosophy. The only other earned doctorate of the research type which has secured wide recognition and use by a large number of leading United States universities is the Doctor of Education.
THE MASTER’S DEGREE *
The master’s degree is an academic honor conferred upon students who have successfully completed one or two years’ work beyond the baccalaureate. A thesis and an oral examination are usually required. The word magister connected with a qualifying phrase was used among the Romans as the title of honor, but its present meaning must be traced to the time of the establishment of the oldest universities. Regularly organized faculties were not then known as they now exist in the universities. The whole circle of academic activity was limited to seven liberal arts. Those who received public honors in the completed studies, and who had already received the degree of baccalaureus (bachelor), were called magistri artium (masters of the liberal arts).
THE BACHELOR’S DEGREE **
The bachelor’s degree represents completion of a four-year course of study of collegiate grade and is the oldest academic degree used at institutions of higher learning in the United States. The degree of Bachelor of Arts was the first conferred in the United States in 1642 on nine young men, comprising the first graduating class of Harvard College. Yale conferred its first Bachelor of Arts in 1702; Princeton in 1748; William and Mary in 1753; Pennsylvania in 1757; Columbia in 1758; and Morgan State to George W. F. McMechen in 1895.
* Eells, Walter Crosby. Degrees in Higher Education. New York: The Center for Applied Research in Education, 1967.
** Sometimes designated as the baccalaureate degree, from the Latin baccalaris, “under the influence of,” and lauris, “laurel,” used as a designation of honor, distinction or fame.
Commencement Speaker&HonoraryDegreeRecipient
THE HONORABLE REVEREND RAPHAEL GAMALIEL WARNOCK,
PH.D., UNITED
S
TATES SENATOR Doctor of Public Service
The Reverend Dr. Raphael Gamaliel Warnock, United States Senator, has devoted his life to faith, service and the pursuit of justice. A proud son of Savannah, Georgia, he grew up in the Kayton Homes public housing community as the 11th of 12 children born to Jonathan and Verlene Warnock, both Pentecostal pastors who taught their family the power of faith, education and hard work.
The first in his family to graduate from college, Dr. Warnock earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology, cum laude, from Morehouse College. Inspired by the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he continued his education at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where he earned master’s and doctoral degrees in systematic theology.
At age 35, Dr. Warnock became the youngest person ever called to serve as Senior Pastor of Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church the spiritual home of Dr. King and a cornerstone of the modern civil rights movement. Under his leadership, Ebenezer has continued to stand at the intersection of faith and social change, working to expand opportunity, protect voting rights and strengthen communities across Georgia and beyond.
In 2021, Dr. Warnock made history as the first African American elected to represent Georgia in the United States Senate and was re-elected to a full six-year term the following year. In the Senate, he continues to lift up the voices of those often unheard fighting to make health care more affordable, support farmers and working families, and protect the sacred right to vote.
A pastor, scholar, author, and father of two, the Reverend Dr. Raphael G. Warnock remains guided by a simple yet profound belief: that every person deserves the chance to live with dignity, hope and purpose.
Honorary Degree Recipient
DEWAYNE WICKHAM,
LOBAL JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION AT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Doctor of Humane Letters
DeWayne Wickham, Founding Dean and Dean Emeritus of Morgan State University’s School of Global Journalism and Communication, is a journalist, educator and visionary whose career has spanned more than five decades of storytelling, leadership and advocacy for truth and justice in the media.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Wickham, in his early life, was shaped by perseverance and purpose. Raised by his aunt after the loss of his parents, he found strength through faith, education and service. After enlisting in the United States Air Force, he rose to the rank of sergeant and earned the Vietnam Service Medal before pursuing higher education at the University of Maryland and the University of Baltimore.
Wickham’s journalism career began in the early 1970s and grew into one of national influence. He reported for The Baltimore Sun and U.S. News & World Report, served as a correspondent for CBS News and BET and wrote a nationally syndicated column for USA TODAY for three decades. His work took him across the globe from covering Nelson Mandela’s 1992 U.S. tour to returning to Haiti with President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in and his voice became a trusted one on issues of race, politics and social justice.
of the National Association of Black Journalists, Wickham helped elevate generations of Black storytellers and was inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame in 2016. His many honors include the Society of Professional of the Society award.
of Morgan’s School of Global Journalism and Communication in 2012, Wickham orchestrated a profound transformation of the program into a model for excellence and social purpose Under his leadership, the School of Global Journalism and Communication grew in national stature, established international partnerships and became a model for experiential learning and social justice reporting. Today, as the Founding Director of Morgan’s Center for New Media and Strategic Initiatives, he continues that mission, leading the production of groundbreaking documentaries such as the Emmy Award-winning documentary “History of a National Treasure: The Story of Morgan State University.”
An author, mentor and tireless advocate for truth in storytelling, DeWayne Wickham continues to embody the power of journalism to inform, uplift and inspire change
OrderofExercises GraduateSchoolCeremony
Dr. David K. Wilson
President of the University, Presiding
PROCESSIONAL
“Pomp and Circumstance” Sir Edward Elgar
The Morgan State University Band Dr. Jorim E. Reid, Sr., Conductor
The audience is requested to stand as the academic procession moves into the arena and to remain standing until after the singing of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.”
Minister Lawrence Lockett, Jr., Chaplain, University Memorial Chapel
“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” ................................................
James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson
Led by Ms. Chloe Moses, Soprano Dr. Eric Conway, Conductor
GREETINGS .....................................................................The Honorable Kweisi Mfume, Chair, University Board of Regents
INTRODUCTION OF SPEAKER ........................................................................................
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
Dr. David K. Wilson, President
The Honorable Reverend Dr. Raphael G. Warnock, U.S. Senator
CONFERRING OF HONORARY DEGREES ................The Honorable Kweisi Mfume, Chair, University Board of Regents
Dr. David K. Wilson, President
Citation Read by Ms. Sheri Booker, Lecturer, School of Global Journalism and Communication
The Honorable Reverend Dr. Raphael G. Warnock, U.S. Senator, Doctor of Public Service
DeWayne Wickham, Dean Emeritus, School of Global Journalism and Communication, Doctor of Humane Letters
RECOGNITION OF SENIOR HONOR GRADUATES
Dr. Hongtao Yu, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Cum Laude
PRESENTATION OF SPECIAL AWARDS
Dr. David K. Wilson, President
Dr. Hongtao Yu, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
President’s Second Mile Award
President’s Award for Exceptional Creative Achievement
RECOGNITION OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS .......................................... Lieutenant Colonel Damon N. Knauss, Professor and Department Chair, Military Science
PRESENTING OF DEGREES IN COURSE .............Dr. Hongtao Yu, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
CONFERRING OF DEGREES IN COURSE .....................................................................
Dr. David K. Wilson, President
GRADUATE DEGREES
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
Candidates’ Names Read by Mrs. Traci D. Williams, Professor, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
DOCTORATES................................................................................................................ Candidates presented by Dr. Mark Garrison, Dean
MASTER’S DEGREES ................................................................................................... Candidates presented by Dr. Mark Garrison, Dean
CEREMONIAL GRADUATION HOODING.................................................................... Dr. David K. Wilson, President
UNDERGRADUATE
DEGREES Candidates’ Names Read by Ms. Sheri Booker, Lecturer, School of Global Journalism and Communication, and Mrs. Traci D. Williams, Professor, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
COLLEGE OF INTERDISCIPLINARY AND CONTINUING STUDIES ................................. Candidates presented by Dr. Nicole M. Westrick, Dean
JAMES H. GILLIAM, JR., COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
Candidates presented by Dr. M’bare N’gom, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. Abimbola Asojo, Dean
EARL G. GRAVES SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT ..................................... Candidates presented by Dr. Royce Burnett, Dean
SCHOOL OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND POLICY .............................................................. Candidates presented by Dr. Kim Dobson Sydnor, Dean
SCHOOL OF COMPUTER, MATHEMATICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES ...................... Candidates presented by Dr. Paul B. Tchounwou, Dean
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND URBAN STUDIES .............................................................. Candidates presented by Dr. Glenda Prime, Dean
CLARENCE M. MITCHELL, JR., SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING ............................................ Candidates presented by Dr. Oscar Barton, Dean
SCHOOL OF GLOBAL JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION ....................................... Candidates presented by Prof. Jacqueline Jones, Dean
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Candidates presented by Dr. Anna McPhatter, Dean
AWARDING OF DIPLOMAS ................................................................................................. By College/School (as above)
SALUTE TO THE GRADUATES Ms Saniya Williams, President of the Senior Class
INDUCTION INTO THE MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ....................................................................................................
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Michael L. Bell, President, MSU Alumni Association
SYMBOLIC TURNING OF THE TASSEL ......................................................................... Dr. David K. Wilson, President
THE ALMA MATER
Led by Ms. Jada Willis, Soprano
BENEDICTION ......................................................... Minister Lawrence Lockett, Jr., Chaplain, University Memorial Chapel
RECESSIONAL
“Pomp and Circumstance” ....................................................................................................... Sir Edward Elgar
The Morgan State University Band Dr. Jorim E. Reid, Sr., Conductor
Candidatesfor Degrees SchoolofGraduate Studies
DoctoralDegrees
The CollegeofInterdisciplinaryandContinuingStudies
Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Organizational Policy, Governance and Administration
Mark Cornelius Booker
B.S., Howard University, 1986
M.S., Coppin State University, 1990
Dissertation: “Administrators’ Experiences Implementing the Second Chance Pell Experiment of Higher Education in Prison Programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities”
Advisor: Dr. Natasha C. Pratt-Harris
Muriel Cole-Webber
B.A., Morgan State University, 1997
M.Ed., Goucher College, 2002
Dissertation: “What’s Going On? – Is Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning Taking Place in Catholic School Classrooms?”
Advisor: Dr. Warren Hayman
Carol Gant
B.S., Ohio University, 1992
M.Ed., Bowie State University, 1996
Dissertation: “Beyond Intersectionality: The Psychological and Relational Realities Shaping Black Women’s Pursuit of Promotion and Leadership in the U.S. Federal Government”
Advisor: Dr. Baniyelme Zoogah
Beverlie Enard Ramocan
Dissertation: “Exploring Mentoring Design Recommendations from Excessive and Intensive Youth Users of Gaming Apps: The Impact of Uses and Gratifications Theory of Human Tendencies”
Advisor: Dr. Natasha C. Pratt-Harris
Leah M. Williams
B.S., Delaware State University, 2015
M.B.A., Delaware State University, 2016
Dissertation: “The Impact of Alumni Association Giving at Historically Black Colleges and Universities”
Advisor: Dr. Linda Loubert
The James H . Gilliam, Jr., College ofLiberalArts
Doctor of Philosophy in English
Nikki Richard
B.A., Louisiana State University, 2007
M.F.A., University of Baltimore, 2016
Dissertation: “The Queensnake: A Feminist Post-Collapse Utopian Novella”
Advisor: Dr. Julie Conger
Doctor of Philosophy in History
Babajide Sunday Adedeji
B.A., University of Ilorin, 2003
M.A., Obafemi Awolowo University, 2013
Dissertation: “A History of Western Healthcare Services in Oyo Province of Southwestern Nigeria, 1900–1960”
Advisor: Dr. Francis Dube
TheEarlG.GravesSchoolofBusinessandManagement
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration
Mohammad Alshareef
B.B.A., Kent State University, 2014
M.B.A., Long Island University, 2016
Dissertation: “The Impact of Entrepreneurial Leadership on Employee Innovative Behavior and Learning: Examining the Moderating Role of Culture and the Mediating Role of Psychological Safety and Upward Voice”
Advisor: Dr. Samina Saifuddin
Mohammad Meateg
B.B.A., King Khalid University, 2014
M.B.A., Jacksonville University, 2019
Dissertation: “Digital Entrepreneurship Influence on Small Firm Performance: The Moderating Roles of Government Support and Digital Self-Efficacy”
Advisor: Dr. Samina Saifuddin
TheSchoolofCommunityHealthandPolicy
Doctor of Public Health
Tolu Arowolo
M.B.B.S., University of Ibadan, 2001
M.P.H., Lagos State University, 2012
Dissertation: “Creating a Future Without Hepatitis C Virus Transmission for Mother and Child: Assessing the Surveillance System for Chronic HCV Among Women of Reproductive Age in Maryland”
Advisor: Dr. Mian Hossain
Monica Ochapa
B.S., Federal University of Agriculture, 2011
M.P.H., Louisiana State University, 2019
Dissertation: “Disparities in Clinical Burden of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Pediatric Patients in the United States from April 2020 Through March 2023”
Advisor: Dr. Kesha Baptiste-Roberts
Brianna Williams
B.A., University of Pittsburgh, 2009
M.S., George Mason University, 2013
Dissertation: “Health Communication Preferences of Black Women Across the Life Course: A Mixed-Methods Study”
M.S., Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, 2016
Dissertation: “Microplastic Bioaccumulation in the Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea Virginica): The Abundance, Size Fraction and Chemical Composition”
Advisor: Dr. Chunlei Fan
Amanda Bevans
B.S., University of Maryland, 2020
Dissertation: “Habitat and Population Change in the Chesapeake Bay: Impacts on the Ecosystem, Fisheries, and Regional Economy”
Advisor: Drs. Thomas Ihde and Chunlei Fan
Mst Sayadujjhara
B.S., University of Dhaka, 2014
M.S., University of Dhaka, 2016
Dissertation: “Metabolic Responses of Fremyella Diplosiphon to Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles and Predictive Modeling of ATP Synthase Protein Function”
Advisor: Dr. Viji Sitther
Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics
Amal Aldakhil
B.S., Majmaah University, 2012
M.A., Morgan State University, 2021
Dissertation: “Analysis and Simulation of a Free Boundary Problem Modeling Tumor Evolution”
Advisor: Dr. Xuming Xie
Ruwaida Aldrsoni
B.S., University of Ha’il, 2005
M.A., Morgan State University, 2021
Dissertation: “On Some Classes of Periodic Functions With Applications”
Advisor: Dr. Gaston N’Guerekata
Olusola Olabanjo
B.S., Lagos State University, 2016
M.S., Lagos State University, 2019
Dissertation: “Finite Element Method for Modeling and Simulation of the Biomechanics of the Lung Parenchyma”
Advisor: Dr. Mingchao Cai
TheSchoolofEducationandUrbanStudies
Doctor of Education in Community College Leadership
Jane N. Chappell
B.S., University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 2008
M.A., Trinity Washington University, 2014
Dissertation: “Evaluating the Impact of Mental Health First-Aid Training on Community College Affiliates’ Knowledge, Beliefs, and Confidence”
Advisor: Dr. Christine Harrington
Brandon C. Dula
B.A., Bowling Green State University, 1978
M.A., Bowling Green State University, 1982
Dissertation: “Boarding the Flagship: A Narrative Inquiry of African American Community College Transfer Students”
Advisor: Dr. Carolyn Anderson
Sheryl L. Nelson
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 1981
M.P.A., University of Baltimore, 2006
Dissertation: “Athlete Identity and Academic Performance: An Examination of National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Female Student-Athletes”
Advisor: Dr. Carolyn Anderson
Cynthia Akita Roberts-Dumas
B.A., Elizabeth City State University, 2000
M.A.S., Sojourner-Douglass College, 2007
Dissertation: “Job Readiness of Child Development Associate Certificate Holders: A Case Study of Two Mid-Atlantic Community Colleges”
Advisor: Dr. Uttam Gaulee
Charles L. Winchester
B.A., University of Maryland Global Campus, 2013
M.F.A., University of Baltimore, 2017
Dissertation: “The Use of Career Support Services by Community College Students and Student Engagement”
Advisor: Dr. Robin Spaid
Doctor of Education in Urban Educational Leadership
Sabree Nadiyar Barnes
B.A., Coppin State University, 2002
M.S., Johns Hopkins University, 2004
Dissertation: “Tales of Metamorphosis: Narratives of Urban School Principal Preparation”
Advisor: Dr. Gretchen Rudham
Melissa A. D’adamo
B.A., Salisbury University, 2004
M.A., Salisbury University, 2008
Dissertation: “The Anatomy of Care: A Narrative Case Study of Dual Role Educator/Athletic Coaches at a Predominantly Black Urban Catholic School”
Advisor: Dr. Gretchen Rudham
Jacqueline Y. Hayden
B.A., Trinity Washington University, 1999
M.Ed., George Washington University, 2008
Dissertation: “Punished and Pushed Out: The Resistance and Resilience of Black Women Principals in Urban School Leadership”
Advisor: Dr. Gretchen Rudham
Tamarisk James
Dissertation: “Disappearing Acts: Intersectional Invisibility and Black Women Educators in Secondary Schools”
Advisor: Dr. Gretchen Rudham
Gloria I. Vaughan-Lashley
B.A., Morgan State University, 1993
M.S., Johns Hopkins University, 2006
Dissertation: “Portraits of Advocacy: African American Families’ Journeys Through the Special Education Process in Urban Schools”
Advisor: Dr. Gretchen Rudham
Doctor of Engineering
Opeyemi L. Fadipe
TheClarenceM.Mitchell,Jr.,SchoolofEngineering
B.S., Lagos State University, 2012
M.S., University of Port Harcourt, 2014
Dissertation: “Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Heat Transfer in Advanced Swirling Fluidized Bed Combustion of Poultry Litter”
Advisor: Dr. Seong Lee
Camille Elizabeth Jenkins
B.S, Morgan State University, 2012
M.Eng., Morgan State University, 2015
Dissertation: “From Lid to P3: Evaluating Innovative Stormwater Management in Prince George’s County, Maryland”
Advisor: Dr. James Hunter
Moses O. Odejobi
B.Eng., Covenant University, 2009
M.Eng., Morgan State University, 2015
Dissertation: “Cyber Security Architecture for Telemetry Networks: Development and Application in ICS/SCADA Environments”
Advisor: Dr. Arlene Cole-Rhodes
Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineering
Olajide O. Ipindola
B.Eng., University of Ilorin, 2011
M.S., University of Ibadan, 2016
Dissertation: “Early-Age Behavior of Alternative Cement-Based SetOn-Demand Systems”
Advisor: Dr. Mehdi Shokouhian
TheSchoolofSocialWork
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work
Kia Marie Jackson-Garnett
B.S.W., Bowie State University, 1992
M.S.W., University of Maryland, 1993
Dissertation: “Ageless Scholars: Unveiling the Struggles and Success Stories of Women Over 50 From the African Diaspora in Pursuit of Doctoral Degrees at Historically Black Colleges and Universities”
Advisor: Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon
Korey T. Johnson
B.S., Towson University, 2016
J.D., Howard University, 2019
Dissertation: “Black Legal Advocacy and Social Work in Response to TANF Drug Conviction Bans: A Qualitative Study of Attorney Experiences With Clients and the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Act”
Advisor: Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon
SchoolofGraduate Studies
Master ’ s Degrees
The James H Gilliam, Jr , College ofLiberalArts
Master of Arts in African American Studies
Kodell J. Harris
Kevin T. McLeod
Brian Sessions
B.S., University of Baltimore, 2022
Clinton Thomas II
Kier Elizabeth Williams
B.A., Virginia State University, 2022
Master of Arts in History
Charles Carter
Sabriaha Poole
B.S., Coppin State University, 2022
Thesis: “Episodes of Mobilization, Reaction, and Response in the Southern Civil Rights Movement” Advisor: Dr. David Terry
Danielle J. Smith
Master of Arts in International Studies
Paul Adeyemi
B.A., Minnesota State University, 2020
Scott C. Davis
Master of Arts in Museum Studies and Historical Preservation
Hamad Beraik Alghadeed
Olubunmi V. Bakare
B.A., University of the District of Columbia, 2007
Jeremy Ballard
B.F.A., William Paterson University, 2012
Master of Science in Psychometrics
Christopher N. Green, Jr.
Master of Science in Sociology
Ianda Allen
Laetitia De Etoulem
B.S., Virginia State University, 2015
TheSchoolofArchitectureandPlanning
Master of Architecture
Mikaela Justine Terado Carandang
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Lilleana Watson
Nader Zakersoltani
Master of City and Regional Planning
Kadra Adderly
Sabrina M. Bland
Morgan L. Gillard
Linzy Jackson III
Riley Sullivan
Lorra Toler
Master of Science in Construction Management
Edson DePina
Jose Luis Torres Pagan
TheEarlG.GravesSchoolofBusinessandManagement
Master of Business Administration
Alberta Edinam Adegbe
Mohammad Alawwad
B.B.A., King Khalid University, 2010
Babatunde O. Awofeha
Niles Bennett
Aliyah S. Blackmon
Bryson Boston
Morgan Branch
Khalid Brinkley
B.A., Presbyterian College, 2023
Aigner Marie Chavis-Turner
Nia Cowling
Schealthiel Gerry Dassy
Adefikayo Omolabake Dipe
Jermaine Goods, Jr.
Ishara K. Hall
Brian Henderson
Christian Henry
Candace Noelle Hill
Mackessa Holt
Rabiul Islam
Hamzat Kiawen
Shaniya Mullin
Olufunke Ruth Oki
Godsfavour Opadeji
Olayeni O. Popoola
David Robinson II
B.A., Morgan State University, 2021
Taylor Renee Smith
J’dya AmaiaTheolinda Sprauve
Danae C. Stewart
Desiree N. Veney
Taylor Winston
B.S., North Carolina A&T State University, 2023
Master of Science in Accounting
Olutumi Abioye
Latavia D. Bails
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Treyvon LaMarr Branch
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Nicholas M. Christian
Dylan Thomas
B.S., Albertus Magnus College, 2020
Master of Science in Data Analytics and Visualization
B.S., Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 2017
Samuel O. Bankole
Perry M. Bennett
B.A., Morgan State University, 2024
Oliver M. Borris
Kaliyah R. Copemann
B.S., Towson University, 2023
Ayomikun Fadina
Oluwasegun Ajibola John, Sr.
Brian Mejias Martinez
B.S., Western Governors’ University, 2024
Funmilayo Olagunju
M.S., University of Leeds, 2014
Oladipo Muhammed Onifade
Master of Science in BioInformatics
Demilade Ajifa
B.S., Morgan State University, 2022
Thesis: “Leveraging Transcriptomic Signatures and Machine Learning to Predict High-Risk Progression in HPV-Related Lesions”
Advisor: Dr. Roshan Paudel
Candace Jasper
Obiageli Gertrude Nwachukwu
Master of Science in Integrated Sciences
Loretta Amankwaah
B.S., Morgan State University, 2015
Abhishek Bajgain
B.Pharm., Kathmandu University, 2022
Thesis: “Novel Growth Strategy for Vanadium-Doped WSe2 Films with Tunable Optoelectronic Properties”
Advisor: Dr. Ramesh Budhani
Sayma Sharmin
B.Pharm, Southeast University, 2021
Thesis: “The Nanometer Films of Bismuth Selenide and Indium Selenide: Deposition, Chemical Analysis and Nano-morphology by Complementary Instrumental Analysis”
Advisor: Dr. Alexandr Samokhvalov
TheSchoolofEducationandUrbanStudies
Master of Arts in Higher Education
Richard Kearney
Master of Arts in Teaching
Cynthia Hitchcock
B.A., Widener University, 2020
Kailyne S. Johlitz
B.A., Salisbury University, 2022
Rachel Victoria Lawrence
B.S., University of Maryland, 2022
Dixie R. Maier
B.S., Towson University, 2021
Darnell Vernon Ranson
M.A.T., Morgan State University, 2016
Lyndon P. Reid, Jr.
Kerry Marie Sadowski
B.S., Slippery Rock University, 2021
Briona Vennie
B.S., Bowie State University, 2022
Master of Education in Community College Administration and Instruction
Malinda Davis
B.A., Sojourner-Douglass College, 2006
Kathryn E. DeBruhl
B.S., University of Maryland, 2021
Lydia Faison
B.S., Coppin State University, 2000
Martina Greene
Brenda Lisa Regusters
B.A., University of Baltimore, 2001
Ashley Marie Wildes
B.A., Morgan State University, 2021
TheClarenceM.Mitchell,Jr.,SchoolofEngineering
Master of Engineering
Alpha Bah
Isaiah Dornelus
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Alfred Fondjo Biondokin
Ashok Kumar Giri
B.Eng., Morgan State University, 2024
Mohanad Zaki Hamad
Michael Ige
B.Tech., Federal University of Technology, 2019
Sherwin Johnson, Jr.
Sunil Lamsal
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
John McQueen
David Dyese Pembamoto
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Master of Science in Computer and Electrical Engineering
Rapsan Amin Anonto
B.S., American International University, 2023
Kingsley Matthew
B.S., Kano State University of Science and Technology, 2017
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
Shaun Mikel Phillips
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Master of Science in Secure Embedded Systems
Loic Jephson Djomo Tchuenkou
Favour U. Okonkwo
B.S, Morgan State University, 2024
Master of Science in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineering
Samuel Akosile
Master of Science in Urban Transportation
Asanat Ajoke Animashaun
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Davon Hall Dingle
Nii Amon Kotey
B.Tech, Ho Technical University, 2011
Nathan Owhonda
TheSchoolofGlobalJournalismandCommunication
Master of Science in Global Multimedia Journalism and Communication
Deja Keemer
B.S., Towson University, 2021
Michelle Brittany Richardson
DeJanee Ross
Dave Walters, Jr.
Master of Social Work
Trinisa M. Chriscoe Brown
Tamar Dennis
B.S.W., Coppin State University, 2022
Brittany Frazier
TheSchoolofSocialWork
Oladayo Owoeye
Cydnye Pittman
Joshua Vaughan
Candidatesfor Degrees
Bachelor ’ s Degrees
TheCollegeofInterdisciplinaryandContinuingStudies
B.S., Interdisciplinary Educational Studies
Travis Blackston
Jakee Johnson
Tanya Post
B.S., Interdisciplinary Engineering, Information and Computational Sciences
Olayinka Femi Elegbede
B.S., Interdisciplinary Global Perspectives and Practices
These students will be recognized at Commencement. Summa Cum Laude graduates will wear the gold Honors Stole. Magna Cum Laude graduates will wear the silver Honors Stole. Cum Laude graduates will wear the bronze Honors Stole.
Clara I Adams Honors College Graduates
These students will wear the blue Clara I. Adams Honors College Stole.
ReserveOfficers’TrainingCorpsCommissions
The following students were commissioned into the United States Army as 2nd Lieutenants:
Ms. Sheri Booker Lecturer, School of Global Journalism and Communication
Ms. Traci D. Williams ....................................................................... Professor, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
ThePresident’sSecondMileAward
The President’s Second Mile Award was established in 1953 by Dr. Martin D. Jenkins, President of what was then Morgan State College, and the tradition has been continued to encourage and give recognition to outstanding leadership and participation in student affairs. It is intended that this award will go to that member of the graduating class who has made the most outstanding contribution to the campus community during his or her undergraduate days.
“Going the Second Mile” means doing more in any given task or activity than can reasonably be expected. It is hoped that "Going the Second Mile" will be characteristic of every Morgan State University student and graduate and that it will become one of the firmly established traditions of the university community. The winner of the Second Mile Award is selected by a committee consisting of the president of the Junior Class and Junior Class representatives in the Student Government. Organizations and individuals are invited to submit nominations for the award. Nominations are supported by a description of the individual’s achievement.
For the full list of past awardees, please visit the following web page: https://commencement.morgan.edu/awards
The President’s Award for Exceptional Creative Achievement was established in 1953 by Dr. Martin D. Jenkins, President of what was then Morgan State College, and the tradition has been continued to encourage and give recognition to the expression of worthwhile original ideas among the students of the university. It is intended that this award will go to that member of the graduating class who has made an exceptional contribution of a creative nature.
One of the most important functions of an institution of higher education is to stimulate the development of original ideas. Although major contributions are hardly to be expected, certainly the techniques of creative thought and the habit of expressing original ideas should be developed during the undergraduate days. The budding techniques and habits so developed, it is hoped, will come to fruition in post-university years.
The Award for Exceptional Creative Achievement may go to a student who makes a creative contribution in any field or area. The winner of the President’s Award for Exceptional Creative Achievement is selected by a faculty committee. Departments and individual faculty members are invited to submit nominations for the award through the appropriate department chairperson. Nominations are supported by adequate description of the nominee’s achievement.
For the full list of past awardees, please visit the following web page: https://commencement.morgan.edu/awards.
MAKES NOTE OF THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF
DR. CARTER G. WOODSON
Morgan State University joins the entire nation in observing and celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, known as the Father of Black History Month. Woodson was born on December 19, 1875, in New Canton, Virginia, to formerly enslaved parents. The fourth of seven children, Woodson worked as a sharecropper and coal miner before pursuing his education. Woodson became the second African American, following W.E.B. Du Bois, to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912.
On September 9, 1915, Dr. Woodson, along with George Cleveland Hall, W.B. Hartgrove, Alexander L. Jackson and James E. Stamps, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, in Chicago, Illinois. Today, the organization is known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). ASALH is the oldest organization dedicated to the study and promotion of Black history.
As we celebrate the success of our December 2025 graduates, we are reminded that our ancestors fought to have the contributions of African Americans recognized equally alongside the contributions of our counterparts of other races. We pause to remember the life and legacy of Dr. Carter G. Woodson and countless others who, even in the wake of the dark days of slavery, insisted that African Americans would be both acknowledged and saluted for their labors, contributions and investments in the building of our nation. As the United States of America approaches its 250th birthday, we continue their work toward a day when American history fully incorporates African American history
