Courtesy of Morgan State University
Amid a brisk and overcast day today at Morgan State University’s 11th Fall Commencement Exercises, words of purpose and examples of purpose, challenges and growth lit up the Talmadge L. Hill Field House. Beaming faces graced the arena and a warm spirit of overwhelming joy filled the atmosphere as more than 450 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral candidates received their degrees during the ceremony, beginning their next chapter as graduates of Maryland’s third largest public urban research university. a historically Black institution in the nation.
Ed Gainey, the mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a member of the Morgan Class of 1994, delivered an impassioned Commencement speech, urging the nearly full crowd of candidates to strive for continued growth in order to achieve their goals. Morgan President David K. Wilson and Kwesi Mfume, Chair of the University’s Board of Trustees and member of the Morgan Class of 1976, conferred honorary Doctorate of Public Service degrees on Mayor Gainey of the University and Mary Elaine Proctor Blackwell of the Morgan Class of 1949. At the age of 96, he celebrates 80 years of commitment to German service and promotion, mater.
The wisdom and communication skills that helped make history in 2021 as the first black mayor of Pittsburgh, a city where blacks make up less than a quarter of the population, were evident in Mayor Gainey’s speech about his own life struggles and successes. To Morgan’s recent graduating class and to the University as a whole. Known for his impressive focus on a progressive, inclusive agenda throughout his three-decade career in public service, Gainey told the audience that his life’s work began during his undergraduate years at Morgan after growing up in Pittsburgh, born to a teenage mother and raised in poverty. in a single parent home with her sister.
“…Morgan State was the mother of my education. She was also the mother of my life,” Gainey said, telling the story of his participation in the last successful student protest at Morgan in 1990 to bring additional funding to the University of Maryland. Kurt Schmock, then mayor of Baltimore, and fourth-term U.S. congressman from Maryland Kweisi Mfume was among the government officials who accompanied the students and exemplified Gainey’s masculinity and political leadership.
“Anything you love and are willing to do for free is where you’ll find your purpose,” Gainey said. “…I need you to fall in love with trouble and stay away from arguments. I have to understand that the only thing that will make you stronger, no matter what profession you are in, the only thing that will make you great is the challenges that God puts in your life to sharpen the gift that He has given you.”
“God willing, you are guaranteed to grow old. What’s not guaranteed is whether you’ll grow…I need you to grow in character and integrity,” pleaded Gainey, arguing that growth requires constant learning. “…Life teaches every day…Morgan State gave me a great education, but I’m still a student. taught to be”.
Gainey challenged Morgan’s Class of 2024 to celebrate their success, then “go” by following his example. In his job as mayor, he said, “I will show you the student this HBCU has produced…. I will show you exactly what it means to come here and be “informed”. I’m going to show you what it means to me to come here and learn, what it means to leave here… to change lives, to make a difference for all of us.”
“The Whole Package”
Hill Field House is well stocked with members of the Fall Class of 2024, exemplifying the continued growth Mayor Gainey has promoted.
Bachelor of Information Systems graduate Carissa Fowlkes earned her degree as a non-traditional student, walking across the platform to receive her diploma 14 minutes before her daughter, Keniera Wagstaff, took the stage to be accepted for her Bachelor of Science in Multi-Platform. Production. Mother and daughter say they benefited from their parents’ emphasis on education while growing up in Baltimore City, and both credit their education at Morgan State University with strengthening their bond.
“I met some amazing young people, brilliant young men and women in my program, and they made the experience so enjoyable,” said Fowlkes, a transfer student from Baltimore City Community College who received a Charlotte W. Newcomb Scholarship from the Morgan Center. Continuing and Professional Studies. “Most of the time I was the oldest person in the class, but they didn’t care. We understood.”
Wagstaff started as a Civil Engineering student at Morgan, but switched majors to follow her passion for communications and youth empowerment. After coming to Morgan with high expectations, she said she was overwhelmed by her experiences, which included the opportunity to host a town hall with local political leaders for youth in Baltimore City last semester; Contact for her current job as Director of Communications with Maryland State Representative Jackie Addison; and building relationships for young entrepreneurs currently in development to open a downtown retail store.
“I met a lot of new friends. The professors are amazing. Morgan has the whole package if you ask me,” Wagstaff said.
Andrea Esivbekpe, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology graduate originally from Lagos, Nigeria, was also raised by parents who valued higher education and who also valued Morgan. Esivbekpe was the first student to complete the Morgan Bridge for the Bachelor (B2B) program with Prince George’s Community College. The B2B summer bridge program offers internships with faculty, professional development activities and weekly meetings with other B2B students and program directors — Morgan Professor of Psychology, Ph.D. Amber Hodges and Morgan Biology Professor Lisa Brown, Ph.D. – for scholarships and academic support.
“B2B was like my family at school,” Esivbekpe said. “…It was great to have people who understand what you’re going through as a transfer student.”
Honors Earned
Morgan’s 92 Latin Honors this fall — 22 high honors, 24 high honors and 46 high honors — were recognized during the ceremony for rising to the top of the University’s academic rankings. Three undergraduates with a perfect 4.0 grade point average shared the valedictorian title: Duke Ogoti, Bachelor of Science in Biology; Lee Tomolonis, Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Environmental Design; and Yasin Omar, Bachelor of Marketing. Oluwanifemi Mebude, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a 3.96 GPA, was named class salutatorian.
Two distinguished alumni honored with President’s Awards exemplify Morgan’s storied tradition of service and core values of leadership, excellence and integrity. Ololade Odutola, an Applied Liberal Studies degree holder, also received the President’s Second Mile Award for outstanding leadership and involvement in student affairs. Interdisciplinary Global Perspectives and Experiences graduate Willie Thomas received the President’s Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement for innovation and originality demonstrated in all aspects of the student experience.
Capt. Rosalind Cooper, associate professor of Military Science at Morgan, recognized four undergraduate degree candidates who were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army Tuesday after graduating from Morgan’s Bear Battalion ROTC program: Jeremiah Allen (BS, Electrical Engineering), November Buchanan (BS). , Social Work), Jaylen Taylor (BS, Marketing) and Genesis White (BS, Management).
Katiana Guillaume, Class of 2024–25 President, thanked Morgan’s faculty, staff, alumni families and peers for their support of the class, and encouraged Morgan’s Fall 2024 graduates to rise above adversity and thrive during the President’s Commencement Address. Wilson gave his closing remarks.
“We have called you to be committed to raising the future and leading the troubled world out there… And you are called now to step onto the world stage with Morgan pride, Morgan dignity, Morgan confidence. remarkable vitality and enthusiasm because you are well prepared to meet this moment,” Wilson energized the attentive gathering of newly minted Morgan graduates.
“As you climb higher and higher on the ladder of success, remember to reach back and help future students in your footsteps. They will be inspired by your example and achievements,” Wilson continued. “…Go out there and make the world a better place.”
