Fall 2022 Commencement Program

FALL 2022 COMMENCEMENT

F A L L 2 0 2 2

The Sixteenth of December, Two Thousand and Twenty-two Nine-thirty O’clock in the Morning Talmadge L. Hill Field House

To Our Guests

Welcome to the ninth Fall Commencement Exercises of Morgan State University. The University solicits your cooperation in helping to sustain the dignity and solemnity of this happy occasion. 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 are 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.

The list of graduates that appears in this booklet is tentative and contingent upon satisfactory completion of all requirements for graduation, and participation in these Commencement Exercises cannot be interpreted as having completed all requirements for graduation from Morgan State University.

Lift ev’ry voice and sing

Till earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of liberty; Let our rejoicing rise

High as the list’ning skies. Let it resound loud as the rolling sea. 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 Oath of Allegiance

I hereby solemnly pledge unbroken allegiance to Alma Mater in appreciation for opportunities for development afforded me as a student at Morgan State University.

I pledge active membership in the National Alumni Association wherever I may be. Through association with fellow alumni, I shall ever do my best to uphold the ideals and traditions of Alma Mater.

I pledge as a citizen to exemplify the high ideals thus implied, rendering positive service to community, state and nation, and so to live as ever to bring honor and respect to Alma Mater.

Officers of the University

THE BOARD OF REGENTS

The Honorable Kweisi Mfume, Chair

Gen. (Ret.) Larry R. Ellis, Vice Chair

The Honorable Tracey L. Parker-Warren, Secretary

Mr Martin Adu-Boahene, Student Regent

The Rev. Dr. Harold A. Carter, Jr.

Dr. Linda J. Gilliam

Dr. Burney J. Hollis

Ms. Emily M. Hunter

Dr. Shirley M. Malcom

Mr. Wayne Resnick

Mr. William A. Sherman II

Ms. Shelonda D. Stokes

Mr. Carl W. Turnipseed

Mr. Winston A. Wilkinson

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS

Dr. David Wilson, President

Dr. Hongtao Yu, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Kevin M. Banks, Vice President for Student Affairs

Mr. Sidney H. Evans, Jr., Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration

Ms. Armada Grant, Special Assistant to the President

Ms. Donna J. Howard, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Dr. Willie E. May, Vice President for Research and Economic Development

Dr. Adebisi Oladipupo, Vice President/Chief Information Officer for Division of Information Technology

Ms. Dena Freeman-Patton, Vice President and Director for Intercollegiate Athletics

Dr. Kara Miles Turner, 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

Sen. Joan Carter-Conway, Deputy Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs

Ms. Julie D. Goodwin, General Counsel

ACADEMIC DEANS

Dr. Oscar Barton, Jr., Dean of the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering

Dr. Fikru Boghossian, Dean of the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management

Dr. Mark D. Garrison, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies

Dr. Cleo Hughes-Darden, Interim Dean of the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Prof. Jacqueline Jones, Dean of the School of Global Journalism and Communication

Dr. Bernard Keels, Dean of the University Memorial Chapel

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. Siddhartha Sen, Interim Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning

Dr. Kim Dobson Sydnor, Dean of the School of Community Health and Policy

Dr. Nicole M. Westrick, Dean of the College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies

UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OFFICERS

Mrs. Sharon Oliver-Whitehurst, Chair

Dr. Kimberly Warren, Vice Chair

Prof. Welma Redd, Secretary

Dr. Terra Bowen-Reid, Parliamentarian

STUDENT GOVERNMENT OFFICERS

Ms. Jaden Dawson, Student Government Association President

Ms. Sydney Beatty, Student Government Association Vice President

Omolade Ola, Graduate Student Association President

Zaire Dartez, Graduate Student Association Vice President

Order of Procession

MARSHALS

Chief Faculty Marshal of the University

Dr. Milford A. Jeremiah

Associate Marshals

Ms. Heidi A. Bruce

Dr. Edwin T. Johnson

Dr. Ernest Brevard

Mr. A. Barrington Burke

Marshals for the Faculty

Mrs Natasha Lewis-Williams

Dr. Tiffany B. Mfume

Dr. Nilajah Nyasuma Sims

Dr. Tyrone Stanley

Marshal for the College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies

Dr. Carla Jackson

Marshals for the School of Graduate Studies

Dr. Virginia L. Byrne

Dr. Omari Jackson

Marshals for the James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts

Dr. Amber Hodges

Mr. Tavon McLaughlin-Steele

Marshal for the School of Architecture and Planning

Dr. Samia Kirchner

Marshal for the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management

Dr. Julaine Rigg

Marshal for the School of Community Health and Policy

Dr. Margaret L. Alston

Marshal for the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Dr. Ernest C. Steele, Jr.

Marshal for the School of Education and Urban Studies

Dr. Thurman L. Bridges

Marshals for the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering

Ms. Myra W. Curtis

Dr. Monica Poindexter

Dr. Dong Hee Kang

Marshal for the School of Global Journalism and Communication

Dr. Janice Smith

Marshal for the School of Social Work

Dr. Sharlene Allen-Milton

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 MSU 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

DEANS OF THE UNIVERSITY

VICE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY BOARD OF REGENTS

PROVOST AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY

The Presidential Chain of Office

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 1/2-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.

The Morgan State University Mace

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 sixty-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 ten 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 MSU Alumni Association.

CHIEF FACULTY MARSHALS OF THE UNIVERSITY

1914–1948 Dr. Milton L. Calloway

1948–1966 Dr. George H. Spaulding

1966–1974 Dr. Nathaniel K. Proctor

1974–2009 Dr. Clayton C. Stansbury

2009– Dr. Milford A. Jeremiah

The Dr. Iva G. Jones Medallion Emblem

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 ten times the value of the United States silver dollar, which the medallions resemble. The 21 emblem medallions — which the Philadelphia Mint created exclusively for the Negro Commemorative Society (Membership American notables such as Crispus Attucks, Benjamin Banneker, Henry O. Tanner, Lorraine Hansberry, Mary Church Terrell, Alaine Locke and Ralph Bunche. 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

2019–2020

2020–2021

2021–2022

2022–2023

Dr. Christine Hohmann, Full Professor of Biology, School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Dr. Celeste Chavis, Associate Professor of Transportation & Urban Infrastructure Studies

Dr. Leah Hollis, Associate Professor, Advanced Studies Leadership & Policy, School of Education & Urban Studies

Dr. Golshan Javadian, Associate Professor, Business Administration, Earl G. Graves School of Business & Management

For the full list of past awardees, please visit the following web page: https://commencement.morgan.edu/awards.

The Dr. Sandye Jean McIntyre II International Award

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.

The Academic Regalia

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.

The Academic Degrees

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 and Doctor of Public Health.

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

GOVERNOR-ELECT WES MOORE

Wes Moore is the Governor-Elect of the State of Maryland. A combat veteran, Rhodes Scholar, small business owner, and former chief executive officer of one of the nation’s largest antipoverty organizations, he has devoted his life’s work to a basic principle: no matter your start in life, you deserve an equal opportunity to succeed — a job you can raise a family on, a future you can look forward to.

Moore was born in Takoma Park, Maryland, and, at the age of 3, lost his father to a rare but treatable virus. In 1998, he graduated with an associate’s degree from Valley Forge Military College. He then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in international studies, Phi Beta Kappa, from Johns Hopkins University, in 2001. As a teenager, he had interned for former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke and, after graduating from Hopkins, went on to earn a Rhodes Scholarship, which took him to Oxford University, where he received a master’s degree.

Inspired by his mentors at military school, Moore went on to serve as a captain and paratrooper with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, where his duties included leading soldiers in combat in Afghanistan. He later served as a White House Fellow, advising on issues of national security and international relations.

Upon returning home, Moore wrote “The Other Wes Moore,” a story about the fragile nature of opportunity in the United States, which became a perennial New York Times Best Seller and is now assigned reading in many Maryland schools. He went on to write other best-selling books that reflect on issues of race, equity and opportunity, including his latest, “Five Days,” which tells the story of Baltimore in the days that followed the death of Freddie Gray in 2015.

Moore’s commitment to taking on our society’s toughest challenges brought him to the Robin Hood Foundation, where he served for four years as CEO. During his tenure, the foundation distributed more than $600 million toward lifting families out of poverty, including here in Maryland.

Earlier in his career, Moore built and launched a Baltimore-based business named BridgeEdU, which reinvents the first year of college for underserved students, to increase their likelihood of long-term success. BridgeEdu was acquired by the Brooklyn-based student financial success platform Edquity, in 2018. Moore has also worked in finance with Deutsche Bank in London and with Citigroup in New York.

Of the many titles Moore has held over the years, there are two he’s most proud of: husband and father. He and his wife, Dawn, live with their two children in his longtime home, Baltimore City.

Governor-Elect Wes Moore will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, today, at Morgan State University’s Ninth Fall Commencement Exercises.

Honorary Degree Recipient

THE HONORABLE ADRIENNE A. JONES Doctor of Humane Letters

Speaker Adrienne A. Jones shattered two glass ceilings when she was unanimously elected by the full House of Delegates to serve as Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, on May 1, 2019, the first African American and the first woman to hold the position.

Since becoming Speaker, she has led the Maryland House of Delegates in passing some of the most consequential bills in a generation. Speaker Jones ushered through the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a 10-year plan that makes the largest investment in education in the state’s history. She implemented the nation’s first comprehensive statewide policy agenda for racial and economic justice and made transformational police reforms that included making Maryland the first state in the nation to repeal the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the legislature in passing the RELIEF Act, which made Maryland’s earned income tax credit the highest in the nation and enabled Maryland’s nearly 86,000 immigrant taxpayers to benefit from this critical pandemic relief.

Speaker Jones played a pivotal role in the passing of legislation, in March 2021, that brought to an end the 15-year lawsuit filed by the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education on behalf of Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The $577-million HBCU settlement bill (SB1), the first bill she introduced, addressed the historic inequities in resource allocation and degree programming in higher education in the state, and the impact of its passage will be felt for generations to come.

Before becoming Speaker, Jones held the distinction of being the first African American woman to serve as Speaker Pro Tem of the Maryland House of Delegates, serving in that capacity under Speaker Mike Busch for 16 years. Speaker Jones served on the House Appropriations Committee and was Chair of the Subcommittees on Capital Budget and Education, and Economic Development. She has been a Maryland State Delegate since 1997.

Among the many honors she has earned for her work, Speaker Jones received the Casper R. Taylor, Jr., Founder’s Award, the highest award given to a member of the House of Delegates, in February 2019, and has been named by the Daily Record as one of the “Top 100 Women in Maryland” three times and as one of the publication’s Circle of Excellence inductees for Sustained Achievement.

As the first Executive Director of the Baltimore County Office of Fair Practices and Community Affairs, Speaker Jones faithfully served the citizens of the County for more than 37 years. She served as Deputy Director of the Baltimore County Office of Human Resources until her retirement from service in Baltimore County Government on June 30, 2014. During her civil service career, she worked with diverse populations of the County with dedication and sensitivity, providing a listening “ear” to individual citizens, business owners, religious leaders and elected officials. She is the founder of the Annual Baltimore County African American Cultural Festival, now in its 26th year.

Speaker Jones was born in Cowdensville, Maryland, an historic African American community located near Arbutus in southwestern Baltimore County. She attended Baltimore County Public Schools, graduating from Lansdowne High School, and is a proud alumna of the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She attended the National Security Seminar, U.S. Army War College, in 2007. In 2008, she received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Goucher College in Towson, Maryland. She is the mother of two adult sons and proud grandmother of two grandchildren.

Honorary Degree Recipient

MELVIN N. MILES, JR. Doctor of Fine Arts

Melvin N. Miles, Jr., Morgan State University’s recently retired Director of University Bands and Instructor of Music, proudly provided the soundtrack for decades of memorable moments for Morganites spanning nearly 50 years. While at Morgan, Miles conducted the MSU Symphonic Winds, the MSU Concert Band and the MSU Jazz Ensemble, and he was instrumental in bringing to life the spirited, high-stepping performances of Morgan’s heralded marching band, “The Magnificent Marching Machine”; MSU’s Pep Band, the “Bear Band”; and the MSU Jazz Combo. Among Miles’ long list of compositions and credits, there is one that ranks above all — especially for Fair Morgan faithful: “We Are the Bears,” an arrangement by Miles, with his sons Jarrett and Jermaine, that is a consummate Bears fan favorite. As an instructor in the Fine Arts Department, Miles served as Morgan faculty from 1973 to 2022, teaching Instrumental Music Methods, Brass Methods, Woodwind Methods, Instrumental Music Repertoire and Instrumental Conducting and serving as the Wind, Percussion and String Faculty Coordinator.

A native of Baltimore City, Miles attended Frederick Douglass High School. In his early career, Miles performed in several local bands and with the musical group The Sound Experience, recording several albums that charted on Billboard. He appeared with many national artists of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, but it was his work with The Sound Experience that led him to working in the music industry as a record producer, songwriter/arranger and promoter.

Miles received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Music Education from Morgan State University in 1973 and 1978, respectively, and attended The Catholic University of America for doctoral studies in Music Education. Throughout his accomplished career, Miles has been an active arranger, guest conductor, adjudicator and presenter of workshops and seminars on all types of music. His marching band arrangements have been performed by the Magnificent Marching Machine and the MSU Pep Band throughout the nation, during the football and basketball seasons, before President Barack Obama at the White House, in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, at the 147th Preakness and at the Monterey Jazz Festival, to name only a few notable venues.

For many years, Miles composed, adapted and arranged musical scores and served as the Musical Director for the Encore Dinner Theater as well as the MSU Fine and Performing Arts productions of “Raisin,” “Ragtime,” “Sarafina,” “Crowns,” “The Color Purple” and “The Wiz.” In addition, he arranged and performed several selections for Baltimore native and Academy Awardwinning filmmaker Barry Levinson’s “Diner” and “Avalon,” and he appeared in the films.

Miles is a member, former National President and former Trustee of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity and is a member of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority. Miles is the recipient of Kappa Kappa Psi’s highest award, the Distinguished Service to Music Medal; Morgan State University’s 2011–12 Outstanding Creative Achievements and Accomplishments Award; Morgan’s Howard L. Cornish Alumni Chapter’s Community Service Award; the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education’s 2002 Presidential Citation; MSU’s 2006 Outstanding Morgan Man Award; Morgan’s Outstanding Alumni Faculty Award; Kappa Kappa Psi’s 2015 Stanley G. Finck Award; the 2016 Richard Robinson Service Award; the 2016 Scarborough Lifetime Achievement Award; and the Jazz Journalists Association’s 2017 Jazz Hero Award–Baltimore. As he neared retirement, Miles received numerous additional awards and distinctions, including the 2022 Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., Living Maker of Black History Award; the 2022 HBCU National Band Director Consortium Honoree recognition; and induction into this year’s inaugural class of the Minority Band Directors National Association Hall of Fame. Miles holds active memberships in the National Association for Music Educators; the Maryland Music Educators Association; the Maryland Band Directors Association; the HBCU National Band and Orchestra Directors’ Consortium; Promethean Kappa Tau, Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society, Tau Alpha Upsilon and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternities; and the College Band Directors National Association, which he has served as President–Eastern Division and a member of the Board of Directors.

Miles resides in Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife, Cathy.

Order of Exercises

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.”

WELCOME ............................................................................................................................ Dr. David K. Wilson, President

INVOCATION ...................................................................................................................... Minister Clarence A. Wayman, Methodist Chaplain, University Memorial Chapel HYMN

“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” ................................................. James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson

Led by Mr. Ricardo Horsey, Tenor Dr. Eric Conway, Conductor

GREETINGS .........................................................................................................................

The Honorable Kweisi Mfume, Chair, University Board of Regents

INTRODUCTION OF SPEAKER ......................................................................................... Dr. David K. Wilson, President

COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS ................................................................................................................. Mr. Wes Moore, Governor-Elect, State of Maryland

MUSICAL SELECTION

“You’ll Never Walk Alone” .......................................................... Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II

Led by Mr. Darrin Scott, Baritone Dr. Eric Conway, Conductor

CONFERRING OF HONORARY DEGREES .......................................................

The Honorable Kweisi Mfume, Chair, University Board of Regents Dr. David K. Wilson, President

Citation Read by Dr. Darryl L. Peterkin, Assistant Dean for Student Success, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts

Governor-Elect Wes Moore, Doctor of Humane Letters

Mr. Melvin N. Miles, Jr., Doctor of Fine Arts

House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, 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 ................................................................ …Captain Debora Nelson, Chair, Department of 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 Dr. Darryl L. Peterkin, Assistant Dean for Student Success, 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

UNDERGRADUATE

DEGREES

Candidates’ Names Read by Dr. Darryl L. Peterkin, Assistant Dean for Student Success, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts

JAMES H. GILLIAM, JR., COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS ....................................................... Candidates presented by Dr. M’bare N’gom, Dean

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING ................................................................. Candidates presented by Dr. Siddhartha Sen, Interim Dean

EARL G. GRAVES SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

Candidates presented by Dr. Fikru Boghossian, Dean

SCHOOL OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND POLICY . ............................................................ Candidates presented by Dr. Kim Dobson Sydnor, Dean

SCHOOL OF COMPUTER, MATHEMATICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND URBAN STUDIES

Candidates presented by Dr. Cleo Hughes-Darden, Interim Dean

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/Schools (as above)

SALUTE TO THE GRADUATES ....................................................................................................... Ms. Izhané Williams, President of the Senior Class

INDUCTION INTO THE MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION........................................................... Mrs. Phyllis C. Davis, President, MSU Alumni Association

THE ALMA MATER ....................................................................................................... Led by Mr. Darrin Scott, Baritone

BENEDICTION Minister Clarence A. Wayman, Methodist Chaplain, University Memorial Chapel

RECESSIONAL “Pomp and Circumstance” Sir Edward Elgar

The Morgan State University Band Dr. Jorim E. Reid, Sr., Conductor

Candidates for Degrees

Doctoral Degrees

School of Graduate Studies

Doctor of Philosophy Degrees

Kehinde Adenuga Higher Education

B.S., Babcock University, 2010

M.S., Morgan State University, 2016

Dissertation: “Changing the Narrative: Factors Influencing the Persistence of African American Undergraduate Male Students at a Public Historically Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)”

Advisor: Dr. Krishna Bista

Tolulope Ajayi Higher Education

B.S., University of Ilorin, 1999

M.S., Morgan State University, 2016

Dissertation: “Exploring the Academic Support and Resources for the Success of International Graduate Students in a Historically Black College and University”

Advisor: Dr. Krishna Bista

Hans Cooper Higher Education

B.S., Morgan State University, 2005

M.S., Morgan State University, 2013

Dissertation: “How Historically Black College/University Presidents Experience and Understand Institutional Culture and How It Affects Their Presidency”

Advisor: Dr. Sean Robinson

Jayshawn Cooper Mathematics

B.S., Morgan State University, 2016

M.S., Morgan State University, 2017

Dissertation: “Topological Data Analysis and Neural Networks: Loss Functions for Dimension Reduction”

Advisor: Drs. Marshall Cohen and Daniel Naiman

Darius Gwynn Social Work

B.S., Bowie State University, 2014

M.S.W., Howard University, 2017

Dissertation: “An Examination of Coping Strategies Used by Black Men with Self-Reported Depression”

Advisor: Dr. Jerome Schiele

Nada Hamouh ......................................................................................................................................................... Higher Education

B.A., King Faisal University, 2008

M.S., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2014

M.A., Morgan State University, 2021

Dissertation: “Saudi Female Students’ Experiences at an HBCU”

Advisor: Dr. Sean Robinson

Baibai Kamara ......................................................................................................................................................... Higher Education

B.S., Tennessee State University, 2003

M.S., Tennessee State University, 2007

M.E., Tennessee State University, 2010

Dissertation: “Examining the Experiences of Doctoral Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)”

Advisor: Dr. Krishna Bista

Doctor of Education Degrees

Patricia Baltzley ................................................................................................................................... Urban Educational Leadership

B.A., Notre Dame of Maryland University, 1975

M.S., Shippensburg State University, 1986

Dissertation: “The Impact of the Levels of Fidelity of Teacher Implementation on Student Achievement Benchmarks Based on a Systemic Implementation of a Middle School Preparation Program for Algebra I”

Advisor: Dr. Roni Ellington

Felicia DeWatson-Alexander .............................................................................................................. Urban Educational Leadership

B.S., University of Baltimore, 2002

M.A., Notre Dame of Maryland University, 2006

Dissertation: “From Understudy to Main Actor: The Perspectives of Second-Career Urban School Teachers in the Retention

Conversation”

Advisor: Dr. Dia Sekayi

Tamera Farrar ................................................................................................................................... Community College Leadership

B.S., Morgan State University, 2001

M.A., Bowie State University, 2009

Dissertation: “Student Engagement Among Nontraditional Students: The Road to Academic Success”

Advisor: Dr. Russell Davis

Wilma Gaines ...................................................................................................................................

B.S., District of Columbia Teachers College, 1976

M.Ed., Howard University, 1986

D.Min., Andersonville Theological Seminary, 2016

Community College Leadership

Dissertation: “The Use of Services by Community College Students with Disabilities and Student Engagement”

Advisor: Dr. Robin Spaid

Ronald Kimmons ............................................................................................................................. Community College Leadership

B.S., Mississippi Valley State University, 1998

M.S.A., Central Michigan University, 2004

Dissertation: “Investigating How Career Services in Community Colleges Relate to the Success of Minority Students”

Advisor: Dr. Krishna Bista

Tuere Marshall .................................................................................................................................

B.A., University of the District of Columbia, 1999

M.A., University of New Hampshire, 2002

Community College Leadership

Dissertation: “An Examination of the Effectiveness of English Developmental Education Strategies on Student Success and Completion at a Mid-Atlantic Community College”

Advisor: Dr. Carolyn Anderson

Georgann Nedwell ........................................................................................................................... Community College Leadership

B.A., Goucher College, 2004

M.A., Appalachian State University, 2007

Dissertation: “Examining the Relationship between Developmental Faculty Motivation and Developmental Student Success at MidAtlantic Community Colleges”

Advisor: Dr. Russell Davis

Maygon Smythe-Thompson ............................................................................................................... Urban Educational Leadership

B.S., Morgan State University, 2004

M.Ed., Coppin State University, 2008

Dissertation: “Fish out of water: Experiences of Teachers Assigned to Teach Out-of-Field in Urban Schools”

Advisor: Dr. Gretchen Rudham

Doctor of Engineering Degrees

Sotonye Ikiriko .................................................................................................................................................................. Engineering

B.Eng., University of Port Harcourt, 2015

M.Eng., Tennessee State University, 2018

Dissertation: “A Study of Relative Sea Level Rise-Induced Traffic Disruption in Anne Arundel County, Maryland”

Advisor: Dr. Yi Liu

Martin Ndegwa .................................................................................................................................................................. Engineering

B.S., Towson University, 2012

M.A., Towson University, 2014

Dissertation: “Immigrant Residential and Mode Choice Decisions to Work in the D.C. Metropolitan Area”

Advisor: Dr. Celeste Chavis

Doctor of Public Health Degrees

Zena Alhija ..................................................................................................................................................................... Public Health

B.S., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2014

M.P.H., University of Maryland, College Park, 2016

Dissertation: “Analysis of Public Health Education Curriculum in the Arab World: Mapping and Implications”

Advisor: Dr. Sharon Barrett

Marissa Robinson ........................................................................................................................................................... Public Health

B.A., Spelman College, 2014

M.P.H., Emory University, 2019

Dissertation: “A Qualitative Exploration of Preexposure Prophylaxis among Black Women Attending a Historically Black College and University in the Northeastern United States”

Advisor: Dr. Lorece Edwards

Lakesha Stone ................................................................................................................................................................. Public Health

B.S., West Chester University, 2013

M.P.H., West Chester University, 2015

Dissertation: “Combating the Opioid Epidemic: The Examination of Dental Prescribing Practices in Treating Post-Operative Pain After Third Molar Extractions”

Advisor: Dr. Sharon Barrett

Master’s Degrees

School of Graduate Studies

Master of Architecture Degrees

Caroline Makary ......................................................... Architecture

B.S., The American University in Cairo, 2016

Neda Talaii Architecture

B.S., Islamic Azad University, 2000

Master of Arts Degrees

Brandon Griffin Global Multimedia Journalism and Communication

B.S., Morgan State University, 2018

Osaretin Iyare ................................................................ Journalism

B.A., University of Benin, 2014

Asha Jackson ......................................... African American Studies

B.A., Florida State University, 2017

Thesis: “Water is Freedom: Enslaved Freedom Seekers in Chesapeake Aquatic and Maritime Spaces, 1750–1802”

Advisor: Dr. Lawrence Peskin

Nikkia McNeal-Parham Mathematics

B.S., Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, 2017

B.A., Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, 2017

Thesis: “A Study on David Blackwell and the Big Match”

Advisor: Dr. Ashraf Ahmed

Tyler Medley Journalism

B.S., Morgan State University, 2020

Shanell Middleton ................................ African American Studies

B.A., Florida International University, 2008

Thesis: “Answering the Violence of White Women’s Tears: Black Women Mobilize, from Ida B. Wells to Mamie Till”

Advisor: Dr. David Terry

Toluwalope Ologun ................................................... Mathematics

B.S., Morgan State University, 2020

Jordan Thomas ............................................................. Journalism

B.S., Morgan State University, 2020

Master of Business Administration Degrees

Sapreina Acree ......................................Business Administration

B.S., Morgan State University, 2015

Oluwagbemisola Adeyemo ................... Business Administration

B.S., Lagos State University, 2008

Andessa Augustin

B.S., Medgar Evers College, 2018

Business Administration

Andre Beckles ....................................... Business Administration

B.S., Albright College, 2018

Nia Bennett Business Administration

B.A., Lincoln University, 2020

Desirae Christie ....................................

B.A., Norfolk State University, 2016

Business Administration

Clayborne DeVaughn ........................... Business Administration

B.S., Morgan State University, 2014

LaTonja Dotson.................................... Business Administration

B.A., DePaul University, 2020

Oladipupo Eke ..................................... Business Administration

B.S., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2016

Yazeed Elarjani Business Administration

B.S., Dar Al Uloom University, 2015

Jocelyn Hordge ..................................... Business Administration

B.S., Morgan State University, 2016

Kalen Jennings Business Administration

B.S., Morgan State University, 2020

Earl Jones III ......................................... Business Administration

B.S., Morgan State University, 2016

Kayla Jones Business Administration

B.S., Morgan State University, 2018

Adrienne Kambouris ............................ Business Administration

B.S., Augusta University, 2016

Joseph King, Jr. ..................................... Business Administration

B.S., University of Liberia, 2011

Cynthia Leventis

B.S., Towson University, 2016

M.S., Towson University, 2019

Business Administration

Olubukola Osituwo ..............................Business Administration

B.S., University of Ado Ekiti, 2004

M.S., Morgan State University, 2020

Oluwatobiloba Oyeleye .........................Business Administration

B.Tech., Federal University of Technology, 2015

Darrell Parham......................................Business Administration

B.S., Central Michigan University, 2009

Shauntel Phillips ...................................Business Administration

B.A., Louisiana Tech University, 2017

Nihit Rawal ...........................................Business Administration

B.S., Morgan State University, 2020

Malcolm Robinson, Jr. Business Administration

B.A., University of Minnesota, 2021

Lisa Walker ...........................................Business Administration

B.S., James Madison University, 1995

M.A., Argosy University, 2000

Brittany Webb Business Administration

B.S., Morgan State University, 2017

Master of City and Regional Planning Degrees

Lucas Rogers ...................................... City and Regional Planning

B.A., Vassar College, 2005

April Smith City and Regional Planning

B.A., Clemson University, 2008

M.Ed., University of Florida, 2014

Master of Education Degrees

Nichole Land ................Community College Administration and Instruction

B.A., University of Maryland, 2014

Master of Engineering Degrees

Oladayo Akinpelu ....................................................... Engineering

B.Eng, Federal University of Technology, 2015

Mikayla Anderson ....................................................... Engineering

B.S., Morgan State University, 2021

Johannes Asfaha .......................................................... Engineering

B.S., University of Maryland Baltimore County, 2019

Michael Blackwell-Gorham Engineering

B.S., Morgan State University, 2012

M.S., Morgan State University, 2014

Stuart Collymore ......................................................... Engineering

B.S., Drexel University, 2018

Pulcherie Halette Djatou Engineering

B.S., University of Maryland Global Campus, 2019

Allison Hoelterling ...................................................... Engineering

B.S., New Jersey Institute of Technology, 2018

Tanika Hooker Engineering

B.S., Morgan State University, 2012

M.S.E.M., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2016

Natian Lemesa ............................................................. Engineering

B.S., West Chester University, 2021

Seydou Mbaye Engineering

B.S., Morgan State University, 2020

Taiwo Ogunlade .......................................................... Engineering

B.Eng., Federal University of Technology Akure, 2019

Syeda Sanjidah Engineering

B.S., Military Institute of Science and Technology, 2014

Master of Landscape Architecture Degrees

Britney Jackson ......................................... Landscape Architecture

B.S., Morgan State University, 2012

Master of Public Health Degrees

Ayomide Akintibu .................................................... Public Health

B.S., Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 2018

Chastity Berry ........................................................... Public Health

B.S., Coppin State University, 2019

Cherelle Jeudy .......................................................... Public Health

B.S., University of Maryland University College, 2001

Nicole Logan Public Health

B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, 2011

M.S.W., University of Maryland, 2015

Janele Price ............................................................... Public Health

B.S., Glenville State University, 2019

Chynna Smith .......................................................... Public Health

B.S., Morgan State University, 2021

Master of Science Degrees

Brandon Adams ...................................... Hospitality Management

B.S., Morgan State University, 2018

April Albert Project Management

B.S., DeVry University, 2009

Taghreed Alghamdi .........................................................Sociology

B.S., Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, 2017

Itopa Audu Project Management

B.S., University of Abuja, 2012

Oluranti Bamigboye ...................................... Project Management

B.A., University of Ibadan, 2012

Annesha Edwards-Carter .................................................Sociology

B.A., Manhattanville College, 2013

M.Ed., Temple University, 2018

Isaac Fadeyibi ................................................ Project Management

B.S., University of Ibadan, 1995

M.B.A., Obafemi Awolowo University, 2003

Ph.D., Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, 2018

Yasmin Lewis Advanced Computing

B.S., Clarion University, 2021

Tochukwu Obika .......................................... Project Management

B.S., Caritas University, 2015

Funbi Ogunwale Advanced Computing

B.S., Obafemi Awolowo University, 2015

Thesis: “Performance Evaluation of Unsupervised Machine Learning Algorithms for Anomaly Detection in IoT MQTT Protocol-Traffic”

Advisor: Dr. Monir Sharker

Abidemi Omopariola .................................... Project Management

M.B.A., Lagos State University, 2006

Elizabeth Ransom ......................................... Project Management

B.S., Morgan State University, 1978

Mahlet Tamrat .................................... Construction Management

B.S., Debre Markos University, 2017

Master of Science in Integrated Science Degrees

Wandoo Agev .................................................. Integrated Sciences

B.S., Morgan State University, 2018

Md. Jahangir Alam Integrated Sciences

B.S., Feni University, 2017

Thesis: “High Temperature Electrical Measurement Setup for Cubic Boron Nitride (cBN)”

Advisor: Dr. Michael Spencer

Sheikh Mahtab Integrated Sciences

B.S., Feni University, 2017

Thesis: “RF Antennas for Quantum Sensing Applications”

Advisor: Dr. Birol Ozturk

Master of Social Work Degrees

Larry Cooke ................................................................ Social Work

B.S., Morgan State University, 2005

Lakeicha Johnson Social Work

B.S., Morgan State University, 2019

John Morant ............................................................... Social Work

B.S.W., University of Valley Forge, 2018

Nia Watson ................................................................. Social Work

B.S., Bennett College for Women, 2019

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

Enrique Pajardo Sustainable Urban Communities

B.S., Morgan State University, 2014

M.E., University of Maryland, 2018

D.Eng., Morgan State University, 2021

Candidates for Degrees

Bachelor’s Degrees

The James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts

B.S.,AppliedLiberalStudies

Nofisat Kofoworola Adeyemi

Isaac Amihere

Tamera Ancrum

Taliah Opal Beckford

Hillard A. Black, Jr.

Ann M. Civil

Nerissa Mahalia Cole

Zion Amir Dinkins

Dylan Djikeng

Donald Drinkard

Arielle Alicia Ellis

Kareem D. Foster

Michael Vittero Gainey, Jr.

MaKayla Gray

Sharif I. Harris Legree

Josephus D. Hughes

Quiasia A. James

Briana Rae Jenkins

Briana L. King

Elsie Kinnel

Darion D. Leonard, Jr.

Aylexus Leshay

Le-Keya Louise Lewis

Sejeana Erika McDonald

Calia Iyonna Meads

Natalia Miranda

Rodneyka Shardae Nelson

Ja’bria Janeal Oliver

Gabriel Manuel Ortis

Kaela Melody Pittman

Danaysha C. Samuel

Amir Hakim Scott

William R. Sherman

Asiah Annie Siler

Lynn Michele Simpson

Cookie Smith

Quiara M. Smith

Me’chelle B. Warren

Gabriella Earlene Waters

Carleethea C. Wilkes

Jayden Thomas Wooden

Christel Derrainne York

B.S.,Economics

Taylor B. Boone

B.A.,FineArt

Andre Hosea Davis

Quentin Maurice Green

Chukwuemeka C. Iyke-Azubogu

Bria M. Shelby

Miles Vasquez-Chambers

Travis Maurice Weldon

B.A.,Music

Thomas Blichard

Arthur R. Crowner

Asia Nina Monii’ Haynie

Ricardo Vincent Horsey, Jr.

Darrin Jamal Scott

Cammeron M. Williams

B.A.,Philosophy

Marcus A. Eades

B.A.,PoliticalScience

Joshua Oluwadamilare Adeyemi

Derricka N. Benson

Grace Nichole Driver

Ji’Na D’amber Gary

Britteny R. Gichuru-Brooks

Kayla Jewel Jackson

Eric B. Knox

Roje Linton

Jomar Luke Lloyd

Kashanae Jonece Simpson

Iyanna Simone Williams

B.S.,Psychology

Sarah M. Absher

Oluwayemisi Babalade

Jonnay Kashawna Berry

Alice La’licia Marie Bundy

Alexis Carlon

Mya N. Fennell-Davis

Victoria Alexandria Green

Angel Lanette Harrington

Kayla Simmoine Harrison

Diyanna Hill

Ayorinde B. Idowu

Teiona Adell Johnson

Jalen Marquise Knight

Ndia Blu McCloud

Malaya E. Pleasant

Sherika Lashawn Preston

Tyrae Lanise Russell

Jessica Jeanna Truss

Danielle Cassie Turay

Raeven Vinson

Markil Leon Warren

Kenayah Alyeece Wells

Wraven M. Wiggins

B.F.A.,ScreenwritingandAnimation

Taja Judy Copeland

Austin Jackson

Niajea Yvette Randolph

Yaheshalom Stanley

Jily Bamba Sylla

Aniyah Thornton

Alicia D. Wilson

B.A.,Sociology

Britani A. Alexander

B.S.,Architectureand EnvironmentalDesign

Hamdi Nasser Alotaibi

Trenise Tiana Bush

Dominique Cunningham

Ernest Verdell Demby, Jr.

Amina Etienne

Taylor McCuiston

Raimi Lorenz Philips

B.S.,Accounting

Omar A. Alselily

Taylor Joyce Cleare I

Amber Yvette Banks

Omolara Blaize

Jasean Lamont Brawner

Hope Soni Buckley

Manajah Chanel Harmon-Marion

Nijah J. Harris

Natacha P. Kamsu

Dajani Khadijah Kelly

De’Marie Daydawn Lattie-Chisholm

Lakecia Mattocks

Aman Louise Moore

Rashon Nugent

Maria Rivera

Mariam Sackor Sannoh

Brianna M. Smith

B.A.,TheaterArts

Martin Alexander Smith II

The School of Architecture and Planning

Jafar AL Quraishi

Oneida Kaylyn Rodney

Danyl Carrington Smith

Rodney Taylor

Nasia Imani Whitehurst

B.S.,ConstructionManagement

Kyran K. Brandon

Jeffrey Brown

Alyssa N. Gross

Marcus Andrew Hall

Trayvon Cartez Hines

Abubakarr Kamara

Yongwoo Kim

Margaret R. Pi

Yvenel Robergeau

The Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management

Dionta L. Hunter, Jr.

Daryian Johnson

Aminata Kante

Tishanna M. Long-Rivera

De Nasara Tafari

Kyoko D. Coren-Hawkins

Rodnéy J. English

Hannah Araba Essilfie

Christopher Anthony Jones

Catinna Latrice Osborn

Alina Joelle Remond

Janay Anaya Thomas

Ayanna Chanel Tuck

Christa Nicole Verderamo

B.S.,BusinessAdministration

Nya Monet Anthony

Brooke Lynn Ashford

Bianca Benjamin

Persia L. Chambers

Cheyenne T. Cunningham

Antoinette E.A. Davis

Kamaule Quacey Defreitas

Demara Venai Ellis

Zamira Arien Flucas

Darian Nykole Goodman

Joshua M. Hampton

Herbert Tarik Hardin

Zoe Lynn Holland

Nafees Khan

Monia Nicole Ledbetter

Ky’rah Latrice Martin

Mohammed K. Mohammed

Hafeesah Aamirah Moore

Devon Isiah Mondy

Felicia C. Odie

Christopher Parry

Melissa G. Paz

Cameron Briana Pinkney

Kaira Rantan

Juwan Samuel Reese

Tavon Dameon Rone

B.S.,Entrepreneurship

Daniel Joseph Gonzalez

Jayda Victoria Carolyn Gwyn

B.S.,Finance

Madjiguene Gueye

Kennedy Onyekah

B.S.,HospitalityManagement

Lee Roy Granston

B.S.,InformationSystems

Adetokunbo T. Ayodele

Kyle E. Black

Janelle Ryan Bright

Taylan Lee Brooks

Michael Anthony Brown

Toryron D. Brown

Francis Donkor

Emmanuel Tinisi Jerbo

Langmia Mbebwo Annan

Brian Munashe Musekiwa

Adewunmi M. Oloyede

Mahnoor Tassawar Qureshi

Cori Demetria Robinson

Ryan Alexander Waites

Dominique E.A. Williams

B.S.,Management

Ke’asia O. Harris

Deanna N. Krebs

Tommi Chanel Reed

Ebony Danielle Turner

Darius Allen Whitmire

B.S.,Marketing

Nicole Caroline French

Delfon Lébrew Hare

Ayana Harris

Kayla N. Shaw

B.S.,HealthEducation

Hanadi Altarfan

Olubukola Segun Bankole

Alexandra Katriel Barrett

Keion Tyler Carter

Aliya B. Ewell

Taylor Marie Floyd

Tereek Nathan Isaacs

Adorni N. Louis-Riley

Kenra Victoria McNeil

Carl T. Payton, Jr.

Guerin Sikop Ata

Tamia Antionette Underdue-Wells

B.S.,ServicesandSupplyChain Management

Monica A. Kpedenou

The School of Community Health and Policy

B.S.,Nursing

Obafemi Ayokunle Ajayi

Jason R. Anderson, Jr.

Shanell C. Blaise

Tre Rayfield Briscoe

Amparo Elizabeth Campos Dixon

Deidre T. Emden

Jade Najee Gomez

Autumn Lauren Johnson

Devin J. Mickins

Aliya Ryan Mooney

Nifemi Felicia Otokiti

Oluwajuwonlo Mary Owoeye

Taneesha Phillips

Sydney S. Smith

Madison Christopher Williams

B.S.,NutritionalSciences

Gladys Animwah Asabere

Natasha Myeka Few

David J. Ondande I

Kaitlyn B. Roney

The School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences

B.S.,ActuarialScience

Ledriss Brice Ndouma Kemajou

B.S.,Biology

Adetola I. Akingbade

Jessica S. Anderson

Cle'Shawna Tamera Bagley

Destiny Mariah Boddy

Nabeel Claude Bou-Abboud

Montajha Imon Bowen

Maleel David Christopher Coble

Katariina A. Delph

Samara K. Dunham

Khijha Matae Howard

Tamia Mahagony Johnson

Destinee Manning

Joshua G. Massey

Alexis Tandongfuet Ngepwung

Yona Nguerekata

Tochi G. Nwaba

Oluwafunmike Ibukunoluwa Odunaiya

Sophia Omotoyosi Olatunji-Richard

Oluwatobiloba Sarah Olayemi

D’aisha S. Pearson

Brianna Nicole Robinson

Te’Ona Spriggs

A’nia Valerie Stevenson

Deja Simone Thomas

Nyla B. Thompson

Senita D. Watson

Xavier Julian Welch

Reana Andrea Wilkins

Shardiece Monaé Wills

B.S.,Chemistry

Christian DeAndre McGowan

Amber N. Robinson

B.S.,ComputerScience

David Oreoluwa Bogunjoko Benjamin

Nanfwang Harris Dawurang

Kayla Michelle Durham

Farouk Ganiyu-Adewumi

Aaron Wilson Giles

Demari Deonte Green

Mardokai Habtemariam Hintsa

Monteray Melva Jackson

Junior Ndipnu Langmia

Da’shawn Larry

Julian Xavier Milligan

Clinton Oates

Brad Nnamdi Obi

Praharsha Pokharel

Ogo-Oluwasubomi Ayotomi Popoola

Errol Kevin Stoute III

Mercelis Vaughan

Anthony Jawan Venable

B.S.,EngineeringPhysics

Aaliyah T. Marshall

B.S.,Mathematics

Jaelynn Alexsandra Finklea

B.S.,MedicalLaboratoryScience

Suze Dylie Gerard

B.S.,ElementaryEducation

Trecel Monae Bates

Autumn Beal

MaKala Jenaé Bowman

Jasmine Charday Demory

Monique Danielle Jeffries

Zada Marshelle Johnson

Dorothie Malebranche

Kamryn Thomas

Jae Washington

The School of Education and Urban Studies

B.S.,FamilyandConsumerSciences

Helen T. Awosika

Damani Braswell

Amber Rose David

Laureen Cassandra Gboukrou

Alexis Crystal Stevenson

Francesca Faith Watts

B.S.,HealthEducation

Unique S. Flowers

B.S.,PhysicalEducation

Darian Avery Gilbert-Murphy

Aaliyya A. Grier

Jordan S. Jones

Jason R. Roche

Bereket Harrison Sell

Aaliyah Kari Wilson-Smith

The Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering

B.S.,CivilEngineering

Dontae Lamar Bordley Jenkins

Gerron Ferante Griffin

Ryan Morgan Haynes

Erika Shawnise Johnson

Earl Ray Little, Jr.

Marcus E. Parker

Russell Price

Boubacar Sow

Justin James Taylor

Omari Waddell

B.S.,ElectricalEngineering

Jasmina Rashida Abimbola

Sean Claude Anderson, Jr.

Deidre De Guzman Bayquen

Benetha K. Coffie

Darryl Coleman

Todd Barrett Cowling, Jr.

Francis De-graft Johnson

Andre Latte Dean, Jr.

Tre Alexander Debose

Joseph Asare Donkor

Francis C. Egbujonuma

Roderick Lydell Eubanks, Jr.

Thomas Edward Goodman II

D’Careius K. Houey

Jonathan Olumide Ibironke

Michael A. Jackson, Jr.

Ranye McLendon

Chauncey Murray

Chinenye Nwosu

Blessing Asuquo Okon

Gregory Patton II

Nomel Daeh Simmons

Adeola Olanrewaju Sulaiman

Khaled Taleb I

B.S.,IndustrialEngineering

Kingsley Etubom

Deric N. Njinyi

Confidence Nwanguma

Olumide Oduntan

Jada Hope Satchell

Mykael Phillip Thomas

Nethania Teresa Walker

Abdullah Olanrewaju Yesuf

B.S.,TransportationSystems

Olukayode Fawibe

The School of Global Journalism and Communication

B.S.,MultimediaJournalism

Darius Brockett

Shawnia Erica Butler

De’Auntae J. Corry

Amere Jaden Dorsey

Jordan A. Francis I

Taylor Gardner

Jalyn Karee Hinton

Zakiya Lil Jennings

Ryan N. Murphy

B.S.,Multi-PlatformProduction

Sydney Ann Bates

Teona Burroughs

Mehki D. Clayton-Smith

Ashanti D. Fernandes

Elijah Jenkins-Bundrige

Brijhai McMillan

Rasheeda McPhaul

Sasha Monique Moore

Ja’bria Janeal Oliver

De’Avian D. Powell

Khalila Shabazz

Kenneth S. Whichard

B.S.,StrategicCommunication

Riona S. Blaine

CherRae Dickerson

Jared W. Grizzle

JaKayla Terrena Kirkland

Abigail J. Matthews

Jada Delisa Prater

Shannon Blair Taylor

B.S.,SocialWork

Myshaurna L. Harrison

Madisun Carrie Jones

Nadiyah Karim

Aliyah Lee

Joniyah-Paulyce K. Owens

Cynthia Robin Williams

The School of Social Work

The President’s Second Mile Award

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

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 chair. 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.

Latin Honors Graduates

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.

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Commissions

The following students were commissioned into the United States Army as 2nd Lieutenants:

Name Branch

Isaac Amihere Army National Guard, Quartermaster

Alusine Barrie Army Reserves

Zion Dikins Army National Guard

Alyssa Gross ....................................................................................................... Army National Guard, Signal Corps

Adorne Lois-Riley .............................................................................................. Army National Guard

Rodneyka Nelson............................................................................................... Army Reserves

Te’Ona Spriggs .................................................................................................. Army National Guard, Adjutant General

Announcer

Dr. Darryl L. Peterkin

Assistant Dean for Student Success, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts

Degree Candidate Reader

Dr. Darryl L. Peterkin ........................................................................................

Assistant Dean for Student Success, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts