The Thirteenth of December, Two-Thousand and Twenty-four Nine Thirty O’clock in the Morning Talmadge L. Hill Field House
Morgan State University
1700 E. Cold Spring Lane Baltimore, Maryland 21251 www.morgan.edu
To Our Guests
Welcome to the 11th 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.
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.
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 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.
Ms. Swati Agrawal
The Rev. Dr. Harold A. Carter, Jr.
Dr. Linda J. Gilliam
Dr. Burney J. Hollis
Ms. Emily M. Hunter
Dr. Shirley M. Malcom
Officers of the University
THE BOARD OF REGENTS
The Honorable Kweisi Mfume, Chair
Gen. (Ret.) Larry R. Ellis, Vice Chair Mr. Carl W. Turnipseed, Secretary
The Honorable Tracey L. Parker-Warren
Mr. Jared Patterson, Student Regent
Mr. Brian D. Pieninck
Mr. William A. Sherman II
Ms. Shelonda D. Stokes
Mr. Winston A. Wilkinson
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS
Dr. David K. Wilson, President
Dr. Hongtao Yu, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Kevin M. Banks, Vice President for Student 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 I. McCalla, Vice President for Facilities, Design and Construction Management
Dr. Cynthia Mendoza, Interim 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
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. Nicole M. Westrick, Dean of the College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OFFICERS
Dr. Sharon Oliver-Whitehurst, Chair
Dr. Samia Kirchner, Vice Chair
Dr. Hyeon-Shic Shin, Secretary
Dr. Maxim Bushuev, Parliamentarian
STUDENT GOVERNMENT OFFICERS
Ms. Tamera Trimuel, Student Government Association President
Ms. MarKayla Wilson, Student Government Association Vice President
Order of Procession
MARSHALS
Chief Faculty Marshal of the University
Dr. Milford A. Jeremiah
Associate Marshals
Dr. Darryl Greene
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
Dr. Dionne Thorne
Marshals for the School of Graduate Studies
Mrs. Carol-Ann Hendricks
Mr. Zackery Rogers
Dr. Zhuping Sheng
Marshals for the James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
Mr. Devin D. Brown
Dr. Inté A. DeShields
Dr. Amber Hodges
Mr. Tavon McLaughlin-Steele
Marshals for the School of Architecture and Planning
Ms. Tanya Shanklin
Mr. Charles Thomas
Marshals for the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
Ms. Brianna Butler
Dr. Tamera Farrar
Dr. Julaine Rigg
Marshal for the School of Community Health and Policy
Dr. Margaret Alston
Marshals for the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Ms. Rolicia Martin
Dr. Ernest C. Steele, Jr.
Marshal for the School of Education and Urban Studies
Dr. Virginia L. Byrne
Marshals for the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering
Dr. Dong Hee Kang
Dr. Monica Poindexter
Marshals for the School of Global Journalism and Communication
Mrs. Angela Gatither-Scott
Marshals for the School of Social Work
Dr. Sharlene Allen-Milton
Dr. Joonwoo Moon
Dr. Georgia Jennings-Dorsey
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
e 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
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 10 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.
2019–2020
2020–2021
AWARDEES
Dr. Christine Hohmann, Full Professor of Biology, School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Dr. Celeste Chavis, Associate Professor of Transportation & Urban Infrastructure Studies 2021–2022
Dr. Leah Hollis, Associate Professor, Advanced Studies Leadership & Policy, School of Education & Urban Studies 2022–2023
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 & Honorary Degree Recipient
THE HONORABLE EDWARD C. GAINEY Doctor of Public Service
Ed Gainey, Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a visionary leader and dedicated public servant known for his commitment to improving the region and the lives of the people he serves. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, where he attended local public schools, Mayor Gainey has a passion for the city that is evident in every aspect of his life.
Mayor Gainey came to Baltimore to pursue higher education at Morgan State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business management in 1994. This solid academic foundation and his natural leadership skills laid the groundwork for his future in public service. He credits Morgan not only with challenging him with a rigorous education but also providing a sense of belonging and invaluable experiences that paved the way for him to Pittsburgh’s highest office.
Mayor Gainey’s career in public service began in earnest with his work as a community organizer, tirelessly addressing critical issues affecting vulnerable populations in Pittsburgh. His grassroots efforts and strong advocacy for equitable opportunities and social programs gained him widespread recognition and respect.
He served as a trusted advisor to various elected officials before taking the leap to a successful campaign for a seat in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. As a state representative, he consistently championed initiatives to improve education, create jobs and enhance public safety.
Gainey achieved a significant milestone in 2021 by becoming the first Black person elected mayor of Pittsburgh, winning the hearts and votes of his fellow citizens with a progressive and inclusive vision for the city’s future. As mayor, he is tackling pressing issues such as affordable housing, infrastructure development and the Pittsburgh Plan for Peace. His administration also prioritizes community policing, fostering stronger bonds between law enforcement officers and the neighborhoods they serve.
Mayor Gainey's leadership style is characterized by empathy, collaboration and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by Pittsburgh's diverse population. He remains steadfast in his belief that an inclusive and united city can rise above any obstacle and become a model of prosperity for the entire nation.
Honorary Degree Recipient
MARY ELAINE PROCTOR BLACKWELL Doctor of Public Service
Since her arrival on campus as a first-year undergraduate in the spring of 1945, M. Elaine Proctor Blackwell, affectionately known as “Elaine,” has lived a nearly 80-year commitment to service and promotion of Morgan State University. A current resident of Washington, DC, Ms. Blackwell is a native of Brandywine in southern Prince George’s County, Maryland, and is a graduate of the historic Frederick Douglass High School in Upper Marlboro.
Upon entering Morgan, Ms. Blackwell soon became immersed in campus activities and was instrumental in the planning of the nonviolent civil rights demonstrations by Morgan students in the 1940s, when they marched in Annapolis seeking funding for expanded academic options, housing and athletics. By the time she graduated from Morgan in 1949 with a bachelor’s degree in Physical and Health Education, she had become captain of the women’s basketball team, had served on the student council and had been student representative for the groundbreakings for a new dormitory for women, Harper House, and for Hurt Gymnasium.
Ms. Blackwell joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., in 1946, and served as president of the sorority’s Alpha Gamma Chapter for the 1948–1949 academic year.
Upon graduating from Morgan, Ms. Blackwell returned to Prince George’s County to teach in its public schools and later joined the District of Columbia Public Schools in 1958. After her retirement in 1984 from the University of the District of Columbia, she was a program director for social services at the Delta Towers: an independent residential facility for the elderly, which is owned by the Washington, DC Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta.
Ms. Blackwell has demonstrated her dedication to Morgan State University in countless ways, among them: membership in Morgan’s Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Alumni Chapter since 1949; longtime service as class agent for the Class of 1949 and service as organizer of the class’s 75th-anniversary reunion in May 2024; oversight of the establishment of the Class of 1949 Endowed Scholarship; co-founding of the scholarship crab feast for the Washington, DC Metro Area Alumni Chapter; service that earned her the Distinguished Alumni Award presented by National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) in 1993; service as a panelist for Morgan’s celebration of its significant mark on civil rights, in 2011; establishment of the Harold D. Blackwell, Sr., scholarship for Morgan’s science majors, in honor of her husband, in 2013; recognition for her service to Morgan, Prince George’s County and the community as a member of Morgan’s Southern Maryland Alumni Chapter; service that merited her selection as Alumna of the Year by Morgan’s alumni association, in 2019; and outstanding service, making a difference for Morganites, that earned her selection as an honorary member of Morgan’s Class of 1967.
Ms. Blackwell’s many affiliations with Morgan also include life member of the Morgan State University Alumni Association; member of the RED Dynasty Alumni Chapter, the Civil Rights Pioneers Alumni Chapter and Women Of Morgan; and founder of the Effietee Payne Memorial Committee.
Ms. Blackwell holds a master’s degree from New York University and has completed considerable studies in educational counseling. At the time of her husband’s death in 2013, Elaine and Harold, Sr., of Morgan’s Class of 1952, had been married for 58 years and had raised their five children. In 2007, the family suffered the loss of their oldest grandchild, Marques Williams, who is survived by the Blackwells’ four other grandchildren. Ms. Blackwell is a great-grandmother of three.
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.”
Minister Lawrence Lockett, Jr., Chaplain, University Memorial Chapel HYMN
“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” ................................................ James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson
Led by Tevin Smith, Tenor 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 Edward C. Gainey (1994), Mayor of Pittsburgh
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 Edward C. Gainey (1994), Doctor of Public Service
Ms. Mary Elaine Proctor Blackwell (1949), Doctor of Public Service
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 ......... Capt. Rosalind E. Cooper, Assistant Professor, 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
MASTER’S DEGREES
Candidates presented by Dr. Mark Garrison, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. Mark Garrison, Dean
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
JAMES H. GILLIAM, JR., COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
Candidates presented by Dr. Nicole M. Westrick, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. M’bare N’gom, Dean
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING .................................................................
EARL G. GRAVES SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
Candidates presented by Dr. Abimbola Asojo, Dean
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
CLARENCE M. MITCHELL, JR., SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING ...........................................
SCHOOL OF GLOBAL JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION.......................................
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
Candidates presented by Dr. Glenda Prime, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. Oscar Barton, Dean
Candidates presented by Prof. Jacqueline Jones, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. Laurens Van Sluytman, Assistant Dean
AWARDING OF DIPLOMAS ................................................................................................. By College/Schools (as above)
SALUTE TO THE GRADUATES
Ms. Katiana Guillaume, President of the Senior Class
INDUCTION INTO THE MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION .............................................
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Michael L. Bell, President, MSU Alumni Association
THE ALMA MATER ...................................................................................................................... Led by Tevin Smith, Tenor
BENEDICTION ......................................... Minister Lawrence Lockett, Jr., 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 School of Graduate Studies
Doctoral Degrees
The James H Gilliam, Jr , College of Liberal Arts
Doctor of Philosophy in English
Sara Aljuaid
B.A., Taif University, 2012
M.A., West Chester University, 2016
Dissertation: “Reimagining the Orient: Revisiting the Ontological Representations of the Middle East in Post 9/11 American Literature”
Advisor: Dr. Adele Newson-Horst
Doctor of Philosophy in History
Ruthie Bethea-Sholly
B.A., College of Notre Dame of Maryland, 2010
M.A., Notre Dame of Maryland University, 2014
Dissertation: “From the Shadows of the Civil War: Humanizing Black Women, Their Struggles, Losses and Triumphs”
Advisor: Dr. Brett Berliner
The Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration
Abdulrahman Alfayyadh
B.A., King Saud University, 2012
M.B.A., Morgan State University, 2016
Dissertation: “The Influence of Strategic Entrepreneurship on Firm Performance: The Moderating Role of Environmental Dynamism and Digital Business Model Innovation”
Advisor: Dr. Omar Khan
Yolanda Christophe
B.S., Florida Memorial University, 2016
M.B.A., Florida Memorial University, 2019
Dissertation: “Three Essays on Shaping Entrepreneurial Careers through The Kaleidoscope Career Model”
Advisor: Dr. Christopher Mathis
Tabitha Muchungu
B.Sc., Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, 2006
M.Sc., University of Salford, 2011
M.B.A., Morgan State University, 2017
Dissertation: “Essays on Digitalization and New Venture Internationalization”
Advisor: Dr. Golshan Javadian
The School of Community Health and Policy
Doctor of Public Health
Sheila Carrette-McCrae
B.S., University of Maryland, College Park, 2009
M.P.H, Liberty University, 2016
Dissertation: “Social Support, Anxiety, and Depression in Black Male Returning Citizens: Variations in Experiences and Policy Implications”
Advisor: Dr. Kesha Baptiste-Roberts
Zsanai Epps
B.S., Morgan State University, 2015
M.P.H, Morgan State University, 2017
Dissertation: “Exploring the Perceived Impact of the Overturning of Roe V. Wade in the Lives of Black Public Health Degree-Seeking Women One Year Later: A Phenomenological Study”
Advisor: Dr. Kesha Baptiste-Roberts
Sharon Iziduh
MBBS, University of Lagos
MPH, University of South Florida
Dissertation: “COVID-19, Black Adults, and Mental Health Interventions: A Scoping Review”
Advisor: Dr. Sharon Barrett
Khulud Khudur
B.B.H., The Pennsylvania State University, 2012
M.P.H., Marshall University, 2016
MSLIS, Catholic University of America, 2019
Dissertation: “COVID-19 and Mental Health: Comparing the Mental Health of African Americans and Whites in the United States Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic”
Advisor: Dr. Mian Hossain
The School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Doctor of Philosophy in Bioenvironmental Sciences
Shivish Bhandari
B.Sc., Tribhuvan University, 2010
M.Sc., Tribhuvan University, 2014
Dissertation: “Genetic Breeding to Enhance Oyster Culture in Low Salinity”
Advisor: Dr. Ming Liu
Yusuf Liadi
B.S., Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, 2014
M.S., Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, 2018
Dissertation: “HMGA2: A Biomarker Associated With Resistance to Enzalutamide in Prostate Cancer Cells”
Advisor: Dr. Valerie Odero-Marah
Abubakar Ringim
B.S., Bayero University Kano, 2010
M.S., University of Dar Es Salaam, 2016
Dissertation: “Human Dimensions of Sika Deer Management”
Advisor: Dr. Scott Knoche
Sara Rostampour
B.S., Shahed University, 2004
M.S., Zobal University, 2007
M.S., Morgan State University, 2020
Dissertation: “Changes in the Chemical Composition and Morphological Structure of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) under UV Radiation”
Advisor: Dr. Chunlei Fan and Dr. YueJin Li
Muhammad Sulyman
B.S., University of Maiduguri, 2008
M.S., University of Leeds, 2016
Dissertation: “Foundational Habitat Change and Ecosystem Impacts on Commercial Fisheries Harvests in the Piankatank River, Chesapeake Bay”
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Ihde
Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics
Ghder Aburamyah
B.A, Majmaah University, 2011
M.S., Kansas State University, 2018
Dissertation: “Discrete Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation with Complex Potential”
Advisor: Dr. Guoping Zhang
The School of Education and Urban Studies
Doctor of Education in Community College Leadership
Tonya Jeffries
B.A., University of Alaska Anchorage, 1998
M.S., University of Maryland Global Campus, 2012
Dissertation: “The Effects of Student Engagement of Black Dental Hygiene Students at Blue Community College: Focusing on Student Characteristics as Factors in Pre-College Experiences”
Advisor: Dr. Kimberly McManus
Katrina Pitts
B.S., University of South Carolina, 1997
M.A., Webster University, 2005
Dissertation: “Social Engagement and Community College Online Course Completion”
Advisor: Dr. Wilbur Hicks
Ramone Smith-Johnson
B.A., Tennessee State University, 2010
M.Ed., Capella University, 2012
M.A., Tennessee State University, 2013
Dissertation: “The Impact of the Southeast's Outcome-Based Funding Model on Graduation and Retention Rates Across Community Colleges in the Southeast Board of Regents System”
Advisor: Dr. Uttam Gaulee
Doctor of Education in Mathematics Education
Antonia Nwogbo
B.S., Institute of Management and Technology, 1986
M.Ed., Walden University, 2013
Dissertation: “Exploring African American Students’ Perception of the Influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Their Mathematics Learning”
Advisor: Dr. Vanessa Dodo Seriki
Doctor of Education in Urban Educational Leadership
Kelley Eley
B.S., Grambling State University, 2002
M.S., Grambling State University, 2004
Dissertation: “Cyberbullying and Social Media: A Louisiana Junior High School Assistant Principal and Junior High School Counselor Perspective”
Advisor: Dr. Dia Sekayi
Johndre Jennings
B.A., Morgan State University, 2004
M.P.A., University of Baltimore, 2008
Dissertation: “A Case Study Exploring the Effects of Neighborhood Change Within North City Elementary/Middle School”
Advisor: Dr. Gretchen Rudham
Letisha Malcolm
B.A., Bethune-Cookman University, 2010
M.S., Shenandoah University, 2014
Dissertation: “Eugenic Constructs, Power Dynamics, and Hidden Ideologies in U.S. History Textbooks: A Critical Discourse Analysis”
Advisor: Dr. Benjamin Welsh
Chelsea Watson
B.A., University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2005
M.A., Morgan State University, 2007
Dissertation: “Teacher Perceptions of the Advanced Academics Review and Referral Process and Their Effectiveness in Student Identification for Gifted Education/Advanced Academics”
Advisor: Dr. Frimpomaa Ampaw
Andre Wright
B.A., Hampton University, 1994
M.S., Hampton University, 1996
Dissertation: “The Central Academy Summer Bridge Program and Its Impact on High School Students Transition, Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and College Retention”
Advisor: Dr. Rhonda Baylor
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education
Tanya Johnson
B.S., University of Maryland Global Campus, 2014
M.S.Ed., Johns Hopkins University, 2016
Dissertation: “Humanization in Higher Education: A Grounded Theory Study on the Impact that Customer Service Practices Have on the Student Academic Journey”
Advisor: Dr. C. Sean Robinson
Victoria Van Tassell
B.S., Alfred University, 2014
M.A., Hood College, 2016
Dissertation: “A Critical Discourse Analysis of Sexual Violence Policies and Procedures at University System of Maryland Institutions”
Advisor: Dr. Benjamin Welsh
The Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering
Doctor of Engineering
Ali Aliwi
B.S., University of Diyala, 2002
M.S., Tennessee Technological University, 2013
Dissertation: “Impact of False Data Injection Attack in Power Systems and a Proposed Method to Mitigate Risk”
Advisor: Dr. Cliston Cole
Seyedehnakisa Haghi
B.S., Mazandaran University, 2003
M.S., Mazandaran University of Science and Technology, 2007
Ph.D., University of Science and Culture, 2020
Dissertation: “Prediction of Cyclic Skeleton Curve of Composite Plate Shear Walls-Concrete Filled (C-PSW/CF) Using Machine Learning Methods”
Advisor: Dr. Steve Efe
Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial Engineering
Seydou Mbaye
B.S., Morgan State University, 2021
M.Eng., Morgan State University, 2022
Dissertation: “Leveraging Machine Learning and Modeling to Augment Safety Assessment Methodologies for Complex Engineered Systems: A Computational Approach”
Advisor: Dr. Tridip Bardhan
Doctor of Philosophy in Secure Embedded Systems
Shelaniece Clash
B.S., Morgan State University, 2020
M.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Dissertation: “Cyber Reliability Analysis of Autonomous Systems”
Advisor: Dr. Kevin Kornegay
Rachida Kone
B.S., International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering, 2013
M. Eng., International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering, 2015
Dissertation: “Exploring The Dynamics and Countermeasures of Label Flipping Attacks in Intrusion Detection Systems”
Advisor: Dr. Kevin Kornegay
The School of Social Work
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work
Temeka Bailey
B.S., Bowie State University, 2003
M.S.W., University of Maryland, 2004
Dissertation: “Systemic Trauma and Racial Disparities in Urban K–12 Education”
Advisor: Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon
Katrina Ross
B.A., Loyola University, 2008
M.S.W., The Catholic University of America, 2011
Dissertation: “Stories My Mother Would Tell: Exploring The Relationship of the Mother-Daughter Dyad Within AfricanAmerican Families”
Advisor: Dr. Laurens Van Sluytman
Charmeika Spence Lewis
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2009
M.S.W., Morgan State University, 2010
Dissertation: “Understanding Posttraumatic Growth: African American Millennial Christian Women with Remembered Parental Rejection”
Advisor: Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon
Master’ s Degrees School of Graduate Studies
The James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
Master of Arts in African American Studies
Donald Gibson
Daniel Thomas
B.A., Virginia Union University, 2022
Master of Arts in History
Charles Carter
B.S., Morgan State University, 2011
M.S., Coppin State University, 2014
Anuoluwapo Olowojesiku
Master of Arts in Museum Studies and Historical Preservation
Aleem Allison
M.A., Morgan State University, 2024
Thesis: “American Dreamin’: An Exploratory Case Study in Cultural Relevancy”
Advisor: Dr. Brett Berliner
Momit Hasan
B.S., Khulna University of Engineering & Technology, 2018
Thesis: “A Long Way to Go: A Critical Study and Best Practices for the National Museum of Science and Technology in Bangladesh, 2010–2024”
Advisor: Dr. Brett Berliner
Master of Arts in Music
John Jones
B.A., North Carolina A&T State University, 2017
Master of Science in Psychometrics
Micah Russell
Thesis: “A Body in Motion: Assessment Reimagined Through Embodied Techniques”
Advisor: Dr. Justin Bonny
Master of Science in Sociology
Andrea Clark
B.A., Morgan State University, 2022
Tameshia Slaughter
B.S., Morgan State University, 2022
Christina Williams
The School of Architecture and Planning
Master of Architecture
Delroy Miller
Master of City and Regional Planning
Sabrina Bland
B.A., Dillard University, 2011
Taylor Harvey
B.S., Morgan State University, 2021
Jessie Keller
B.S., Towson University, 2015
Micah Modesto
B.A., Houghton College, 2020
Master of Construction Management
Cierra Carter
B.S., Morgan State University, 2019
Latifullah Dawoodzai
B.S., Kabul Polytechnic University, 2007
Clayborne DeVaughn
Zia Ur Rahman Obaidi
B.Sc., Kabul Polytechnic University, 2008
The
Earl G. Graves
Master of Business Administration
Samuel Abolarin
B.Eng., University of Ilorin, 2008
Taylor Abron
B.S.W., North Carolina A&T State University, 2021
M.S.W., Morgan State University, 2022
Zaire Dartis
M.B.A., Winthrop University, 2019
Vinnette Doe
B.A, Stella Maris Polytechnic University, 2011
Abosede Gbenga-Akinbiola
B.Ed., Obafemi Awolowo University, 1997
Ja-Mes Jones
Rusean Myers
B.F.A., Maryland Institute College of Art, 2007
Oluwatobi Oke
Catinna Osborn
B.S., Morgan State University, 2022
Bright Otabor
B.Sc., University of Benin, 2018
Don Giovanni Reid
Janoah Smith
School of Business and Management
Tolulope Toki
B.S., Towson University, 2022
Dajá Vines
B.S., North Carolina A&T State University, 2018
Julian Walters
B.S., Alabama A&M University, 2018
Master of Science in Accounting
Adeniyi Adewole
Britney Casey
Julina Francois
B.S., Grambling State University, 2022
Master of Science in Hospitality Management
Tasha Coleman
B.S., Bellevue University, 2023
Master of Science in Project Management
Michael Gills
B.A., University of Maryland at College Park, 1990
Adaora Ikeokpara
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Project Management
Jeremiah Bryant
B.S., Morgan State University, 2022
The School of Community Health and Policy
Master of Public Health
Oluwabunmi Adefuye
Katelin-Louise Cabatit
B.S., University of Maryland at College Park, 2021
Khatereh Forouharnejad
M.D., Azad University of Najafabad, 2010
Niama Jones
B.S., Morgan State University, 2002
Kyundra Jones
Krismina Kattel
Brina Olunkwa
David Smith, II
B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara, 1998
Esther Udoka
The School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Master of Science in Advanced Computing
Adam Abaker
B.S., Comboni College, 2012
Oluwole Adetifa
B.Eng., Covenant University, 2021
Dasha Anderson
B.S., North Carolina A&T State University, 2022
Ako-Akeem Boyd
Dapiriye Briggs
B.S., University of Port Harcourt, 2019
Ojonugwa Ejiga Peter
B.Tech, Federal University of Technology, 2020
Thesis: “Advancing Colonoscopy Analysis Through Text-to-Image Synthesis Using Generative AI for Intelligent Data Augmentation, Image Classification, and Segmentation”
Advisor: Dr. Md Rahman
Md. Ismail Siddiqi Emon
B.Sc., Feni University, 2020
Thesis: “Generative and Multimodal AI in Medical Imaging Towards Fingerprint Detection, Image Interpretation, and Cancer Diagnosis”
Advisor: Dr. Md Rahman
Farouk Ganiyu Adewumi
B.S, Morgan State University, 2022
Oyelowo Idowu
Sierra Johnson
Caleb Kadiri
Paul Oriala
B.S., Towson University, 2023
Aresema Workneh
Akinboye Yusuff
B.Tech, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, 2010
Master of Science in BioInformatics
Bezaleel Akinbami
B.S., Alcorn State University, 2021
Thesis: “Comparative Analysis of RNA Secondary Structure Prediction of the Spike Region of SARS-CoV-2 and Its Variants”
Advisor: Dr. Roshan Paudel
Rukayat Ariori
Akinbami John-Paul
Master of Science in Integrated Sciences
Maison Hackett
M.S., Morgan State University, 2022
Thesis: “TFD Thin Film on CFRP for Magnetostrictive Sensor Applications”
Advisor: Dr. Dereje Seifu
Tresherr Reaves
B.S., Morgan State University, 2020
Thesis: “The Effectiveness of Encorafenib and Cobimetinib Used in Combination to Treat BRAFV600E Cancers”
Advisor: Dr. Simon Nyaga
Tanmay Talukder
B.Sc., Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, 2009
Thesis: “Scanning Magnetometry with a Low-Cost NV Diamond Quantum Sensor Probe”
Advisor: Dr. Birol Ozturk
The School of Education and Urban Studies
Master of Arts in Higher Education
Alexandra Boone
Master of Arts in Teaching
Tiffany Ralston
Master of Education in Community College Administration and Instruction
Eric Brown
Kendle Cross
B.S., Morgan State University, 1996
Saleemah Franklin
B.S., Morgan State University, 2018
Donntay Moore-Thomas
B.A., San Jose State University, 2017
Oreoluwa Oni
B.S., Morgan State University, 2018
Candis Fields
B.S., Coppin State University, 2012
Master of Science in Educational Administration and Supervision
Jade Shelton
B.S., Morgan State University, 2016
Master of Science in Mathematics Education
Rajendra Bista
B.B.A., Morgan State University, 2022
The Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering
Master of Engineering
Zubairul Alam
B.S., Military Institute of Science and Technology, 2022
Izibeserime George
B.Eng., University of Port Harcourt, 2015
Gabriel Jaramillo
B.S., Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado, 2022
Tierra Johnson
Acia Sands
B.S., Morgan State University, 2019
Master of Science in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure
Theophilus Akwemoh
B.Eng., University of Benin, 2019
Steven Barr
B.S., Morgan State University, 2021
Benjamin Famewo
B.Eng., Elizade University, 2021
Master of Science in Urban Transportation
Amir Kamyab Moghaddam
Adekunle Omole
B.Eng., Federal University of Technology Akure, 2019
The School of Global Journalism and Communication
Master of Arts in Journalism
Charlee Douglas
B.S., Appalachian State University, 2022
Barry Jenkins
JoAnna Queen
Master of Social Work
B.S., Towson University, 2016
The School of Social Work
Yvette Stevenson
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2020
Brandy Stewart
B.S., Coppin State University, 2010
Candidates for Degrees
Bachelor’ s Degrees
College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies
B.S., Interdisciplinary Educational Studies
Iesha Chaffon Moultrie
B.S., Interdisciplinary Engineering, Information, and Computational Sciences
Marquis Byrd
Myron Lewis
Kylie Tate
B.S., Interdisciplinary Global Perspectives and Practices
B.S., Interdisciplinary Studies in Societal Equity, and Urbanism
Trashawn Harris
B.S., Interdisciplinary Technology Services
Brian Brown, Jr.
Andre Nufea, Jr.
Fareed Singletary
The James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
B.S., Applied Liberal Studies
Medina A. Ali
Dominique Anthony
Gaylord Brooks, Jr.
Tyler Campbell
Demetri Mayberry Clark
Kaleb Dwain-Lawrence Coleman
Aliya Conley
Timoth Copney
Terrence Javon Curtis
Jarin De’Von Davis
Kevina R. Morris Day
Takai Dixon
JaVaughn Faunteroy
Keithan Gooden
Robinson Benjamin Gossin
Daymon Gray
Yahnae T. Greene
Briana Harris
Anthony M. James, Jr.
AbdurRahman Jawwaad
Shapae Joyner
Amunhotep Meritneter Kababwijju Kamafrika
Keyana R. Lang
Tajae B. Little
Charline McClure
Jada K. Miley
Myles Miree
Monica Newson
Ololade Denice Odutola
Yazmyn Aaliyah Ogans
Oseghale O. Okojie
Dierra Monique Oliver
Keith Parham
Marquez Phillips
Jovona Ardriana Price
Atiya Real
Darrien Roberts
Taylor Joy Roberts
Mojolaoluwa Matilda Sanusi
Keshawn D. Scott
Ira Sketers
Steven Owens Smith
Tevin Dequan Smith
Maimounatou Sundahl
Janya S. Turner
Alicia J. Wallace
B.A., Economics
Oreofejesu Obatuase
B.A., English
Natasha Burnham
Cepeda Yesenia Cole
Dorya C. Mason
B.A., Fine Art
Jaden K. Bennett
Harold Nathaniel Brooks III
Taylor Bryan
Latira Carroll
Islam Goumaa
Sydney Brooke Hill
Abubakari Malik Jabari-Kitwala
Nia Simone Mckinney
Nile Williams
B.A., Music
Caleb C. Barnes
Aaron Michael Day
Jaden Michele Tai Griffin
Anthony J. Kinney
B.A., Philosophy
Kiarra A. Jenifer
B.A., Political Science
Casarra Nana Yaa Abeasi
Aliyah Belle
Erela Beatrice Crockett
Delana Areon Evans
Alexis M. Fletcher
Alicia Alexandria Frazer
Nola Hill
Sya R. McKay
Sha-Shonna Victoria Rogers
B.S., Psychology
Dainicia Adriel Bentham
Vincent Warrentaz Blount
Le'najah R. Coleman
Tatyanna Markita Ellis
Tonea Leanne Epps
Ogheneseromu Andrea Esivbekpe
Tasneem Aliyah Favors
Quacy Glendon February
Destiny J. Francois
Kory D . Hayes
Crystal Chanel Hilaire
Destiny I. Jackson
Jada Nicole Jones
Jordan C . Joy
Jaden M. Keels
B.S., Architecture and Environmental Design
Zuleika Monica Baldeo
Jade A. Harris
Regine Jacks
Britany R. Metzler
Abria L. Minor
Olufemi Obe
Jasmine Patterson
Ibrahim M. Pride
Jada D. McGruder
Teaunia McIntyre
Tavon P. McNeill
Lotanna Stephanie Nwosu
Akintomiwa Anthony Peter-Koyi
Jaia A. Randle
Khadeejah Woods
B.F.A., Screenwriting and Animation
Andre S. Jones
Rakiya Ahjae Maxwell
B.S., Screenwriting and Animation
Malcolm Jordan Andrews
B.A., Sociology
Andriana Tchuente Bikay
Brea A. Bryson
Justice A.M Butler
Talia Imani Floyd
Cheyenne N. Fowler
Nhandi Hatcher
Jazmin Brelle Lovett
Sanaa Lucas
Jenneh Sando Moore
Ke’la Chane Scuefield
Deairus Ratraiz Spencer
Jahwill Taylor
Marquis Thornton
India Nevaeh Wilson
B.A., Theater Arts
Tymesha Hines
Kendall Noel-Grace Jones
The School of Architecture and Planning
Joshua Lawrence Priebe
Jesscarly Stephanie Ramos Acosta
Edwin Jonathan Rodriguez
Van Thang
Symone Taylor
Lee Bramble Tomolonis
B.S., Construction Management
Jordan A. Beaton
Rojaye Daryl-Aninsley Foster
Riauna Crishaé Miracle Moore
Mamadou Mbacke Ndiaye
Chibuzo Edmund Nsoedo
Nia Pettiway I
James C. Reddick III
B.S., Interior Design
Geoffrey Arthur Moore, Jr.
Rachael Michelle Mosley
Kianna T. Spencer
The Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
B.S., Accounting
Suliyat Adeleke
Keyon Dixon
Kuiara L. Jackson
Jordan Johnson
Bryana I. Jones
Jecolyah C. Lawrence
Ryan Morris
Rhajzon Rankins
Ditio Sanogo
Olamilekan Olaoluwa Sulaiman
B.S., Business Administration
Munif Alsabhan, Sr.
Hassiem Rahman Brockington
Vanessa Andrea Butler
Shirletta Carrington
Shaela Patreese Charity
Ivy F. Cooper
Melteon Davis
Mia S. Ewell
Ugochi Eziefula
Steve Bryan Fankem Lemanga
Christopher Aaron Jefferies
Destiny Ty’sha Johnson
Ashanti Monae Knox
Gloria Lawrence
Kayla Renee Matthews
Kanisha T. McMillion
Zoe Dasia McPherson
Paris Raquel Merriweather
Ikenya Omar Mitchell, Jr.
Khyree Alexander Monroe
Liberty N. Nixon
Nydesja Sakari Pearson
Dara Njeri Sennaar
Demier Shipley
Sean Lavar Simms
J’Dya Amaia Theolinda Sprauve
Anaya M. Statham
Jaida Danelle Taylor
B.S., Health Education
Epiphany S. Alvey
Jonyce Patrice Bland
Anaijah L. Brown
Nakeya Ciara Bernice Carr
Taj Amir Cheathem
Jada Arnelle Thomas
William N. Thomas
Diamond Mo’Nique Thompson
Aaliyah Marie Turner
Wengeal F. Wake
Madison Watts
Crystal Welch
Victor Deontre Wilson
B.S., Entrepreneurship
DeAnna CaRene Ashe
Lucy Aduke Bankole
Milca H. Barou
Antonio Xavier Campbell II
Jordyn Janelle Martin I
Jazzlyn T. McPherson
Ashlee Q. Razor
B.S., Finance
Ashia Abdullah
Faith O. Ajiboye
Miles Anthony Jemison
Frank G. Kemajou
Kendall E. Medlin
Shatuanda Alicia Moore
Cordell Middle Neely
Wanjiru Njenga
Isaac A. Ogallo
Coron Jonathan Rascoe
Ditio Sanogo
B.S., Hospitality Management
Zeleyda E. Bentley
Anyia Aleiba Clement-Dick
Amina Michelle Turner
B.S., Human Resources Management
Michel Alexis Maxwell-Hall
B.S., Information Systems
Darius Delonte Agostini
Hanif Aina
Temidayo Ayodele
Marietta-Yvana Bindzi-Afouba
Iyanna E.I. Brown
Sidonie F. Djiki Ademuyiwa
Carissa D. Fowlkes
Rashashim Gafney
Henry B. Goncalves
Anylah S. Lee
Maurisha Shay Macklin
B.S., Management
Ahnad T. Bowens-Garrison
Jaylin Amaya Boyd
Malaika Damon
Andrew D. McCoy
Antonio Phillips
Genesis A. White
B.S., Marketing
Davone D. Barr
Douglas Bolton
Chantel Marie Brooks
Dallas Olivia Brown
Davian Gray
Safara A. Hawkins
Jonas Isaiah Kilpatrick
Jiaira M. Martin
Yassin Mahmud Omer
Victoria Studevent
Jalen I. Taylor
Destiny Unique Way
Maia Anjeli Wilkins
B.S., Services and Supply Chain Management
Alexander Freeman
The School of Community Health and Policy
Carlvainsky Decius
Deserae A. Hudson
Dahlia Lindsay
Amity-Eileen N. Ntam
Trinnee Orem
Ayreana M. Raison
Rayonea D. Smith
Victor Marquise Taylor
Salem Tesfay
Christian E. Turcios
Jordyn Soraya Webb
B.S., Nursing
Kennedy Lynne Bates
Jennifer Gyamah Amamkwah Boadu
Iyanala Simone Gabbidon
Alexandria Patrick
Ahkirah Dominique Thomas
Tyesha E. Williams
Deja M. Yarborough
The School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
B.S., Actuarial Science
Alicia Mae Bell
Kaylah Starks
B.S., Biology
Kafilat Oluwakorde Akeebabu
Praise O. Awogbesan
Autumn Milan Boyd
Tiyana Brown
Jahaad A. Burgess
Morgan Elise Davenport
Camaren Kaitlyn Eure
Keijah S. Evans-Dickerson
Olabisi Temiloluwa Falana
Tashai Houston-Smith
Tyra M. Jackson
Jessica M. James
Enitan Blessing John
Angelique Marie Joseph
Azaria N. Kwaw
Chandler R. Mitchell
Kelly Elizabeth Mouling
Duke M. Ogoti
Zenzele Asantiwa Irena Osundu
Tyrus Crews Pincham
Janai A. Sexton
Kiara Carla-Ann Terry
Scott I. Thompson II
B.S., Elementary Education
Kelly D. Bitz
Stephon Boulware
Ashley Ferguson
Jasmine N. Mance-Mayfield
Adrian Hubert Phillips, Jr.
Jasmine Octavia Wall
Nasya A. Turner
Donna M. Tyndale
Loyde Paula Vumpa
Patricia Ann Walker
Jordin Sydney Walters
Amirah Weems
B.S., Chemistry
Paityn Amor Dallas Brooks
Daysha De La Cruz
Amaya Renee Kelly
Danyelle D. Taylor
B.S., Cloud Computing
Gbolahan Abioye
Austin Hunter Maybin
Kayla Daliyah Quarles
Mohammed Abdul Muqeet Siddiqui
B.S., Computer Science
Kamal Maurice Adams
Michael B. Adeleke
Nyla Jade Alston
Toluwanimi Noah Ayodele
Nasir Barnes
Clyde Baidoo
Nigel Xavier Bouknight
Trayan T. Cherry
Yahmirah A. Cherry
Donald Bernard Davis III
Oluwadara Dina
Wilfried Donald Fouegou Fouegou
Rahman Paris Gamble
Jeron D. Gordon
Oluwanifemi Abraham Mebude
Shane Miller
Zorah L. Neal
Emmanuel Olaleye
Ebunoluwa Ayobami Oludemi
Tahsym Davon Richburg
Shaqandra Roberson
Janiya Rodriguez-Hunt
Savannah Chanel Sales
Ronald A. White
Ahmad Rashad Williams
Moja K. Williams
B.S., Engineering Physics
Domanic Bravo
DarTa’yun T. Qualls
B.S., Mathematics
Erica Mallory Cain
The School of Education and Urban Studies
B.S., Family and Consumer Sciences
Darrias M. Allen
Malik William Brown
Favour Bolu Eze-Emelogu
La China Carol Ferguson
Niyah Ashanti George
Sierra Maurice Hill
Austin Tyler Thomas
B.S., Physical Education
Erika J. Brooks
Autumn S. Burney
Jaiden Gomez
Jordan Allen Miles
The Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering
B.S., Civil Engineering
Aissa Bello
Gantulga Ganbold
Ashok Kumar Giri
Sunil Lamsal
Russell Price
Dante Maurice Rogers, Jr.
Syan A. Smoot
Mohammed Omar Zarir
B.S., Electrical Engineering
Jeremiah Houston Allen
Muneer Majed Alsulami
Juston Vincent Armstrong
Khalil E. Bethea
Lamarr Robert Burke-Love
Shawn M. Campbell
Dominic Isaiah Davis
Baraka Karim Derua
Vinfrancis Chibuike Eboh
Malcolm Gilmore
Daniel Joel Harrison
Ifeanyichukwu Iwobi
Astrid Dzotcha Kengne
Darren Clarence Meredith
Isaiah Moore
Jean P. Nahounou
Michael Edward Nelson
Oluwatobi J. Owolabi
Kai R. Payton
Robert James Pitt
Bibek Rijal
Jaden I. Robinson
Aniya Smith
Charles Ferman Taylor, Jr.
Kirsten Alexis Toland
Roosevelt Turmon III
Treyvon Nathaniel Willis
Cedric Zoguing Kuete
B.S., Industrial Engineering
Jabriea Johnson
B.S., Transportation Systems Engineering
Jordan Cleveland Shawn Hendry
Lakhan Kennedy Williams
The School of Global Journalism and Communication
B.S., Multimedia Journalism
Sydni Reana Demby
Antonio K. Mann
Utrurah Whitley
Kaiya Christeenia Williams
B.S., Multi-Platform Production
Mohammed Yusuf Adedayo
Nya Anderson
Aaryn K. Harris
B.S., Social Work
November L. Buchanan
Aaliyah Imani Pierce
Angela Hayward
Jaren Partman
Chanel G. Perry
Samuel Roberts
Hekima Stevenson
Jared Jamal Still
Keniera Teona Wagstaff
Jakyia Watts
Miah Necole Wilson
The School of Social Work
B.S., Strategic Communication
Leah Diana Johnson
Muhliq Jamal Mosley
Acoco Louise Ocloo
Mikayla S. Perry
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
Jeremiah Allen………………………………………………………………………………Army National Guard, Signal November Buchanan……………………………………………………………………..Reserves, Adjutant General
Jaylen Taylor………………………………………………………………………………..Army National Guard, Signal Genesis White………………………………………………………………………………Army Reserves, Adjutant General
Announcer
Ms. Sheri Booker ................................................................................Lecturer, School of Global Journalism and Communication
Degree Candidate Reader
Mrs. Traci D. Williams ........................................................................ Professor, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
MAKES NOTE OF
THE 160TH ANNIVERSARY OF MARYLAND EMANCIPATION DAY
Morgan State University joins the state of Maryland and the entire nation in observing and celebrating the 160th anniversary of Maryland Emancipation Day. One hundred and sixty years ago, on November 1, 1864, Maryland was first recognized as a “Free State.” On that date, the Maryland Constitution of 1864 took effect. By its provisions, slavery within the state’s borders was abolished, and Maryland, indeed, became a free state.
As we celebrate the success of our December 2024 graduates, we are reminded that freedom should never be taken for granted. We pause to remember our forebearers, who even amidst the dark days of slavery found the faith to believe and hope for a brighter tomorrow. We are now living that tomorrow, and we realize that our bright futures were birthed from their impossible dreams.
