Two Thousand and Twenty-Six Nine-thirty O’clock in the Morning
James H. and Louise Hayley Gilliam Concert Hall
Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center
Undergraduate Commencement Exercises Spring 2026
The Sixteenth of May Two Thousand and Twenty-Six Nine-thirty O’clock in the Morning
W. A. C. Hughes Memorial Stadium
Morgan State University
1700 E. Cold Spring Lane Baltimore, Maryland 21251
ToOurGuests
Welcome to the 149th Spring Commencement Exercises of Morgan State University. The University solicits your cooperation in helping sustain this happy occasion’s dignity and solemnity. We respectfully request that you refrain from engaging in conversation as well as moving about while the Commencement Exercises are in progress. Once the exercises have begun, only members of the authorized working press and authorized photographers will be permitted on the arena floor.
We ask our guests to stand as the academic procession moves into the arena and to remain standing until after the singing of the Hymn.
Thank you.
Accessible Accommodations
Our guests who are deaf, have hearing loss or are otherwise hearing impaired may view the livestream of today’s Commencement Exercises on their device. The livestream broadcast will feature a visual communicator who will interpret the spoken and musical presentations of the program using sign language. To access the livestream, please scan the QR code at right.
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 OathofAllegiance
I hereby solemnly pledge to faithfully fulfill my duties as a graduate of Morgan State University. I pledge to uphold the values, traditions, and mission of our esteemed university for the betterment of society and to continuously strive for personal and professional growth.
I promise to be active with the Morgan State University Alumni Association and remain connected with and support alma mater. I will commit to the highest standards of excellence and to be a proud ambassador for our university.
I will provide moral, intellectual, and financial support to alma mater, and I will encourage others to do the same. I promise to exemplify the high ideals thus implied, to bring honor and respect to Morgan State University.
Ms. Swati Agrawal
The Rev. Dr. Harold A. Carter, Jr.
Ms. Julissa Ferreras-Copeland
Dr. Linda J. Gilliam
Mr. John W. Henry III
Mr. Benjamin B. Klubes
Officers ofthe University
THE BOARD OF REGENTS
The Honorable Kweisi Mfume, Chair
Gen. (Ret.) Larry R. Ellis, Vice Chair
Mr. Carl W. Turnipseed, Secretary
Dr. Shirley M. Malcom
Mr. Champion Ojo, Student Regent
Mr. Brian D. Pieninck
Mr. William A. Sherman II, Esq.
Ms. Shelonda D. Stokes
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS
Dr. David K. Wilson, President
Dr. Hongtao Yu, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Sen. Joan Carter-Conway, Deputy Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs
Ms. Endia DeCordova, Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Ms. Dena Freeman-Patton, Vice President and Director for Intercollegiate Athletics
Ms. Julie D. Goodwin, General Counsel
Ms. Armada Grant, Special Assistant to the President
Mr. David LaChina, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
Dr. Willie E. May, Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Ms. Kim McCalla, Vice President for Facilities, Design and Construction Management
Dr. Timothy Summers, Vice President/Chief Information Officer for Division of Information Technology
Dr. Kara M. Turner, Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success
Dr. Don-Terry Veal, Vice President for State and Federal Relations and Chief of Staff to the President
Dr. Letitia Williams, Vice President for Student Affairs
ACADEMIC DEANS
Dr. Abimbola Asojo, Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning
Dr. Oscar Barton, Jr., Dean of the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering
Dr. Royce Burnett, Dean of the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
Dr. Mark D. Garrison, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies
Prof. Jacqueline Jones, Dean of the School of Global Journalism and Communication
Dr. Anna McPhatter, Dean of the School of Social Work
Dr. M’bare N’gom, Dean of the James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Glenda Prime, Dean of the School of Education and Urban Studies
Dr. Kim Dobson Sydnor, Dean of the School of Community Health and Policy
Dr. Paul B. Tchounwou, Dean of the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Dr. Oluwatosin Adegbola, Dean of the Clara I. Adams Honors College
Dr. Nicole M. Westrick, Dean of the College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OFFICERS
Dr. Samia Kirchner, Chair
Dr. Maxim Bushuev, Vice Chair
Dr. Hyeon-Shic Shin, Secretary
Ms. Chevaun Whitman, Parliamentarian
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
Tamani Grace, Student Government Association President Shaylen Bougere, Student Government Association Vice President
hePresidentialChainofOffice
The Morgan State University Presidential Chain of Office is bestowed upon each President of the University at an official inauguration ceremony and is worn by the President at Commencement and all official occasions requiring the wearing of academic regalia. It is a permanent insignia of office and is passed down to each succeeding president of the University
The Morgan State University Presidential Chain of Office is cast in bronze with an antique patina and consists of a chain of 1 ½-inch medallions engraved with the names of the residents 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 K. Wilson, in collaboration with the Office of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, and crafted by Medallic Art Company of Northwest Territorial Mint in Dayton, Nevada, in 2010. It was donated by Dr. Clara I. Adams, Morgan State University Class of 1954, former Special Assistant to the President, and Mr. Wilbert L. Walker, Morgan State University Class of 1950.
TheMorganStateUniversityMace
The mace (Arabic, amūd; Latin, mascea) was originally a weapon: a short handle topped with a metal ball, its bludgeoning force eclipsed that of a club. A common sight in medieval armies, the mace also served as a symbol of authority, appearing on the seals of such monarchs as Edward the Confessor, Philip Augustus and Frederick Barbarossa. In academic settings, a bedellus (lay church official) processed with the mace during commencement; hence, it was adopted by colleges and universities throughout the West and, in the United States, is usually borne by the Chief Faculty Marshal in academic processions.
During its Sesquicentennial Celebration December 2016 through December 2017 Morgan State University retired its 60-year-old mace and replaced it with a longer mace that can accommodate the names of additional Presidents over the years and that displays more prominently the insignia of the four major periods of its development: Centenary Biblical Institute, Morgan College, Morgan State College and Morgan State University.
The new mace, crafted by the Medallic Art Company in Dayton, Nevada, has a 36-inch-tall fluted mahogany staff with 14 antique brass banners encircling it, the first 10 engraved with the names and terms of the inaugurated Presidents of the University. The mace head is a four-sided mahogany crown that bears images of three iconic Morgan structures and, on one side, the seal of the University, all in bronze, and, at its top the traditional flame of knowledge. The base of the mace is adorned with a tiered brass foot. The new mace was designed by the Sesquicentennial Celebration Coordinating Committee, and it is a Sesquicentennial Gift to the University from the Morgan State University Alumni Association.
CHIEF FACULTY MARSHALS OF THE UNIVERSITY
1914–1948 Dr. Milton L. Calloway 1974–2009 Dr. Clayton C. Stansbury 1948–1966 Dr. George H. Spaulding 2009– Dr. Milford A. Jeremiah 1966–1974 Dr. Nathaniel K. Proctor
TheDr.IvaG.JonesMedallionEmblem
Some colleagues and community friends of the late Dr. Iva Gwendolyn Jones, Professor Emerita of the Morgan State University Department of English, honored her as a scholar, leader and teacher, by extending as a gift to Morgan State University the Dr. Iva G. Jones Medallion Emblem, which is the conception of the late Assistant Professor Emeritus Samuel L. Green, who was one of the two designers of the symbol. The second co-designer, and medallion silversmith, was retired Associate Professor Kenneth Royster.
The Emblem fabric approximates in width the border of the master’s hood, is velvet and employs the University colors blue and orange. The detachable chain, which surmounts the emblem and helps to drape the wearer’s front and shoulders, bears silver mounts that hold the medallions in
Appraisers have assessed each silver medallion at more than 10 times the value of the United States silver dollar, which the emblem medallions which the Philadelphia Mint created exclusively for the Negro Commemorative display the images of African-American notables such as Crispus Attucks, Benjamin Banneker, Henry O. Tanner, Lorraine Hansberry, Mary Church Terrell, Alaine Locke and Ralph Bunche.
Annually, colleagues, employing University-approved criteria, select an individual to wear the Emblem. Those honored by this selection are persons who reflect vividly in their professional lives the qualities distinguishing the individual whose name the Emblem bears.
AWARDEES
2020–2021
Dr. Celeste Chavis, Associate Professor of Transportation and Urban Infrastructure Studies 2021–2022
Dr. Leah Hollis, Associate Professor of Advanced Studies Leadership and Policy, School of Education and Urban Studies 2022–2023
Dr. Golshan Javadian, Associate Professor of Business Administration, Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
For the full list of past awardees, please visit the following web page: https://commencement.morgan.edu/awards.
TheDr.SandyeJeanMcIntyre
II InternationalAward
The Dr. Sandye Jean McIntyre II International Award, a sash designed and tailored specifically for this award, is inspired by the diplomatic sash customarily worn for formal occasions by ambassadors, consuls and other dignitaries. It is red satin accented with a traditional rosette and blue, white, yellow and green ribbons, representing the flags of the United States of America, France, Senegal and other countries with which Dr. McIntyre had contact in his diplomatic and academic careers. In the center front of the sash, a specially commissioned gold medal (struck by Charles Nusinov and Sons) features a world map enclosed by laurel wreaths and the name of the award.
The Award was established in 1997 and conferred upon Dr. McIntyre at the annual Founders Day Convocation in 1997. It is given to that member of the Morgan faculty who demonstrates extraordinary commitment to global learning and international understanding and who promotes international programs at Morgan.
AWARDEES
2021 Dr. Kimberly Warren, Associate Professor of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
2025 Dr. Omar J. Khan, Professor of Marketing and International Business, School of Business and Management
For the full list of past awardees, please visit the following web page: https://commencement.morgan.edu/awards
TheAcademicRegalia
The traditional black caps and gowns worn by students and faculty in the academic procession have been the historic regalia of scholars since medieval times. Because many scholars of that period were members of monastic orders, the academic regalia probably represents an adaptation of ecclesiastical dress.
A uniform code for academic regalia was drafted by an intercollegiate commission in 1893 and has since been adopted by the majority of colleges and universities in the United States. Each of the three academic degrees bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral has its own distinctive gown and hood. The gown representing the bachelor’s degree is distinguished by its long pointed sleeve. The master’s gown has a longer, narrow, closed sleeve, extending below the knee. The arm is passed through a slit at the elbow. In contrast, the doctor’s gown is faced with wide velvet bands, which may be black or a color indicating the general field of learning of the wearer for example, dark blue for philosophy, green for medicine and purple for law.
The most colorful and distinctive item of the academic regalia is the hood, which passes around the neck and extends down the back. The doctor’s hood is the largest, and the bachelor’s hood is the smallest. Often the use of a bachelor’s hood is omitte d. The wearer’s field of learning is indicated by the color of the hood and the tassel. Among the colors of hoods are:
Architecture ........................................ Blue Violet Arts, Letters, Humanities ........................... White City Planning ....................................... Blue Violet Commerce, Accountancy, Business Drab Education Light Blue
Engineering ............................................... Orange Fine Arts ...................................................... Brown Human Ecology .......................................... Purple Journalism ............................................... Crimson
Library Science Lemon Medicine Green
Music ................................................................. Pink
Nursing ........................................................ Apricot Philosophy ................................................ Dark Blue
Physical Education Sage Green
Public Administration Peacock Blue
Public Health ....................................... Salmon Pink Science .............................................. Golden Yellow
Social Science ................................................. Citron
Social Work ................................................... Citron
Speech (Oratory) Silver
Theology and Divinity Scarlet
The colors of the silk lining exposed in the center of the hood are those of the college or university which conferred the degree. The tassel may be either black or the color of the field of learning. The tassel of the doctor’s cap is usually gold.
TheAcademicDegrees
The first known degree was a doctorate conferred by the University of Bologna in the middle of the 12th century. Originally, the doctor’s and master’s degrees were used interchangeably, each indicating that the holder was qualified to give instruction to students. The bachelor’s or baccalaureate degree indicated only entrance upon a course of study preparatory to the doctorate or mastership. Gradually, however, the bachelor’s degree came to mean successful completion of one level of study preparatory to the higher degrees.
Today, there are more than 1,600 different academic degrees conferred by colleges and universities in the United States. The advanced degrees granted by Morgan State University are the Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, Master of Architecture, Master of Landscape Architecture, Master of City and Regional Planning, Master of Engineering, Master of Public Health, Master of Social Work, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Engineering, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Public Health and Doctor of Business Administration.
THE DOCTORAL DEGREE
The doctoral degree or doctorate represents the most advanced degree conferred at institutions of higher education in the United States. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a doctor in the academic sense as “one who, in any faculty or branch of learning, has attained to the highest degree conferred by a university.”
There are two major types of doctoral degrees: earned doctorates and honorary doctorates. Earned doctorates are further divided into two distinct types: the research degree and the professional or practitioner degree. The distinguishing feature of the research degree is that it normally requires a lengthy scholarly dissertation, which is usually designed to constitute a substantial contribution to the existing body of knowledge in its field. The most important doctorate of the research type at institutions of higher education in the United States is the Doctor of Philosophy. The only other earned doctorate of the research type which has secured wide recognition and use by a large number of leading United States universities is the Doctor of Education.
THE MASTER’S DEGREE *
The master’s degree is an academic honor conferred upon students who have successfully completed one or two years’ work beyond the baccalaureate. A thesis and an oral examination are usually required. The word magister connected with a qualifying phrase was used among the Romans as the title of honor, but its present meaning must be traced to the time of the establishment of the oldest universities. Regularly organized faculties were not then known as they now exist in the universities. The whole circle of academic activity was limited to seven liberal arts. Those who received public honors in the completed studies, and who had already received the degree of baccalaureus (bachelor), were called magistri artium (masters of the liberal arts).
THE BACHELOR’S DEGREE **
The bachelor’s degree represents completion of a four-year course of study of collegiate grade and is the oldest academic degree used at institutions of higher learning in the United States. The degree of Bachelor of Arts was the first conferred in the United States in 1642 on nine young men, comprising the first graduating class of Harvard College. Yale conferred its first Bachelor of Arts in 1702; Princeton in 1748; William and Mary in 1753; Pennsylvania in 1757; Columbia in 1758; and Morgan State to George W. F. McMechen in 1895.
* Eells, Walter Crosby. Degrees in Higher Education. New York: The Center for Applied Research in Education, 1967.
** Sometimes designated as the baccalaureate degree, from the Latin baccalaris, “under the influence of,” and lauris, “laurel,” used as a designation of honor, distinction or fame.
SchoolofGraduateStudies CommencementExercises
School of Graduate Studies Commencement Exercises Spring 2026
The Fourteenth of May Two Thousand and Twenty-Six Nine-thirty O’clock in the Morning
James H. and Louise Hayley Gilliam Concert Hall Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center
Morgan State University
1700 E. Cold Spring Lane
Baltimore, Maryland 21251
OrderofProcession
MARSHALS
Chief Faculty Marshal of the University
Dr. Milford A. Jeremiah
Associate Marshals
Dr. Darryl Greene
Dr. Edwin T. Johnson
Ms. Natasha A. Lewis
Marshals for the Faculty
Dr. Ernest Brevard
Dr. Nilajah Nyasuma Sims
Dr. Tyrone Stanley
Marshals for the School of Graduate Studies
Dr. Sharlene Allen-Milton
Dr. Margaret Alston
Ms. Laquetta Bryant
Dr. Virginia Byrne
Dr. Colin H. Campbell
Dr. Inte’A DeShields
Mrs. Carol-Ann Hendricks
Dr. Richard Jeffrey Rhodes
Ms. Terra Scott
Dr. Zhuping Sheng
THE PROCESSION
Academic Administrators
Faculty Emeriti
Graduate Faculty of the University
Graduate Candidates
Doctorates Masters
PLATFORM PARTY
President of the University Council
President of the Morgan State University Alumni Association
Clergy
University Registrar
Student Government Association Representative
Master’s Degree Representative
Doctoral Degree Representative
Special Guests
Dr. Iva G. Jones Medallion Awardee
Dr. Sandye Jean McIntyre II Sash Awardee
Assistants to the President
University Counsel
Chief of Staff to the President
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
Chairman of the Board of Regents
President of the University
OrderofExercises GraduateSchoolCeremony
Dr. David K. Wilson
President of the University, Presiding
PROCESSIONAL
“Pomp and Circumstance” Sir Edward Elgar
Dr. Samuel Springer, University Organist
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.”
Gen. Larry R. Ellis, U.S. Army (Ret.), Vice Chair, Board of Regents
SALUTE TO THE GRADUATES
Kameko Johnson-Styles, Doctoral Candidate Michael Prescot, Jr., Master’s Degree Candidate
RECOGNITION OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS ......................................................................
Capt. Geoffrey Davis, Assistant Professor, Department of Military Science
PRESENTING OF DEGREES IN COURSE ............................................................................................
Dr. Hongtao Yu, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
CONFERRING OF DOCTORATES
Dr. David K. Wilson, President
Candidates’ Names Read by Ms. Traci D. Williams, Professor, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
CONFERRING OF MASTER’S DEGREES .........................................................................
Dr. David K. Wilson, President
Candidates’ Names Read by Ms. Traci D. Williams, Professor, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
INDUCTION INTO THE MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ........ Lt. Col. Michael L. Bell, U.S. Army (Ret.), President, MSU Alumni Association
ALMA MATER .................................................................................................................. Led by Brittany Headen, Soprano
Minister Lawrence Lockett, Jr., Chaplain, University Memorial Chapel
“Pomp and Circumstance” ........................................................................................
Dr. Samuel Springer, University Organist
Sir Edward Elgar
Candidatesfor Degrees
SchoolofGraduate Studies DoctoralDegrees
The CollegeofInterdisciplinaryandContinuingStudies
Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Health and Human Sciences
Trevor Clark
B.B.A., Texas Southern University, 2016
M.P.A., Texas Southern University, 2019
M.P.H., Virginia Union University, 2021
Dissertation: “Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Programs: A Longitudinal Analysis of Associated Variables That Influence African American Adolescent Program Completion Rates”
Advisor: Dr. Tina Jordan
The James H Gilliam, Jr , College ofLiberalArts
Doctor of Philosophy in English
Budor Alsharif
B.A., Tabuk University, 2010
M.A., University of St. Thomas, Houston, 2014
Dissertation: “Narratives of resistance and reform. Exploring gender roles, social justice, and identity in North and East African Islamic Literature.”
Advisor: Dr. Adele Newson-Horst
Maia Maclin
B.A., University of Maryland Global Campus, 2016
M.A., Southern New Hampshire University, 2017
Dissertation: “We Are Written to Survive: Transitioning to Thriving Black Female Characters in Contemporary American Literature”
Advisor: Dr. Adele Newson-Horst
Jennifer A. Umezinwa
B.A., Madonna University, 2013
M.A., Nasarawa State University, 2018
Dissertation: “Beyond Medical Competency: Using Graphic Comics and Literature to Foster Humanistic Medical Practice”
Advisor: Dr. Julie Conger
Doctor of Philosophy in History
Lisette J. Abdiruhman
Dissertation: “Recovering Black Women’s Histories in American Islamic Communities”
Advisor: Dr. Brett Berliner
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychometrics
Alaa A. Alkhalaiwi
B.A., King Saud University, 2007
M.S.S., Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud University, 2013
Dissertation: “ViSA Is a Social Actor: A Comparison Study Between Video Survey Administrations (ViSAs) and Text-Based Surveys (TBSs) Based on Interviewer and Sample Gender in Saudi Culture”
Advisor: Dr. R. Trent Haines
TheEarlG.GravesSchoolofBusinessandManagement
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration
Musharraf M. Alanazi
B.A., Northern Border University, 2014
M.S., Morgan State University, 2020
Dissertation: “Essays on Audit Committee Chair Characteristics, Cybersecurity Risk Disclosure, and ESG Disclosure Scores”
Advisor: Dr. Sheela Thiruvadi
Nowair D. Alotibi
B.S., King Abdulaziz University, 2003
M.S., Morgan State University, 2017
Dissertation: “Essays on Cybersecurity Experts in the Audit Committee, Female Interaction with Cyber Disclosures and Their Effect on Financial Reporting Quality”
Advisor: Dr. Sheela Thiruvadi
Othman S. Alshahrani
Dissertation: “Firms’ Strategic Moves and Their Effects on Performance: Internationalization, Technology, Innovation and Strategic Investments”
Advisor: Dr. Mohammad Gharagozloo
Hasnah Alshammari
B.S., King Abdulaziz University, 2009
M.A., Clark Atlanta University, 2014
Dissertation: “Essays on the Impact of Board Gender Diversity and a Female Audit Committee Chair on Financial Reporting Quality: Evidence from Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia”
Advisor: Dr. Kelly Carter
Maha Alshammari
B.S., Dammam University, 2012
M.S., University of Tampa, 2019
Dissertation: “Consumer Psychological Responses to AI-Generated Advertising: The Impact of Regulatory Focus, Personality Traits, and Social Categorization”
Advisor: Dr. Ángel Zúñiga
Rawan Alyahyawi
Dissertation: “Entrepreneurial Decision-Making Logic, Resourcing Behavior, and Digital Technology Adoption of Small Businesses”
Advisor: Dr. Golshan Javadian
Akeem A. Bakare
B.Tech., Lagos State University, 2015
M.S., Lagos State University, 2019
Dissertation: “Enhancing User Adoption of Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS) Through Explainable Artificial Intelligence: An Integration of User Trust into the ECT and UTAUT2 Frameworks”
Advisors: Drs. Dessa David and Abirami Radhakrishnan
Chih C. Fang
B.Eng., Tatung University, 1994
M.Eng , Tatung University, 1996
B.S., University of Maryland, 2021
Dissertation: “Essays on Corporate Sustainability Transparency and Performance: Impacts of Executive Compensation and Corporate Disclosures”
Advisor: Dr. Huey-Lian Sun
Salwa M. Mothana
B.S., King Abdulaziz University, 2009
M.A., Clark Atlanta University, 2015
Dissertation: “Essays on Cybersecurity Events, CFO Characteristics, and Their Effect on Firm Performance and Audit Fees”
Advisor: Dr. Sheela Thiruvadi
Shawn M. Simpson
B.S., University of Maryland, 2014
M.S., Creighton University, 2017
Dissertation: “The Effects of Three Distinct Forms of Systematic Risk –Three Essays on the Role of Exogenous Shocks, Inflation, and Federal Regulation on the United States Capital Markets and Economy”
Advisor: Dr. Phyllis Keys
Rahman Yakubu
B.S., Nasarawa State University, 2012
M.S., Swansea University, 2016
Dissertation: “Essays on Critical Audit Matters and Information Asymmetry”
Advisor: Dr. Sheela Thiruvadi
TheSchoolofCommunityHealthandPolicy
Doctor of Public Health
Aduragbenro D. Adedapo
M.B.B.S., University of Ibadan, 1988
M.S., University of Ibadan, 2004
Dissertation: “Examining The Moderating Role of Body Mass Index on the Relationship Between Vaping and High Blood Pressure Among Adolescents and Young Adults Aged 12–25 in the United States”
Advisor: Dr. Mian Hossain
Titilola S. Akingbola
M.S., University of Ibadan, 2002
Dissertation: “Awareness, Attitudes, and Beliefs About Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Gene Editing Therapy in Sickle Cell Disease: Nigerian Immigrants in the US Compared with Native Nigerian Residents”
Advisor: Dr. David Fakunle II
Ashlee L. Athis
B.S., East Carolina University, 2011
M.P.A., East Carolina University, 2013
Dissertation: “Exploring the Role of Integrated Health Interventions in African American Women Diagnosed with Cardiovascular Disease: An Ethnographic Study”
Advisor: Dr. Robin Butler
Dena Deann Barnwell
B.S., Towson University, 2019
M.S., Towson University, 2021
Dissertation: “Stories of Baltimore Fathers: A Qualitative Study on the Motivations and Challenges of Involved Fathers Living in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area”
Advisor: Dr. Lorece Edwards
Tyree James Bolden
B.A., New Jersey City University, 2017
M.P.A., Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2020
Dissertation: “Testing the Untested: A Mixed Methods Approach Assessing HIV and STI Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Among Older Adults”
Advisor: Dr. Lorece Edwards
Toni-Ann O. Lee
B.S., University of the West Indies, 2010
M.P.H., Morgan State University, 2020
Dissertation: “The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Paternal Mental Health, Caregiving, and Father-Child Relationships”
Advisor: Dr. Kesha Baptiste-Roberts
Jamal Percy
B.S., North Carolina Central University, 2016
M.P.A., North Carolina Central University, 2019
Dissertation: “Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perspectives of Peers Who Create Sexual Health Interventions: An Exploratory Qualitative Approach”
Advisor: Dr. Sharon Barrett
David Thomas
B.S., Rhodes College, 2012
MPH, Long Island University, 2017
Dissertation: “Developing a Video Intervention to Increase Safe Sleep Adherence”
Dissertation Title: “Aluminum Metal-Organic Frameworks in Liquid Water, Their Interactions with Oxidized Organosulfur Compound
Diethyl Sulfoxide, its Ex-Situ Sorption from Aqueous Solution, and Potentiometric In-Situ Adsorption Study”
Advisor: Dr. Alexander Samokhvalov
Chichedo Ijeoma Duru
B.Agric.Tech., Federal University of Technology Owerri, 2016
M.S., University of Port Harcourt, 2024
Dissertation: “Assessing Land Use and Source-Related Impacts on Perand Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Contamination in Baltimore Surface Water and Their Phytoremediation Potential”
Advisor: Dr. Samendra Sherchan
Temidayo M. Fapohunda
B.S., Obafemi Awolowo University, 2000
M.S., University of Lagos, 2018
Dissertation: “Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Environmental Pollution and Asthma Cases in the Southwest Region of Nigeria”
Advisors: Drs. Richard Damoah and Jonathan Wilson
Chao Liu
B.Eng., Shenyang University of Technology, 2017
M.Eng., University of Maryland, 2021
Dissertation: “Biosensing Applications of Dena Grown Nanowire Electrodes”
Advisor: Dr. Birol Ozturk
Daniel Nwaubani
B.S., Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, 2011
M.S., Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, 2018
Dissertation: “Wastewater Surveillance of Emerging Pathogens”
Advisor: Dr. Samendra Sherchan
Tamunobelema B. Solomon
Dissertation: “Wastewater-Based Epidemiology of Respiratory Viruses and the Wastewater Reuse Health Implications in Baltimore”
Advisor: Dr. Samendra Sherchan
Gift Ugochi Ugochukwu
B.Agric. Tech, Federal University of Technology, 2008
M.S., Federal University of Technology, 2012
Dissertation: “Soil Health Through Green Infrastructure: A Comprehensive Study”
Advisor: Dr. James Hunter
Sisay Tesema Uota
B.S., Arba Minch University, 2012
M.S., University of Algarve, 2020
Dissertation: “Benzothiazolium-Based Probes for the Selective Detection and Quantification of Cyanide Ions with Applications in Biomedical and Environmental Water Analysis”
Advisor: Dr. Fasil Abebe
Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics
Madushi Uththara Wickramasinghe
B.S., University of Kelaniya, 2019
M.S., Clarkson University, 2023
Dissertation: “Efficient and Accurate Algorithms for Solving Nonlinear Optimization Problems and Generalized Reaction Diffusion Models with Applications”
Advisor: Dr. Olaniyi Iyiola
TheSchoolofEducationandUrbanStudies
Doctor of Education in Community College Leadership
Vekeisha Lynn Baker
Dissertation: “Unseen and Underserved: Mapping The Scholarship on Black Undocumented Student Experiences in Community Colleges”
Advisor: Dr. Krishna Bista
Andrea D. Brooks
B.S., Norfolk State University, 2003
M.A.Ed., University of Phoenix, 2010
Dissertation: “Bridging the Gap: The Perspectives of Disability Service Providers on Faculty Facilitation of Reasonable Accommodations at Mid-Atlantic Community Colleges: A Descriptive Qualitative Study”
Advisor: Dr. Wilbur Hicks
Patricia L. Crispin Anderson
B.A., Cleveland State University, 1997
M.Ed., Cleveland State University, 2000
M.S., Capella University, 2011
Dissertation: “Embracing Heritage and Strengthening Identity: A Case Study of Strategic Plans at Historically Black Community Colleges”
Advisor: Dr. Krishna Bista
Chelsea G. Durbin
B.S., Fort Hays State University, 2011
M.S., Arkansas Tech University, 2013
Dissertation: “Exploring the Relationship Between Dual Enrollment and Student Engagement for Minority Students”
Advisor: Dr. Robin Spaid
Doctor of Education in Higher Education
Karen Bridges
B.A., Smith College, 1990
M.S., University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1996
Dissertation: “COVID-19 Isolation and the Success of Students Enrolled in General Education Core Science Courses at a MidAtlantic Community College”
Advisor: Dr. Wilbur Hicks
April L. Raines
B.S., Virginia State University
M.S., Coppin State University
M.A., Webster University
Dissertation: “Flexible Syllabus Policies: Exploring the Perceptions of Adult Learners in Community Colleges”
Advisor: Dr. Christine Harrington
Doctor of Education in Science Education
Heather M. Anglin
Dissertation: “Exploring the Nature of Science Knowledge Experiences of Science Teachers of Color in Urban Next-Generation Science Standard Classrooms”
Advisor: Dr. Vanessa Dodo Seriki
Chelsea McClure
B.A., Christopher Newport University, 2012
M.A.T., Christopher Newport University, 2013
M.S., Towson University, 2019
Dissertation: “No Professor Left Inside: Case Study of Faculty Dispositions and Empowerment for Environmental Literacy”
Advisor: Dr. Shondricka Burrell
Claudette Tebeck
B.Ed., University of Buea, 2009
M.Ed., University of Buea, 2012
Dissertation: “STEM Teachers’ Perceptions of Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) PD on Their Ability to Implement Equitable Practices for Multilingual Learners (MLS)”
Advisor: Dr. Vanessa Dodo Seriki
Doctor of Education in Urban Educational Leadership
Korede O. Balogun
Dissertation: “Understanding Parental Involvement: A Phenomenological Study of Adolescent Black College Freshmen’s Reflective Perceptions of Parental Involvement”
Advisor: Dr. Simone Gibson
Felicia Bond
B.S., Howard University, 2008
M.S., Howard University, 2011
M.A., Notre Dame of Maryland University, 2018
Dissertation: “Fathering at the Intersection: Black Fathers’ Reflections on Autism and Their Child's Transition into Adulthood in Maryland”
Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Morgan
Joseph A. Hayden
B.S., Michigan State University, 2004
M.A., Central Michigan University, 2014
Dissertation: “Aligning University-Led and Community-Based Sports Programs with Equity and Success in Urban Education”
Advisor: Dr. Camika Royal
Tiombe M. Olumiji
B.A., Virginia State University, 1987
M.Ed., Virginia State University, 1990
Dissertation: “Teachers’ and School Psychologists’ Perspectives on and Experiences with Disproportionality”
Advisor: Dr. Dia Sekayi
Joshua Spivey
B.S., Bowie State University, 2013
M.S., The New School, 2015
Dissertation: “In a Box: Disenfranchised Grief Among Young Black Males After the Loss of a Parent During Their K–12 Educational Experience”
Advisor: Dr. Gretchen Rudham
Michelle Valerio
B.S., Long Island University, 2012
M.S., Morgan State University, 2016
Dissertation: “Resilience and Response: A Case Study of Educator and Community Efforts to Support Hispanic/Latinx Populations amid a Rapidly Shifting Socio-Political Climate”
Advisor: Dr. Tracy Rone
Darlene Strickland White
Dissertation: “A Quantitative, Correlational, Ex Post Facto, Study on the Center for Academic Success and Achievement Academy, a Bridge Program, at Morgan State University with Preselect Variables and Graduation Rates”
Advisor: Dr. Benjamin Welsh
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education
Eric L. Jackson
B.A., University at Buffalo, 2004
M.S., Buffalo State University, 2009
Dissertation: “How Will I Show Up?” A Phenomenological Study of Black Male College Students Who Identify as Gay, Bisexual, and Queer and Their Experiences Navigating Gendered Spaces on College Campuses”
Advisor: Dr. C. Sean Robinson
Lisa T. Simmons
B.S., Towson University, 1992
M.S., Johns Hopkins University, 2003
Dissertation: “Navigating the PWI While Black: A Narrative Inquiry into Black Faculty Engagement and Retention in R2 Business Schools”
Advisor: Dr. C. Sean Robinson
Pheng Xiong
B.S., University of Wisconsin, 2008
M.S., University of Wisconsin, 2009
Dissertation: “Exploring Sense of Belonging in First-Generation College Students with Minoritized Sexual Identities an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis”
Advisor: Dr. C. Sean Robinson
Doctor of Engineering
Wuhib Bayou
TheClarenceM.Mitchell,Jr.,SchoolofEngineering
B.S., Morgan State University, 2007
M.Eng., Morgan State University, 2009
Dissertation: “Modeling Ecological Uplift Across Maryland’s Urbanizing Watersheds: A Multi-Stressor Machine Learning Framework”
Advisor: Dr. Zhuping Sheng
Isa Ibrahim
H.N.D., Kano State Polytechnic, 2011
M.S., Zirve University, 2016
Dissertation: “Real-time Hand Gesture Detection and Recognition in Complex Backgrounds Using a CNN-Based Framework”
Advisor: Dr. Kofi Nyarko
Ahmed D. Shehu
B.S., Bayero University, 1987
M.S., Ahmadu Bello University, 1998
Dissertation: “Analysis of Gulf Coast Aquifer Compaction Based on Extensometer Records at Baytown and Pasadena, Texas, USA”
Advisor: Dr. Yi Liu
Doctor of Philosophy in Computer and Electrical Systems Engineering
Chongkon H. Zaman
M.Eng., Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, 2021
Dissertation: “RDO Effects on Communication Radios Under Adversarial Attacks”
Advisor: Dr. Cliston Cole
Doctor of Philosophy in Secure Embedded Systems
Patrick Wenkanaab
B.S., Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, 2001
M.S., University of Kaiserslautern, 2003
M.B.A., Morgan State University, 2015
Dissertation: “Spectral-Probabilistic Anomaly Detection (SPAD) for AI-Driven Cybersecurity in 5G Network Slices”
Advisor: Dr. Kofi Nyarko
Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineering
Nicholas Miwornunyuie
M.Eng., Hohai University, 2021
Dissertation: “Multi-anode Plug-flow Constructed Wetland Microbial Fuel Cell for Wastewater Treatment and Bioenergy Generation”
Advisor: Dr. James Hunter
Doctor of Philosophy in Transportation
Nashid K. Khadem
B.S., University of Dhaka, 2008
M.S., University of Dhaka, 2011
M.A., Towson University, 2020
Dissertation: “Assessing Work Zone Safety Countermeasures for Commercial Motor Vehicles Using a Driving Simulator”
Advisor: Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani
Evan M. Taylor
B.A., Southern Methodist University, 2013
M.P.P., Duke University, 2018
M.B.A., Duke University, 2018
Dissertation: “Fare Purchasing as a Constrained Decision Process: Decision Quality, Variability, and Equity in Transit Fare Systems”
Advisor: Dr. Celeste Chavis
TheSchoolofSocialWork
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work
Danielle Fitzhugh
B.S.W., Coppin State University, 2010
M.S.W., Morgan State University, 2014
Dissertation: “From Exposure to Distress: The Psychological Harm of Racism-Based Police Encounters Among Emerging Black Adults: A Quantitative Secondary Data Analysis”
Advisor: Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon
Gelissa Edego Ramone Gibson
B.S., The University of the West Indies, 2012
M.S.W., The University of the West Indies, 2018
Dissertation: “Exploring Black Social Workers’ Perspectives on the Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Social Work Practice”
Advisor: Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon
Doctor of Social Work
Tracy Michelle Allen
B. S. W., Morgan State University, 2002
M.S.W., University of Maryland, 2003
Graduate Capstone: “African Ancestral Healing Practices: Dispelling Christian Misconceptions to Promote Black Spiritual Wellness”
Advisor: Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon
Sherri Diann Cauthen
B.A., The State University of New York at Potsdam, 2001
M.S.W., University of Maine, 2003
Graduate Capstone: “Behind the Waitlist: A Plan for Advocacy and Policy Change to Address Structural Inequities in Mental Health Care for Black Youth in Georgia”
Advisor: Dr. Tina Jordan
Donna Dixon
B.S., Ohio University, 2014
M.S.W., University of South Carolina, 2016
Graduate Capstone: “Harambee Healing: A Systematic Review of Maternal Mental Health and Parenting Interventions for Black Mothers Involved in the Child Welfare System”
Advisor: Dr. Dawn Thurman
JanQueshia Gay
Graduate Capstone: “YES MA’AM: Redefining Success for Black Millennials in Nonprofit Leadership”
Advisor: Dr. Jocelyn Taliaferro
Maryam Gibson
B.A., Cleveland State University, 1988
M.S.W., Yeshiva University, 1999
Graduate Capstone: “Staff Perception of Calming Spaces for Dysregulated Marginalized Students”
Advisor: Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon
Melissa Haley
B.A., Xavier University of Louisiana, 1994
M.S.W., Clark Atlanta University, 1996
Graduate Capstone: “Sankofa: The Role of the National Association of Black Social Workers in Honoring the Past and Preparing for the Future”
Advisor: Dr. Jerome Schiele
Letasha Tiana Harmon
B.S., University of Maryland, 2014
M.S.W., Salisbury University, 2020
Graduate Capstone: “Invisible Fathers: A Scoping Review of Black Men’s Mental Health During the Postpartum Period”
Advisor: Dr. Vanessa Martin-Jones
Shanique N. Henry
B.S., Morgan State University, 2003
M.S.W., Morgan State University, 2012
Graduate Capstone: “Building Capacity for ECMHC: A Relationship-Based Pre-Workforce Training Model”
Advisor: Dr. Dawn Thurman
Kameko L. Johnson-Styles
B.S., Bowie State University, 2014
M.S.W., Howard University, 2017
Graduate Capstone: “The Sankofa Praxis of Self: A Framework for Reimagining Social Work Practice Through Liberatory Pedagogy”
Advisor: Dr. Chiao-Yu Yang
Monique Chanel King
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2019
M.S.W., Morgan State University, 2020
Graduate Capstone: “From System to Solo: A Systematic Review and Policy Analysis of the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood and Recommendations for Effective Service Delivery with Maryland Implications”
Advisor: Dr. Georgia Jennings-Dorsey
Kianna Marie Laing
B.A., South University, 2017
M.S.W., Savannah State University, 2020
Graduate Capstone: “Served This Country, Can’t Afford to Live in It: Policy Analysis of Housing First and Racialized Outcomes for Black Veterans”
Advisor: Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon
Chappell Mosby
B.A., Grambling State University, 2006
M.S., University of Arkansas, 2011
M.S.W., Louisiana State University, 2021
Graduate Capstone: “Invisible Care: A Narrative Policy Analysis of End-Stage Renal Disease, Caregiver Burden, and Policy Gaps Affecting African American Families in Rural Arkansas”
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Adams
Amber Marie Reed
B.S., Morgan State University, 2010
M.S.W., Morgan State University, 2014
Graduate Capstone: “We Hella Tired in These Streets: Exploring Moral Injury in Black Mental Health Professionals”
Advisor: Dr. Sharlene Allen-Milton
Christina Stephens
B.S.W, Mercy University, 2017
M.S.W., The State University of New York, 2019
Graduate Capstone: “Associations Between Social Media Exposure and Identity, Relationships, and Family Aspirations Among Black Emerging Adults”
Advisor: Dr. Christa Gilliam
Colette Walker-Thomas
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 1989
M.S.W., University of Maryland, 1992
Graduate Capstone: “The Social Work-Informed Transformational Leadership Toolkit: An Integrated Model for Ethical, Inclusive, and Sustainable Leadership in Urban Social Work”
Advisors: Drs. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon and Tonya Phillips
Miguel Williams
B.A., Stockton University, 2013
M.A., Liberty University, 2015
M.S.W., Rutgers University, 2020
Graduate Capstone: “Still, We Breathe: The S.A.B.A.R.A. Framework as a Culturally Rooted Model for Healing Black Men Through Yoga, Ritual, and Collective Care”
Advisor: Dr. Antoine Lovell
Tiffany A. Wright
B.A., University of California, 2009
M.S.W., Columbia University, 2011
Graduate Capstone: “Black Women, Nature and Liberation: An Ecotherapy Inquiry into Belonging, Identity, and Healing in Urban Settings”
Advisor: Dr. Christa Gilliam
Master ’ s Degrees SchoolofGraduate Studies
The CollegeofInterdisciplinaryandContinuingStudies
M.S. in Interdisciplinary Engineering, Information, and Computational Sciences
Akilah Bell
B.F.A., Howard University, 2004
M.S. in Interdisciplinary Health and Human Sciences
Daion Buford
B.S., Lourdes University, 2022
Tropica Jones
B.S., Fayetteville State University, 2019
Ella Stanley
B.A., Sojourner-Douglass College, 2004
M.S. in Interdisciplinary Journalism and Mass Communication
Jackie Jones
B.A., George Washington University, 1976
Jessica Smith
B.F.A., Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006
M.S. in Interdisciplinary Organizational Policy, Governance, and Administration
Kanika Pinto
Rebecca Steiner
The James H Gilliam, Jr , College ofLiberalArts
Master of Arts in African American Studies
Kiana Renee Vincent
B.S., Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017
Master of Arts in English
Cara Williams
Master of Arts in History
William Chandler
B.S., Jarvis Christian University, 2004
Lasean Robinson
Rashann Simon
B.A., Morgan State University, 2009
Danielle J. Smith
B.A., Morgan State University, 2021
Master of Arts in International Studies
Paul Adeyemi
M.A., Minnesota State University, 2020
Scott C. Davis
B.A., Goucher College, 2010
Jillian A. Lopez
Chiara Orr
B.S., University of the West Indies, 2023
Jessica Michelle Shelton
B.A., Morgan State University, 2023
Master of Arts in Museum Studies and Historical Preservation
Olubunmi Bakare
B.A., University of the District of Columbia, 2007
Ebonie Ferguson
Coriel Major
Master of Arts in Music
Brittany Haynes
Alyssa L. Holder
B.A., Morgan State University, 2022
Shawn McNeill
B.A., Fayetteville State University, 2024
Master of Science in Applied Sociology and Social Justice
Kiaron L. Bailey
B.S., Alabama A&M University, 2017
Jennifer Dasilva
B.A., Goucher College, 2016
Shaquintay Johnson
B.A., Morgan State University, 2018
Master of Science in Psychometrics
Shamia Boone
B.S., Morgan State University, 2017
Isaiah Zion Fahie
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Christopher Green, Jr.
Thesis: “Hidden in Plain Sight: Intersectionality and Item Bias in Testing”
Advisor: Dr. Duvon Winborne
India L. Harper
B.S., Morgan State University, 2018
Master of Science in Sociology
Camryn McDaniel
B.S., Virginia State University, 2023
Stefania Moysiadi
Lauren-Nicole Robinson
B.A., University of Maryland, 2019
TheSchoolofArchitectureandPlanning
Master of Architecture
Adesola Adenekan
M.Arch., Morgan State University, 2021
Irvin Bonsu
B.S., Morgan State University, 2025
Makayla Colon
B.A., Maryland Institute College of Art, 2024
Sarah Goodwin
B.F.A., Bob Jones University, 2022
Cora L. Grayson
B.F.A , Savannah College of Art and Design, 2024
Darren Marshalleck
Rachel Mensah
B.S., Morgan State University, 2025
Godsfaithful Opadeji
Fernando Parada
Marian P. Reed
Van Thang
Master of City and Regional Planning
Kadra Adderly
B.A., Florida A&M University, 2008
Oluwanifemi Daniel Adegbehingbe
Claire Githinji
Derek E. Moore
M.A., Georgia Southern University, 2015
Devin B. Parker
B.S., Morgan State University, 2022
Riley Sullivan
Lorra Toler
B.A., University of Maryland, 2021
Master of Landscape Architecture
Averil Christens-Barry
B.A., University of Maryland, 2006
Linda Madden Leimbach
B.S., Towson University, 1983
Andrew Taylor
Master of Science in Architecture, Urbanism, and Built Environments
Namrata Dhobekar
B.Arch., School of Planning and Architecture, 2021
Riley Janell Hatcher
B.S., Prairie View A&M University, 2023
Master of Science in Construction Management
Aneri Himanshubhai Patel
B.S., Kalol Institute of Architecture and Design, 2020
Kianna Spencer
Rhythm Thapa
B.Eng., Advanced College of Engineering, 2021
Kiran Tiwari
B.S., Mid-West University, 2021
Julius Wambui
B.Tech., Kirinyaga University, 2022
Linda Wood
Master of Science in Landscape Architecture
James R. Totton
M.S., North Carolina A&T State University, 2012
Thesis: “Reprogramming Mondawmin Mall into a Community-Based Outlet”
Advisor: Dr. Sarah Trautvetter
TheEarlG.GravesSchoolofBusinessandManagement
Master of Business Administration
Tolu Adetuyi
B.S., Adekunle Ajasin University, 2016
Ebunoluwa Akintibu
LL.B., Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 2020
Samuel Mason Alsheimer
Ugonna W. Anyadike
Nailah Bishop
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Morgan Branch
B.S., University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 2019
Essence Braswell
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Kenedi Elese Canteen
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Summer Chamblin
B.S., Morgan State University, 2025
Willie Cole
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Damani A. Davis
B.S., University of Maryland, 2024
Keishawna Di Lorenzo
B.S., Morgan State University, 2008
Kamara Shardai Eley
B.S., Winston Salem State University, 2018
Rushshane Fullerton
B.S., Hampton University, 2024
Brenai Gasaway
B.S., University of Maryland, 2019
Khaliyah A. Gaston
John Gitaka
Kechelle Harvey
B.S., Coppin State University, 2015
Ke’Aijah La’Sean Hawkins-Montgomery
Anaya Hunte
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Tia Jackson
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Kamara Jeremiah
Elan Emani Jones
Shiru Kimani
B.A., Morgan State University, 2024
Taliah Matthews
B.S., Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, 2023
Michael Michael, Jr.
Glory Misomali
B.B.A., Morgan State University, 2024
Jonathan Alexander Monroe
B.S., West Virginia University, 2020
Kaitlyn Mooney
B.S., Morgan State University, 2020
Alexandra Gloria Murdock
B.S., Morgan State University, 2019
Olufemi Olumuyiwa
B.Eng., Ahmadu Bello University, 2016
Chase Powell
Michael Prescot, Jr.
Scott Edward Purnell-Saunders
Manish Rajput
B.B.A., Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, 2019
Shayne Richmond
David Robinson II
B.A., Morgan State University, 2021
Torrey Cheval Rogers II
Dachelle M. Royal
B.S., Morgan State University, 2013
M.S., Morgan State University, 2018
Joshua Saylor
Alvin Mikin Stephen
B.Eng., Ahmadu Bello University, 2016
Jamaun Tatum
Ivan Thomas, Jr.
B.S., Coppin State University, 2016
Joseph Mboya Vaughan
B.S., University of Maryland, 2007
Jalen White
Master of Science in Accounting
Scott Joseph Daisley
Master of Science in Data Analytics and Visualization
Thesis: “An End-To-End AI Surveillance System Using Multi-Source Data Fusion and Visual Intelligence for Public Safety”
Advisor: Dr. Guobin Xu
Oluwabukunmi Oladosu Alo
B.Eng., Landmark University, 2017
Chidozie Francis Anadozie
Thesis: “Securing Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Through AIBased Cyberthreat Detection and Incident Response”
Advisor: Dr. Amjad Ali
Raisa Nusrat Chowdhury
B.S., North South University, 2022
Thesis: “From Radiology to Dermatology: Efficient and KnowledgeGrounded Vision Language Models for Fair Cross-Domain Medical Image Captioning”
Advisor: Dr. Md Rahman
Niles B. Collins
B.B.A., University of Miami, 2023
Daniel Famoroti
B.Eng., Covenant University, 2021
Ramisa Farha
B.S., BRAC University, 2023
Thesis: “CausalRAG-AD: Calibrated MRI Staging and GuidelineAligned Report Generation with Counterfactual Explanations and Trajectory Prediction for Alzheimer’s Diagnosis”
Advisor: Dr. Md Rahman
Oluwafemi Samuel Ifesanmi
M.S., Morgan State University, 2019
Brian Njenga
B.S., Meru University of Science and Technology, 2018
Thesis: “A Defense Framework for Enhanced Detection and Mitigation of Data Poisoning Attacks in Federated Learning-Based Intrusion Detection Systems Across Internet of Things (IOT) Networks”
Advisor: Dr. Amjad Ali
Raymond Olamijulo
B.S., Crawford University, 2011
Thesis: “A Comparative Analysis of Classical and Quantum Machine Learning for Urban Air Quality Modeling in Baltimore”
Advisor: Dr. Shuangbao Wang
Joshua Omeili
B.S., Towson University, 2023
Briana J. Pierre
B.S., University of Houston, 2018
Sudip Sharma
B.S., Kathmandu University, 2023
Thesis: “Interpretable Time-Series Deep Learning for Monitoring Disease Progression in Chest Radiography”
Advisor: Dr. Blessing Ojeme
Olorunfunmi Samuel Shobowale
B.A., Tai Solarin University of Education, 2015
Ronald Anthony White III
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Master of Science in Applied Neuroscience
Natan Coresh-Chiappori
B.A., University of Maryland, 2022
Thesis: “The Relationship Between Modifiable Lifestyle Risk Factors and Cognitive Efficiency Across Age: A Large Dataset Analysis Using the All of Us Dataset”
Advisor: Dr. Ingrid Tulloch
Peyton T. Mitchell
B.S., Towson University, 2022
Master of Science in BioInformatics
Rukayat I. Ariori
Vaishnavi Chilakamarri
B.Tech., Sri Nidhi Institute of Science and Technology, 2019
Thesis: “Transitional Diet-Associated Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Colorectal Cancer: A Comparative Meta-Analysis”
Advisor: Dr. Roshan Paudel
Candace Jasper
B.S.E., University of Pennsylvania, 2019
Thesis: “Weighted Co-Expression Network Analysis and Machine Learning Validation Techniques for Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease from Type 2 Diabetes”
Advisor: Dr. Roshan Paudel
Obiageli Gertrude Nwachukwu
B.S., Igbinedion University, 2013
Thesis: “Genetic Biomarker Identification for Cardiovascular Risk: Ancestry Associated Gene Expression Patterns in Integrated RNA-Seq Datasets”
Advisor: Dr. Roshan Paudel
Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences
Jahaad Alaa Burgess
B.S, Morgan State University, 2024
Janae Gordon
B.S., University of Maryland, 2022
Oceane Nana
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Thesis: “Engineering Ketoprofen-based Metal Complexes: Structural Determination and Biological Activity Profiling”
Advisor: Dr. Santosh Mandel
Jahari Nelson
B.S., Morgan State University, 2025
Neghue A. Nkemanjong
B.S., Shepherd University, 2025
Chihurumanya Obichere
B.S , Morgan State University, 2023
Lauren Rowe
B.S., Oakwood University, 2015
Diamonique Aaliyah Smith
B.S., Bowie State University, 2024
Angela Videglah
B.S., Morgan State University, 2025
Master of Science in Integrated Material Science
Afolabi Adeniyi Akinfaderin
Michael Boyd Guy III
Master of Science in Integrated Sciences
Tarelle Hall
Marvin Peralte
M.S., Rutgers University, 2023
TheSchoolofEducationandUrbanStudies
Master of Arts in Higher Education
Bethany Bloom
Nataki Drones
B.A., Notre Dame of Maryland University, 2016
Alana J. Gregory
B.S., Towson University, 2021
Emma Duvall Minnis
B.A., University of Maryland, 2017
Master of Arts in Teaching
Zubaidah Alkinani
B.S., University of Kufa, 2014
Nyasia Augustson
B.A., Morgan State University, 2022
Aaron Day
B.A., Morgan State University, 2025
Stephani Victoria Forrester
B.A., Coker University, 2023
Kelsey Joelle Franklin
B.S., Towson University, 2022
Kyla Giovanni
B.S., Davidson College, 2019
Joshua Goodman
B.S., Bowie State University, 2019
Michaela Harris
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Aaliyah Georgia Jones
B.S., Coppin State University, 2022
Stephen A. Jones, Jr.
B.A., Morgan State University, 2022
Summer Jones
B.S., Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, 2016
Jean Kent
B.A., Morgan State University, 2003
Sandra King
B.S., Towson University, 2023
Jai Lewis
B.S., George Mason University, 2006
Tia McLendon
B.S., Coppin State University, 2012
Shaquim Muldrow
B.M., North Carolina Central University, 2018
Shir Nagari
B.F.A., Towson University, 2023
B.S., Towson University, 2023
Rachel Parker
B.A., North Carolina A&T State University, 2016
Daimen Poole
B.S., Coppin State University, 2016
Gregory Alan Robertson, Jr.
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Kevin Niles Robeson, Jr.
B.A., Morgan State University, 2024
Arielle Cashe Rodgers Manley
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Jaden Scott
B.A., Morgan State University, 2025
Niyyah Small-Graham
Jamila Faith Sutton
B.A., Morgan State University, 2021
Larin Emmanuel Walker, Jr.
B.A., Frostburg State University, 2005
Arte Steven William Warren
B.A., Morgan State University, 2023
Dominique Washington
Darius Alexander Woods
B.S., Morgan State University, 2025
Master of Education in Community College Administration and Instruction
Bria Sykes
B.S., University of Maryland, 2022
Master of Science in Educational Administration and Supervision
Jason Ambush
B.S., Towson University, 2003
Tylisha Dunlap
B.A., Trinity Washington University, 2018
Jalisa McKnight
B.S., Walden University, 2020
Asia Washington
TheClarenceM.Mitchell,Jr.,SchoolofEngineering
Master of Engineering
Afolabi Abioye
B.Eng., Afe Babalola University, 2023
Alfred Fondjo Biondokin
Lamar Henderson
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Chengjun Jin
B.Eng., Yanbian University, 2019
Kolawole Oladipo
Blessing Omomola
B.Eng., Covenant University, 2022
Master of Science in Computer and Electrical Systems Engineering
Kingsley Matthew
B.S., Kano State University of Science and Technology, 2017
Master of Science in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineering
Tolulope Abiri
B.Eng., Federal University of Technology, 2019
Moses Aghanwi Chendi
B.S., Morgan State University, 2019
Master of Science in Urban Transportation
Chidiebere Onuoha
Nathaniel Stephens
B.S., Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 2022
Kai Sun
B.Eng., Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2016
Master of Science in Secure Embedded Systems
Shameer Sulaiman Rao
B.S., St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 2024
Alexander Stoyanov-Roberts
B.S., St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 2024
TheSchoolofGlobalJournalismandCommunication
Master of Arts in Journalism
Victory Anase Momoh
B.A., University of Ilorin, 2021
Master of Social Work
Salma H. Abdulrahman
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2021
Ajia Adams
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Eunice David Adesua
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Seun Ajongbolo
B.S., Morgan State University, 2017
Isi Akhigbe
B.S., Ambrose Alli University, 2013
Elizabeth Akinsanya
Aaliyaha Alford
Amarachi T. Anyadike
B.S., Towson University, 2022
Sy’mone Atkinson
B.S., Towson University, 2021
Benjamin O. Awojoodu
Sade Bagley
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Asia Boyd
Brittany A. Bracey-Hailey
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2025
Marcus Burgess
B.S., Towson University, 2022
Taylor Simone Burrell
B.S., Stevenson University, 2019
Michelle Brittany Richardson
B.S., The University of Baltimore, 2015
TheSchoolofSocialWork
Nia Chavis
B.S., Delaware State University, 2024
Shereika Ikeba Chin
B.A., University of Maryland, 2023
Maliyah B. Davis
Neaya DeGroat-Cousar
B.A., Morgan State University, 2023
Kendyl DeRamus
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2025
Ryon Dingle
B.A., Norfolk State University, 2020
Brittney Dorsey
Tikia Duppins
B.S., York College of Pennsylvania, 2014
Monique Inez Easley
B.A., Towson University, 2017
Jaylyn B. Edwards
B.S.W., Bowie State University, 2025
Valentine Encarnacion
B.S., Lincoln University, 2022
Melissa Ervin
B.S., North Carolina Central University, 2014
Oreoluwa Mary Fabiyi
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2025
Nikki L. Garnes
B.A., University of Baltimore, 2021
Mercia Gee
Lakisha Ghee
B.S.W., Coppin State University, 2021
Brandi Green
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2005
Edward B. Gregory
Jalen Fred Hansley
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2024
Morgan Faith Herring
Lakeshia Hickman
B.S., University of Baltimore, 2019
Deonna Hightower
B.A., Morgan State University, 2023
Felicia Hill
B.S., Liberty University, 2024
Chinara A. Hines
B.S.W., Bowie State University, 2025
Latisha A. Hoyte
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2019
Abisola Iguade
B.S., Towson University, 2020
Stacey Izevbigie
B.S.W., Bowie State University, 2025
Jordan Naiema Jefferson
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2025
Gabriel Jiabana
Bethanie Johnson
B.S.W., Bowie State University, 2003
Kayla E. Johnson
B.S., Bowie State University, 2024
Madisun Johnson
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2022
Crystal King
B.S.W., Coppin State University, 2025
Monica N. Kushner
B.A., University of Baltimore, 2009
Jean Lanier
B.S., Bowie State University, 2021
Jazma Lee-Coates
B.A., University of Baltimore, 2024
Imani Lemon
B.S., Bowie State University, 2024
Danielle Lindsay
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2025
Brian Madison
B.S., Delaware State University, 2020
Ashley Marbury
B.A., Clark Atlanta University, 2009
Ivana Mayo
Neve McLeod
B.S., Towson University, 2021
Veronica Medina
B.S., Plattsburgh State University, 1999
Basimah Moore
B.A., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, 2022
Moesha Moore
B.S., Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, 2022
Kiki Mugi
B.S., Frostburg State University, 2022
Alexander Coleridge Obeahon
B.S., Coppin State University, 1993
Taylor Ocasio
B.A., University of Maryland, 2012
Lilian Ihuoma Okwudili-Ezeani
Florence O. Opadeji
B.Ed., University of Ilorin, 1997
M.Ed., Obafemi Awolowo University, 2002
M.A., Morgan State University, 2020
Breonte Arielle Owens
B.S.W., Bowie State University, 2021
Yashae Pinnock
B.S., University of Technology, Jamaica, 2023
Monique Powell
B.S., Grand Canyon University, 2024
Shiann Proctor
B.S.W., Bowie State University, 2025
Shanika Mekeda Raymond
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2025
Bridget A. Richardson
B.S., Bowie State University, 2017
Bobbie Mariah Roary
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2025
Cierra Robinson
B.S.W., Coppin State University, 2021
Rahima Imani Robinson
Jasmin Lena Shaw
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2022
Aniyah Smith
B.S., Morgan State University, 2021
Brandee Stevenson
B.S., Coppin State University, 2024
Domoniece Taylor
B.S.W., McDaniel College, 2020
Asia Thomas
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Khadijah Thomas
B.S.W., Morgan State University, 2025
Rodney Thompson
B.S., Southern New Hampshire University, 2024
James R. Turner, Jr.
B.S., Morgan State University, 2023
Ebony Vauss
Jordan Nicole Walker
B.S., Morgan State University, 2019
Kortney Wells
B.S., Bowie State University, 2021
Jordyn White
B.S., Coppin State University, 2023
Tania White
B.S., Morgan State University, 2002
Tonya Alicia Whitehead
Amaya J. Williams
B.S.W., Central Connecticut State University, 2025
Danielle Williams
B.S., Coppin State University, 2021
Naya C. Williams
B.S., Towson University, 2023
Ayona D. Young
B.S., Morgan State University, 2024
Undergraduate Commencement Exercises
Undergraduate Commencement Exercises Spring 2026
The Sixteenth of May Two Thousand and Twenty-Six Nine-thirty O’clock in the Morning
W. A. C. Hughes Memorial Stadium
Morgan State University
1700 E. Cold Spring Lane Baltimore, Maryland 21251
Order ofProcession
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
Ms. Natasha A. Lewis
Dr. Tyrone Stanley
Marshal for the College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies
Ms. Victoria Acosta
Ms. Joyce Nibbs
Dr. Stacey Stanley
Marshals for the James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
Ms. Tylar Hinton
Dr. Amber Hodges
Ms. Joyce Nibbs
Dr. Stacey Stanley
Marshals for the School of Architecture and Planning
Prof. Tanya Shanklin
Mr. Charles Thomas
Dr. Lewis Waller
Mr. Lavon Wright
Marshals for the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
Dr. Tamera Farrar
Ms. Deborah Oluwadare
Dr. Julaine Rigg
Marshals for the School of Community Health and Policy
Mrs. Pawn Johnson Hunter
Mrs. Shelia Richburg
Marshals for the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Ms. Rolicia F. Martin
Dr. Simon Nyaga
Dr. Ernest C. Steele, Jr.
Marshals for the School of Education and Urban Studies
Dr. Christian Anderson
Dr. Geetika Jaiswal
Marshals for the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering
Mr. Dennis Glover
Dr. Monica K. Poindexter
Marshals for the School of Global Journalism and Communication
Dr. Joonwoo Moon
Dr. Darryl Greene
Mrs. Angela Gaither-Scott
Marshals for the School of Social Work
Marshal for the 50th Anniversary Class
Ms. Airuel Singletary
Dr. Sy’Quon Shaw
THE PROCESSION
ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATORS
FACULTY EMERITI
FACULTIES OF THE UNIVERSITY
CLASS OF 1976
GRADUATE CANDIDATES
Doctorates Masters
UNDERGRADUATE CANDIDATES
College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies
Bachelors of Science
James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
Bachelors of Arts
Bachelors of Fine Arts
Bachelors of Science
School of Architecture and Planning
Bachelors of Science
Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management
Bachelors of Science
School of Community Health and Policy
Bachelors of Science
School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Bachelors of Science
School of Education and Urban Studies
Bachelors of Science
Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering
Bachelors of Science
School of Global Journalism and Communication
Bachelors of Science
School of Social Work
Bachelors of Science
PLATFORM PARTY
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
PRESIDENT OF THE MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
CLERGY
REGISTRAR
PRESIDENT OF THE SENIOR CLASS
SPECIAL GUESTS
ASSISTANTS TO THE PRESIDENT
UNIVERSITY COUNSEL
CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE PRESIDENT
CHAIR OF MILITARY SCIENCE
CHAIR OF THE COMMENCEMENT COMMITTEE
HONORARY DEGREE CITATION READER
DEANS OF THE UNIVERSITY
VICE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY BOARD OF REGENTS
PROVOST AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS
CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY
Commencement Speaker&HonoraryDegreeRecipient
BRYAN STEVENSON
FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
Doctor of Laws
Bryan Stevenson is the founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a human rights organization in Montgomery, Alabama. Under his leadership, EJI has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill and aiding children prosecuted as adults.
Mr. Stevenson has argued and won multiple cases at the United States Supreme Court, including a 2019 ruling protecting condemned prisoners who suffer from dementia and a landmark 2012 ruling that banned mandatory life-imprisonment-without-parole sentences for all children 17 or younger. Mr. Stevenson and his staff have won reversals, relief or release from prison for more than 140 wrongly condemned prisoners on death row and won relief for hundreds of others wrongly convicted or unfairly sentenced.
Mr. Stevenson has initiated major new anti-poverty and anti-discrimination efforts that challenge inequality in America. He led the creation of EJI’s highly acclaimed Legacy Sites, including the Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. These new national landmark institutions chronicle the legacy of slavery, lynching and racial segregation, and the connection to mass incarceration and contemporary issues of racial bias.
Mr. Stevenson’s work has won him numerous awards, among them the prestigious MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Prize; the American Bar Association’s highest honor, the ABA Medal; the National Medal of Liberty from the American Civil Liberties Union, for which he was nominated by United States Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens; the Public Interest Lawyer of the Year honor by the National Association of Public Interest Lawyers; the Olaf Palme Prize in Stockholm, Sweden, for international human rights; New York University’s Distinguished Teaching Award; the NAACP William Robert Ming Advocacy Award; and the American Bar Association’s Thurgood Marshall Award. The King Center in Atlanta honored Mr. Stevenson with the Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize in 2018. In 2023, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Biden.
Mr. Stevenson is the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller “Just Mercy,” which was named by Time Magazine as one of the 10 Best Books of Nonfiction for 2014 and has been awarded several honors, including the American Library Association’s Carnegie Medal for best nonfiction book of 2015 and a 2015 NAACP Image Award. A major motion picture adaptation of “Just Mercy” won the American Bar Association’s 2020 Silver Gavel Award as well as four NAACP Image Awards. Mr. Stevenson is also the subject of the Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary “True Justice.”
Mr. Stevenson is a graduate of Harvard Law School and the Harvard School of Government
Order ofExercises UndergraduateCeremony
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.”
The Honorable Kweisi Mfume, Chair, University Board of Regents
INTRODUCTION OF SPEAKER ........................................................................................
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
Dr. David K. Wilson, President
Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative
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
Bryan Stevenson, Doctor of Laws
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 ................................ Lt. Col. Damon N. Knauss, U.S. Army (Ret.), Department Chair and Professor, Department of Military Science
PRESENTING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES IN COURSE ...................................................... Dr. Hongtao Yu, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
CONFERRING OF DEGREES IN COURSE .................................................................... Dr. David K. Wilson, President
COLLEGE OF INTERDISCIPLINARY AND CONTINUING STUDIES
JAMES H. GILLIAM, JR., COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS .........................................................
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
EARL G. GRAVES SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
SCHOOL OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND POLICY ..............................................................
SCHOOL OF COMPUTER, MATHEMATICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES .....................
Candidates presented by Dr. Nicole M. Westrick, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. M’bare N’gom, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. Abimbola Asojo, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. Royce Burnett, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. Kim Dobson Sydnor, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. Paul B. Tchounwou, Dean
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND URBAN STUDIES ..............................................................
Candidates presented by Dr. Glenda Prime, Dean
CLARENCE M. MITCHELL, JR., SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING ............................................
Candidates presented by Dr. Oscar Barton, Jr., Dean
SCHOOL OF GLOBAL JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION .......................................
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
AWARDING OF DIPLOMAS
Candidates presented by Prof. Jacqueline Jones, Dean
Candidates presented by Dr. Anna McPhatter, Dean
By College/Schools (as above)
Candidates’ Names Read by Ms. Sheri Booker, Lecturer, School of Global Journalism and Communication, and Ms. Traci D. Williams, Professor, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
SALUTE TO THE GRADUATES ............................................................................................................... Saniya Williams, President of the Senior Class
INDUCTION INTO THE MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION .......................... Lt. Col. Michael L. Bell, U.S. Army (Ret.), President, Morgan State University Alumni Association
SYMBOLIC TURNING OF THE TASSEL .......................................................................... Dr. David K. Wilson, President
THE ALMA MATER ......................................................................................................................... Deijah Knight, Soprano
BENEDICTION .......................................................... Minister Lawrence Lockett, Jr., Chaplain, University Memorial Chapel
RECESSIONAL
“Pomp and Circumstance” ..................................................................................................... Sir Edward Elgar
The Morgan State University Band Dr. Jorim E. Reid, Sr., Conductor
Candidatesfor Degrees
Bachelor ’ s Degrees
TheCollegeofInterdisciplinaryandContinuingStudies
B.S., Interdisciplinary Educational Studies
Darrin Hawkins
Beverly Jean-Baptiste
Jasmine Martin
Oluwakemi Okiji
EnaMaria Scott-Vegas
Ziyadah Shamsid-Deen
Georgette Walters
B.S., Interdisciplinary Engineering, Information, and Computational Sciences
Kyle Cicone
King Farrell
Troy Speights
B.S., Interdisciplinary Global Perspectives and Practices
These students will be recognized at Commencement. Summa Cum Laude graduates will wear the gold Honors Stole. Magna Cum Laude graduates will wear the silver Honors Stole. Cum Laude graduates will wear the bronze Honors Stole.
Clara I Adams Honors College Graduates
These students will wear the blue Clara I. Adams Honors College Stole.
ReserveOfficers’TrainingCorpsCommissions
The following students were commissioned into the United States Army as 2nd Lieutenants:
Name Branch
Beyah Baylor
Jared Buchanan .................................................................................
U S Army Reserves, Transportation Corps
U.S. Army Reserves, Adjutant General
Damani Davis .................................................................................... Active Duty, Adjutant General
Kemi Dickson .................................................................................... Army National Guard, Signal Corps
Lailia Downing .................................................................................. Active Duty, Medical Services Corp
Taevon Dunn
Army National Guard, Chemical Corps
Ayo Meyers Army National Guard, Infantry
Christian Peebles-Doobins
U S Army Reserves, Engineer Corps
Announcers andDegree Candidate Readers
Ms. Sheri Booker ............................................................................... Lecturer, School of Global Journalism and Communication
Ms. Traci D. Williams
Professor, James H. Gilliam, Jr., College of Liberal Arts
ThePresident’sSecondMileAward
The President’s Second Mile Award was established in 1953 by Dr. Martin D. Jenkins, President of what was then Morgan State College, and the tradition has been continued to encourage and give recognition to outstanding leadership and participation in student affairs. It is intended that this award will go to that member of the graduating class who has made the most outstanding contribution to the campus community during his or her undergraduate days.
“Going the Second Mile” means doing more in any given task or activity than can reasonably be expected. It is hoped that "Going the Second Mile" will be characteristic of every Morgan State University student and graduate and that it will become one of the firmly established traditions of the university community. The winner of the Second Mile Award is selected by a committee consisting of the president of the Junior Class and Junior Class representatives in the Student Government. Organizations and individuals are invited to submit nominations for the award. Nominations are supported by a description of the individual’s achievement.
For the full list of past awardees, please visit the following web page: https://commencement.morgan.edu/awards
The President’s Award for Exceptional Creative Achievement was established in 1953 by Dr. Martin D. Jenkins, President of what was then Morgan State College, and the tradition has been continued to encourage and give recognition to the expression of worthwhile original ideas among the students of the university. It is intended that this award will go to that member of the graduating class who has made an exceptional contribution of a creative nature.
One of the most important functions of an institution of higher education is to stimulate the development of original ideas. Although major contributions are hardly to be expected, certainly the techniques of creative thought and the habit of expressing original ideas should be developed during the undergraduate days. The budding techniques and habits so developed, it is hoped, will come to fruition in post-university years.
The Award for Exceptional Creative Achievement may go to a student who makes a creative contribution in any field or area. The winner of the President’s Award for Exceptional Creative Achievement is selected by a faculty committee. Departments and individual faculty members are invited to submit nominations for the award through the appropriate department chairperson. Nominations are supported by adequate description of the nominee’s achievement.
For the full list of past awardees, please visit the following web page: https://commencement.morgan.edu/awards.
IN CELEBRATION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Morgan State University joins the nation in commemorating the centennial anniversary of the founding of Black History Month. The origins of the observance began in 1915, when scholar, historian and author Dr. Carter G. Woodson co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH).
Known as the “Father of Black History Month,” Dr. Woodson was born on December 19, 1875, in New Canton, Virginia, to formerly enslaved parents. The fourth of seven children, he worked as a sharecropper and coal miner before pursuing formal education. In 1912, Dr. Woodson became the second African American, after W.E.B. Du Bois, to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University.
On September 9, 1915, Dr. Woodson and his colleagues George Cleveland Hall, W.B. Hartgrove, Alexander L. Jackson, and James E. Stamps founded ASNLH in Chicago. To promote the coordinated teaching of Black History nationwide, Woodson established Negro History Week, selecting the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. The first observance took place in February 1926. Today, ASNLH is known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the nation’s oldest organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Black history.
In 1975, President Gerald Ford urged Americans to recognize the vital contributions of Black citizens. The following year, during the nation’s bicentennial, he formally recognized Black History Month and called on Americans to honor the long-neglected achievements of African Americans. That same year, ASALH expanded the observance from a week to a month. Since then, U.S. presidents have continued to issue annual proclamations recognizing Black History Month.
In 1986, Congress passed Public Law 99-244, officially designating February as National Black History Month. President Ronald Reagan’s proclamation emphasized the importance of recognizing both the struggle for freedom and equal opportunity and the many achievements of African Americans across all fields of endeavor.
As we celebrate the success of our May 2026 graduates, we are reminded that our ancestors fought to have the contributions of African Americans recognized equally alongside the contributions of our counterparts of other races. As America approaches her 250th birthday, we continue their fight toward a day when American History fully incorporates African American History. Let us recommit ourselves to advancing a more complete and inclusive telling of American History one that fully embraces African American History as central to the American story. In this centennial year, let us reflect on the transformative power of Black History and its enduring influence upon our world
CELEBRATES THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CLASS OF 1976
THE
FIRST GRADUATING CLASS OF MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
TONI CHAVIS MISS MORGAN
JOYCE J. SPENCER SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT
SENIOR CLASS ADVISER
ROBERT S. THOMPSON SGA PRESIDENT
JOHNNY RAY CALHOUN PROMETHEAN YEARBOOK CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
