146th Commencement Exercises
North Carolina Central University’s (NCCU) 146th Commencement Exercises was held in the McDougald-McLendon Arena.
All ceremonies were streamed on NCCU's YouTube Channel and the university’s website.
146th Commencement Exercises
Commencement Dates
Friday, December 12, 2025, at 9 a.m. for graduate, professional, and doctoral students
Friday, December 12, 2025, at 2 p.m. for all undergraduate students
Congratulations on your candidacy for graduation! Please check out the graduation checklist and FAQs to help you prepare for a memorable event.
All attendees of the 146th Commencement Exercises must adhere to the Department of Athletics’ clear bag policy. All permissible bags will be checked upon entry into the arena. All bags must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and less than 12" x 12"x 6" — exceptions will be made for medical and baby needs. Small wristlets/clutches (less than 4.5" x 6.5" x 1") with or without a strap are permitted.
146th Commencement Exercises: Highlights
Fall 2025 Commencement Ceremonies
The Fall 2025 Commencement Ceremonies for baccalaureate, graduate, and professional students took place at the McDougald-McLendon Arena on Friday, December 12, 2025.
Ceremony Schedule
Friday, December 12, 2025
- 9 a.m. – Graduate, professional, and doctoral students
- 2 p.m. – All undergraduate students
Note: Graduates are expected to arrive on time and adhere to all commencement protocols.
Simulcast Viewing Sites for the Ceremonies:
- NCCU Student Center (500 Nelson St.)
- Nursing Building Auditorium (1402 S. Alston Ave.)
- Miller-Morgan Health Sciences Building Auditorium (530 Nelson St.)
- H.M. Michaux Jr. School of Education Building Auditorium (700 Cecil St.)
- Albert L. Turner Law Building, Room 100 (640 Nelson St.)
News and Updates
Events for Graduating Students
New Alumni Fall Pinning Ceremony
- When: Sunday, December 7, 2025
- Time: 3 p.m.
- Where: NCCU Student Center
- Attire: Maroon and gray or black professional attire
RSVPs are closed.
If you have any questions or need accommodations, contact Sharrah Wortham at [email protected] or 919-530-7517.
Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon cordially invites you to attend:
Chancellor's Reception for Graduating Students and their Families
- When: Thursday, December 11, 2025, 3–5 p.m.
- Where: NCCU Student Center
ADA Accessible Seating for Commencement Guests and Students
Guests requiring wheelchairs or mobility-accessible seating should proceed to the lower level of the Commencement Arena. Upon arrival, guests should scan their admission ticket and inform the nearest security officer that accessible seating is needed. Accessible seating is located behind the graduate seating section and is available on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached.
Note: Please be aware that NCCU does not provide wheelchairs or mobility assistance.
Due to limited space, only one companion may accompany each guest in the accessible seating area. Additional members of the party may be seated in the general seating areas. If the ADA seating area reaches capacity, guests with accommodations may be relocated to a designated virtual viewing area.
For guests with limited mobility who are able to navigate a few steps, additional reserved seating is available on the upper level. These seats are also first-come, first-served and may offer a wider view of the ceremony.
If any guest requires a special accommodation other than accessible seating, please email [email protected] in advance so that we can assist. Captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing will be available for all ceremonies.
Students participating in Commencement who require any type of accommodation should contact Student Accessibility Services at [email protected] or 919-530-6325, no later than November 28, 2025, to ensure appropriate arrangements can be made.
Commencement Live Streams
Graduate and Professional Ceremony
View the graduate and professional ceremony that was held on Friday, December 12, 2025, at 9 a.m.
Baccalaureate Ceremony
View the undergraduate ceremony that was held on Friday, December 12, 2025, at 2 p.m.
Commencement Speakers
Anne Sempowski Ward
Graduate and Professional Ceremony Speaker
CURiO Brands chairwoman and WNBA owner
Rob Robertson
Baccalaureate Ceremony Speaker
Former NFL fullback and financial services leader
Celebrating Our Graduates
Uplifting highlights that capture the pride and joy of our Fall 2025 graduates.
Kyla Brown
Bachelor of Arts
“I actually started to do law first,” Brown said, as she’d already been accepted to Elon University.
When Kyla Brown first stepped onto the stage at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), she wasn’t confident, polished or sure of her place in the world of performance. In fact, she had planned a completely different path.
“I actually started to do law first,” Brown said, as she’d already been accepted to Elon University.
Rotisha Herdon
Bachelor of Science
After 22 years, multiple jobs, a visual impairment and a daughter, Rotisha Herndon is scheduled to graduate from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) on Dec. 12.
Herndon grew up in Oxford, North Carolina. Her father was a U.S. Army reservist, network cyber security analyst and pastor (he died in 2020 from COVID-19), and her mother worked as an assistant director for a tax firm. Both attended college in Greensboro, North Carolina, though neither earned a degree.
Christopher Shearin
Master of Public Administration
When Christopher Shearin was attending high school, a counselor told him he was “not college material.” In December 2025, Shearin will complete a master’s in public administration at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), his third college degree.
Shearin grew up in public housing in Durham. “You saw so many people with talent in basketball, football, etc.” he said. “They didn’t have the work ethic or the opportunity or the grades to go to the next level. When you are in that type of environment, you always have to look for a way out or risk being trapped.”
Jaci Field
Executive Master of Public Administration
After almost three decades of working in athletic administration, Jaci Field decided it was time for a change.
Field, who will earn an Executive Master of Public Administration degree in December, grew up in Cary, North Carolina. Her father worked at IBM until he retired, and her mother was a nurse and nurse educator.
Alexis Clinton
Juris Doctor
Alexis Clinton is a retired U.S. Navy veteran, advocate and December 2025 J.D. candidate at North Carolina Central University School of Law. She lives with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues and organs, often causing fatigue, joint pain and unpredictable flare-ups. The condition disproportionately affects women of color.
Aimee Elaine Bickers
Juris Doctor
At 51, Aimee Elaine Bickers is finally pursuing the dream she nearly followed almost 30 years ago . On the morning she was supposed to take the LSAT, she woke up, turned to her husband, and said, “I don’t want to do this.”
Fast forward to nearly three decades. After a long career in business and project management, she found her way back to that calling and into North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law’s Evening Program, where she is now a December J.D. candidate.