Two commencement speakers at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) spoke of their concern for the present and actions for the future they would like the 1,011 graduates to take.
Leonardo “Leo” Williams ’05, ’15, mayor of Durham, who spoke during the baccalaureate ceremony for the College of Health and Sciences and the School of Education, said its time for something in addition to job, church on Sundays and returning to campus for homecoming.
“Let me be clear,” Williams said. “The traditional expectation, that’s not our lane. The world out there is a battlefield.”
Williams made three recommendations. The first is to stand up.
“While some of you are chasing clout on social media, there is a whole system in place trying to dismantle the rights of our ancestors and what they bled for,” Williams said. “Who is the calvary? You are.”
The second is to stand out.
“You are the class that is going to redefine this nation,” he said. “You are going to tap into the power within you.”
Third, to stand on business.
“It is really about creating wealth,” Williams said. “How do we spend and invest in one another?”
During the graduate and professional ceremony, Ernie Suggs ’90, a senior reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution offered a similar message.
“We are at a crossroads in this country,” Suggs said. “Truth is under siege. Reality is being rewritten. Your very existence as a free-thinking people is revolutionary. There is no better place to forge that revolution than at NCCU. The world needs your voice and your truth.”
Suggs advised graduates to “fight with knowledge, critical thinking, compassion and presence. You tell the truth even when the truth shakes the room.”
Reggie McCrimmon, ’13, a senior vice president of Crossroads Strategies in Washington DC, who spoke during the baccalaureate ceremony for the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities and the School of Business, echoed some of those sentiments.
“We find ourselves in concerning times,” McCrimmon said, listing rising costs, student loans becoming due, age of homebuyers increasing, fewer government jobs, etc.
“Where purpose takes flight is fitting for our times,” he said. “Purpose speaks to who we are at our core and what we are called to do.”
While facing their future, McCrimmon suggested that graduates bring along grit and grace.
“True leadership is forged in resilience,” McCrimmon said. “(Make sure to) love ourselves, to be patient with ourselves and be kind to ourselves.”
In her closing remarks, Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon described commencement as more than a celebration.
“It is a call to purpose,” she said. “You are stepping into the world as scholars, leaders and changemakers – and the world needs you.”
Highlights
During the three commencement ceremonies, five faculty were recognized with the NCCU Award for Excellence in Teaching. Those are:
Jinhong Jung, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology and recreation, Michael Pearce, MFA, assistant professor of mass communications, Pia Duncan Anderson, Ed.D., clinical assistant professor of criminal justice, Penny Carroll, MSW, professor and clinical lecturer of social work and Tryan McMickens, Ed.D., associate professor of counseling and higher education.
Antonio Baines, Ph.D., a cancer pharmacologist/toxicologist and associate professor in the department of biological and biomedical sciences, was honored with the University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Among the graduates were eight RN to BSN (registered nurse to bachelor’s in nursing) who earned their degree with the assistance of Project Kitty Hawk, an initiative that helps NCCU better serve adult online learners.
Amr Waly earned a doctorate in integrated biosciences. As a student, he conducted research in various fields including health disparities and cancer biology.
Of the 1,011 spring 2025 graduates, 130 earned Juris Doctor (law) degrees, 342 earned master’s degrees and 538 earned bachelor’s degrees.
Collectively, undergraduates engaged in 30,967 hours of community service, valued at $1.03 million.
The majority – 834 – of graduates are from North Carolina although graduates from another 27 states, the District of Columbia and two countries – Finland and Spain – received their diplomas on May 9 and 10.
Undergraduate students with the highest grade point averages during spring term were Kawanda Hall, Kimberly McNeil and Emmie Modlin.
Recipients of the NCCU Student Impact Award - recognizing graduating seniors who have fulfilled a minimum of 250 hours of community-engaged service - are:
Aliya Alston, Jordan Baccus, Kaleyah Hilton, Kamya Jackson, Kimberly Johnson, Nicole Anne Martin, Anaja McArthur, Ezeji Nwanaji-Enwerem, Conny Requino-Alfaro, Makayla Russ, Saiyana Siner, Jada Sorrell, Kamakshi Velamuri, Ty’nasia Walker, Laura Whitley and Sydney Wilkins.
For commencement photos, visit https://bit.ly/NCCU145Commencement.