Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will give the keynote address at commencement ceremonies at Langston University and Spelman College this month.
“This will be a day to mark in the history of Langston University,” says president JoAnn W. Haysbert. “President Johnson Sirleaf is a dynamic world leader who spreads a profound message of justice, peace and community service.”
At the time of year when colleges are jockeying for the most prestigious speakers, Johnson Sirleaf’s appearance is a major coup for the two historically Black colleges and universities. But the college leaders say Johnson Sirleaf is especially fitting as a speaker charged with inspiring the graduates to go out into the world and make their mark.
Known as Africa’s “Iron Lady,” Johnson Sirleaf spent more than a year in jail and endured death threats for her efforts to bring justice to her native Liberia. In November 2005, the Harvard University-educated activist and former World Bank economist became the first woman to lead an African nation.
“The more than 500 graduates who have each made a choice to change the world by attending Spelman College will be inspired by the powerful sentiments of a woman who is only the second Black female head of state in the world,” says Spelman President Beverly Daniel Tatum.
“Her unwavering resolve — to heal war-ravaged Liberia, educate its women and girls, shore up its deflated economy, rehabilitate ex-rebels, reconcile with former combatants — is the substance that this year’s graduates hope to embody as they venture forward into their lives beyond the gates of Spelman College.”
Here’s a list of other commencement speakers:
Alliant International University
Marissa Pei: Best-selling author and international corporate consultant
Bennett College for Women
Poet, activist and professor Maya Angelou
Berea College
Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Director, Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for Afro-American Research
Brigham Young University
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney
Bucknell University
Bob Woodward: Washington Post assistant managing editor and author
California Institute of Technology
Jared Diamond: Pulitzer Prize-winning author, evolutionary biologist, physiologist and biogeographer
Canisius College
Marv Levy: General manager and former head coach of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills
The Citadel
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani
Colgate University
Bob Woodruff: Reporter, “ABC News”
Dillard University
U.S. Senator, D-N.Y., and presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton
Drury University
Bob Barker: Host of “The Price is Right”
Hampden-Sydney College
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Jr.
Harvard University
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates
Harvey Mudd College
Mae Jemison: Medical doctor and former astronaut
Howard University
Television host and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey
Indiana University
Civil rights activist and television/radio host Tavis Smiley
John Marshall School of Law
U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga: Former leader of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee
Kenyon College
David Gregory: “NBC News” White House correspondent
Knox College
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton
Langston University
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Lincoln University (Pa.)
Dr. Benjamin Carson: Director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University
Miami Dade College
U.S. President George W. Bush
Middlebury College
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton
Northwestern University
Julia Louis-Dreyfus: Emmy Award-winning actress and Northwestern alum
Ohio State University
U.S. Senator, R-Ariz., and presidential candidate John McCain
Regent University
Former Massachusetts Gov. and U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney
Richard Bland College
Former Virginia Gov. and U.S. presidential candidate Mark Warner
Rochester Institute of Technology
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton
Saint Michaels College
Cokie Roberts: National Public Radio senior news analyst
Saint Norbert College
U.S. President George W. Bush
Saint Vincent College
U.S. President George W. Bush
San Francisco State University
Kamala D. Harris: San Francisco’s first female district attorney and California’s first Black female district attorney
Siena College
Dan Rather: Host, HDNet & Former anchor, “CBS Evening News”
Southern New Hampshire University
U.S. Senator, D-Ill., and presidential candidate Barack Obama
Spelman College
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Stanford University
Dana Gioia: Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts and a renowned poet
St. John’s University
George Stephanopoulos: Former White House communications director and host of ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulous”
Southern University
U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C.
Tufts University
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Tulane University
Brian Williams: Anchor, “NBC Nightly News”
University of Connecticut School of Law
Shirin Ebadi: 2003 Nobel Peace Prize-winner, the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to win the award
University of Delaware
William P. Kupper Jr: president and CEO of BusinessWeek group
University of Mary Washington
Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich
University of New Hampshire
Former U.S. Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
University of Oklahoma
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
University of Pennsylvania
Former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker III
University of Southern California Gould School of Law
Ted Koppel: Former anchor of ABC’s “Nightline” and current managing editor of The Discovery Channel
University of Vermont
U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga. & former leader of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee
Xavier University of Louisiana
Kenneth Chenault: Chairman and CEO, American Express
Washington University in St. Louis
Tim Russert: Anchor, ABC’s “Meet the Press”
Wellesley College
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
Wilberforce University
U.S. Senator, D-N.Y. and 2008 Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton
Williams College
Katie Couric: Anchor, “CBS Evening News”
Winston-Salem State University
Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr.: Senior vice president for academic affairs of University of North Carolina system
Wittenberg University
Juan Williams: Award-winning journalist and author
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